Copyright 2023, CABS for Reflections From the Fence
This continues a series of posts, done in hopefully an efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors. This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report. It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.
Let’s begin - -
Meet, Lewis Edwin Clifford, or as we shall see, also known as Lou E. Clayton.
First here is a ancestor chart, showing Lewis (with both surnames), his parents, and grandparents.
Next we see Lewis with his parents and his wife Grace.
Here is what we have found on Lewis:
Louis E. Clifford
in the Minnesota, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980
Name Louis E. Clifford
Gender Male
Race White
Birth Date 9 Dec 1882
Birth Place Wabasha, Wabasha, Minnesota
Father Charles
Mother Clara
FHL Film Number 1320190
Minnesota Marriages, 1849-1950
groom's name: Lewis E. Clifford
groom's birth date: 1882
groom's age: 25
bride's name: Grace Ann Hudson
bride's birth date: 1888
bride's age: 19
marriage date: 18 Nov 1907
marriage place: Wabasha, Wabasha, Minnesota
groom's marital status: Unknown
bride's marital status: Unknown
indexing project (batch) number: M75138-2
system origin: Minnesota-EASy
source film number: 1320201
We note that his bride, Grace, is found marrying Frank D. Lohnerin in 1916 in the state of Washington. She eventually died in California in mid 1930.
Lewis was not found on the World War I Registration database at Ancestry.com. Until late September 2023 when I found this:
Low Edwin Clayton. (I wrote in his bio - - **What is going on?)
in the U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name Low Edwin Clayton
[Lou Edwin Clayton]
Race White
Birth Date 9 Dec 1882
Residence Date 1917-1918
Residence Place Dawson County, Montana, USA
Physical Build Slender
Height Short
Hair Color Light Brown
Eye Color Blue
Relative Ada Hall. ***** Ada is a sister.
Lou Clayton is found on a List of Advertised letters as follows:
Name Lou Clayton
Topic Military
Residence Date 16 Apr 1920
Residence Place Glasgow, Montana, USA
Newspaper Title The Glasgow Courier
Lou E Clayton
in the 1930 United States Federal Census
Name Lou E Clayton
[Lon E Clayton]
Birth Year abt 1883
Gender Male
Race White
Age in 1930 47
Birthplace Minnesota
Marital Status Divorced
Relation to Head of House Lodger
Home in 1930 Lismas, Garfield, Montana, USA
Map of Home Lismas, Garfield, Montana
Dwelling Number 1
Family Number 1
Age at First Marriage 25
Attended School No
Able to Read and Write Yes
Father's Birthplace Canada
Mother's Birthplace Minnesota
Able to Speak English Yes
Occupation Laborer
Industry General Farm
Class of Worker Wage or salary worker
Employment Yes
War no
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Dave W Smith 43 Head
Vira V Smith 42 Wife
Loyd H Kipf 18 Lodger
Lou E Clayton 47 Lodger
Lou E Clayton
in the 1940 United States Federal Census
Name Lou E Clayton
Age 57
Estimated Birth Year abt 1883
Gender Male
Race White
Birthplace Minnesota
Marital Status Widowed
Relation to Head of House Lodger. ***Enumerated in Roosevelt Hotel.
Home in 1940 Glasgow, Valley, Montana
Map of Home in 1940 Glasgow, Valley, Montana
Inferred Residence in 1935 Glasgow, Valley, Montana
Residence in 1935 Glasgow
Sheet Number 81B
Occupation Helper
Industry Beer Parlor
Attended School or College No
Highest Grade Completed High School, 1st year
Class of Worker Wage or salary worker in private work
Weeks Worked in 1939 30
Income 400
Income Other Sources No
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Beverly Miller 44 Wife
…other guest's names removed from my extraction
Lou E Clayton 57 Lodger
Lou E Clayton
in the U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
Name Lou E Clayton
Gender Male
Race White
Birth Date 9 Dec 1882
Birth Place Wabasha, Minnesota, USA
Residence Place Glasgow, Montana, USA
Military Draft Date 1942
Occupation Stan Kolinsky
Height 5 5
Eye Color Blue
Hair Color Gray
Weight 135
Complexion Light
Next of Kin Stan Kolinsky
Even his death certificate uses the name Lou Clayton, his father's name is given as Charles Clayton instead of Charles Clifford, mother's name given as Clara Louis, instead of Clara Lewis.
Then, we find his obituary, as Lewis Clifford.
Lewis' obituary was found in the Winnebago newspaper, Faribault County, Minnesota, it was provided by a volunteer, Mr. Nicholas Weerts, and we thank him, no date other than 1953 was found on the obituary:
"Lewis E. Clifford
Dies in Montana
Funeral services were held here Tuesday afternoon for Lewis E. Clifford, 71, who died suddenly last Thursday in Glasgow, Mont. His death followed a heart attack.
The Rev. Robert Mielke officiated at the rites conducted at the Spencer-Armstrong funeral home. Music was provided by Mrs. Maxine Schonrock and Mrs. Eva Siverson.
Interment was in Rosehill cemetery. Casketbearers were A. M. Dahl, Hugh Miller, Don Nichols, Harry Nichols, Harry Duncanson and Harold Headley.
Lewis E. Clifford was born Dec. 9, 1882, at Wabasha to Clara E. and Charles N. Clifford. He attended school at Lake City where in 1908 he was married to Grace Hudson. After living at Winona four years they moved to Montana where he has resided over 40 years. His wife passed away about 20 years ago.
Surviving is one daughter, Elizabeth (Mrs. Elmer Jacobsen) of Seattle, Wash., and two grand-daughters; also four sisters, Mrs. Norma Nelson of Minneapolis, Mrs. Paul Cochran of Mineral Wells, Tex, Mrs. Edith Aldous and Mrs. Virginia Soehren of Sacramento, Calif.; and two brothers, John and Richard, also of Sacramento. A sister, Mrs. Ada Hall, and a one-year old daughter, preceded him in death."
He does have a Find A Grave memorial, #38809458, with a photo of his headstone. So happens that I have visited that cemetery in person many years ago. He is buried near and around some of his siblings and his mother.
* Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors. I pay for subscriptions, full price.
** My judgements may or may not be correct. Transcriptions may or may not have errors.
*** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink. Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs. As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed. If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.
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