Thomas Bethel Claybourn

Thomas Bethel Claybourn was born on 3 September 1861 in DeKalb County, Tennessee.¹His death certificate incorrectly lists his birth year as 1867. As confirmed by family history and census records, he was actually born in 1861. His immediate family and children used various spellings of the surname, but Thomas himself used the spelling “Claybourn.” He married on 19 August 1880 to Amanda Jane Vanatta (“Mandy”).²Amanda Vanatta was born in October 1853 in Kentucky (probably Wayne County) to James “Jumps” Vanatta (1828-1862) and Carolina Garrison (1825-1904). They had eight children. In 1924 Mandy died and by 1930 Thomas was living with his oldest son James. Thomas died on 26 August 1936 in Coffee County, Tennessee, and is buried there at Wesley Chapel Cemetery.

Descendants

1. James Wilson Clayburn (“Jim”) was born on 17 June 1881 in DeKalb County, Tennessee.³Jim’s date of birth on his death certificate is 17 June 1882, on his headstone it is 19 June 1886, on his World War I draft card it is 17 June 1881, and in the 1900 census it is June 1881. Taking these sources together, we have surmised that the most likely birthdate is 17 June 1881. Note that he and one son spelled the last name “Clayburn,” while others in his family spelled it “Claybourn.” Jim married Rosa Elizabeth “Lizzie” Tosh (1882-1946) on 8 September 1905 in Warren County, Tennessee. Jim died on 3 November 1936 in Warren County, Tennessee.
   1. Charles Wilson Claybourn (“Charlie”) was born on 8 September 1907 in Warren County, Tennessee. He was a farmer and a member of the Baptist Church, and married Nora Ann Hennessee (1911-1976) on 19 June 1932 in Coffee County, Tennessee. Charlie died on 10 May 1968 in Warren County.
      1. Charles Franklin Claybourn was born in about 1933 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He married there to Virginia Dare Dayton on 2 March 1957. He was self-employed as an electrician and carpenter in the home building industry. He was a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and sports activities. Charles died on 17 March 2016.
      2. Phillip Wilson Claybourn was born in about 1941 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He married Linda Fay Cargile on 8 February 1964 in Coffee County.
      3. Carolyn Ann Claybourn was born in about 1946 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married first to Ray G. Jones on 31 May 1963 and married second to James Carlton Winton on 2 December 1974, both in Coffee County.
   2. Mamie E Claybourn was born on 28 November 1908 in Warren County, Tennessee. She never married and in the 1940 census she was an inmate in the Central State Hospital for the Insane in Davidson County, Tennessee. Mamie died on 8 April 1977 in Wayne County, Tennessee.
   3. Ida Jean Claybourn was born on 16 July 1914 in Warren County, Tennssee. She married first to Mr. Sliger before 1946 and married second to Robert Earl Womack (1922-1983). Ida died on 10 May 1978 in McMinnville, Warren County.
   4. Jesse T. Clayburn was born on 13 June 1916 in Warren County, Tennessee. He married Rebecca Irene Kennamer (1922-1984) on 19 November 1938 in Warren County. Jesse died in July 1977 in Muncie, Delaware County, Tennessee.
2. Malissie W. Claybourn was born on 27 February 1883 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. She married William Leon Parker (c. 1879 – after 1955) in about 1903. Malissie died on 3 March 1955 in McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee.⁴Malissie’s date of birth on her death certificate is 27 February 1882, but that is not possible considering the date of birth of her older brother. Her death certificate indicates that she’s buried in Vanatta Cemetery in Warren County, but the only cemetery by that name is in DeKalb County, and there are no Parker graves currently listed there.
   1. Dexie Parker was born on 29 August 1908 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. She married first to Robert Loring Davenport (1906-1972) on 22 January 1928 in Warren County, Tennssee. She married second to George Clark Killingsworth (1897-1991) on 21 August 1979 in Warren County. Dexie died on 21 April 1996 in Paducah, Kentucky.
   2. Elder D. Parker was born on 9 August 1911 in Warren County, Tennessee. Elder died on 12 August 1925 in Warren County, Tennessee, of typhoid fever.
   3. Thomas Odel Parker was born on 24 March 1915 in Warren County, Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from February 1942 to October 1945 and married a woman named Velcie (1921-1964). Thomas died on 7 July 1990 in Warren County.
   4. Carl Parker was born in about 1922 in Warren County, Tennessee.
3. Daniel Claybourn was born in February 1885 in DeKalb County, Tennessee, and died after 1900.
4. Ida J. Claybourn was born in March 1887 in DeKalb County, Tennessee, and died after 1900.
5. Sterling Brown Clayburn was born on 27 January 1889 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He married Fronie Mae Vandergriff (1896-1976) on 30 May 1912 in Coffee County, Tennessee. Sterling died on 2 June 1953 in Mabank, VanZandt County, Texas.
   1. Leola Clayburn was born on 13 April 1913 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married first to Mr. Holmes, and married second to Thomas Earl White (1908-1975). Leola died on 18 December 1978 in Winters, Runnels County, Texas.
   2. Verna Mae Clayburn was born in about 1914 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married Luther William Borgeson (1901-1955) in about 1931.
      1. Mary Catherine Boregson was born in 1932 in Tarrant County, Texas. She married Ira Stanley Orenstein.
      2. Luther Vernon Borgeson was born on 14 January 1934 in Dallas County, Texas, and died on 17 June 2006 in San Antonio, Texas.
   3. Irene Clayburn was born on 13 December 1915 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married C. H. “Curly” Miller in 1935. Irene died on 4 July 1939 in Dallas County, Texas, in an accidental drowning. She drowned in the muddy waters of the Trinity River three miles north of Dallas. Her sister Verna’s two children, age five and seven, were dragged by a swirling current away from their father and Irene went to their rescue. She began to falter and Verna grabbed Irene by the hair and managed to keep her aloft for several minutes while screaming for help, but finally was forced to let her sister go in order to save herself. Irene was swept 400 yards downstream and was recovered by her brother-in-law, Luther William Borgeson. Artificial respiration was applied for fifteen minutes, but she failed to revive. Irene had been in the water thirty minutes. The drowning was witnessed by two other sisters, and a brother, who also were wading: Louise Clayborn (13), Virgil Clayborn (11), and Billy Jean Clayborn (7). Half-hysterical, Irene’s sister Verna and the two children were taken to Dallas hospitals for treatment from shock. The son, Luther Vernon, was revived by his mother, while his father recovered Irene.
   4. Edgar Leon Clayburn was born on 4 February 1919 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He married Madalene Perry (1922-2007) in about 1939. Port of New Orleans records show that he arrived on 14 February 1942 on a ship that sailed from Cristobal in the Canal Zone with a group of men listed as “troop class civilians”. Edgar died on 15 February 1949 in Dallas County, Texas, in an auto accident.
      1. Edgar Leon Clayborn was born on 19 November 1945 in Dallas County, Texas, and died on 24 May 1958 in Smith County, Tennessee, from an auto accident.
   5. Grady Brown Clayburn was born on 29 January 1921 in Warren County, Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II from November 1942 to September 1945 and married Theresa Elaine Smith (1928-2013) on 6 November 1946. Grady died on 26 March 1973 in Dallas County, Texas.
   6. Thomas James Clayburn was born on 25 June 1923 in Warren County, Tennessee, and married Juanita Moore (born in 1935). Thomas died on 15 February 1967 in Dallas County, Texas.
   7. Louise Clayburn was born in about 1926 in Tarrant County, Texas, and was living with parents as of the 1940 census.
   8. Virgil Harrison Clayburn was born on 10 September 1927 in Tarrant County, Texas, and married Neva Jean Moore (1930-2006). Virgil died on 14 March 2001 in Dallas County, Texas.
   9. Billie Jean Clayburn was born in about 1932 in Texas. She married James Augustus Groom (1928-2009) on 7 January 1952. They divorced on 11 August 1980 in Dallas County, Texas.
   10. Jimmie Nell Clayborn (a female) was born on 22 April 1937 in Taylor County, Texas. She married Olen Edward Raymond (1930-1998). Jimmie died on 23 January 2001 in Canton, VanZandt County, Texas.
6. Vernon Clayborne was born on 4 October 1891 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He married Gertrude Scruggs (1894-1968) on 18 August 1912 in Coffee County, Tennessee. Vernon died on 16 June 1958 in Manchester, Tennessee.
   1. T. J. Clayborne (a male) was born on 5 June 1913 in Warren County, Tennessee. He died on 7 January 1937 in Summitville, Coffee County, Tennessee, of tuberculosis.
   2. Ruby Mae Clayborne was born on 3 May 1915 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married Lawrence Sherman Jones (1908-1995) in about 1938. Ruby died on 3 August 1993 in Coffee County.
   3. Juanita Clayborne was born on 16 February 1919 in Coffee County, Tennessee. Juanita died of tuberculosis on 22 November 1937 in Coffee County (her headstone gives a date different than her death certificate).
   4. Vernon Clayborne Jr. was born on 26 February 1921 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He married on 9 May 1960 to Jessie Ilene Rhodes (1918-2012), who was previously married to Mr. Darnell. Vernon died on 10 March 1995 in Coffee County.
   5. Clarence Leighton Clayborne was born on 19 January 1927 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He served as technicial fifth grade in the U.S. Army in World War II from May 1945 to November 1946. Clarence died on 30 December 1992 in Coffee County.
   6. Donald Mack Clayborne was born on 3 September 1930 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Marines in Korea from September 1951 to April 1954. He married Inez Elizabeth Arnold (1932-2014) in about 1953. Donald died on 25 June 1993 in Coffee County.
      1. Donald Joe Clayborne was born on 1 May 1954 in Warren County, Tennessee. He married a woman named Brenda on 17 September 1973. Donald died on 10 January 2002 in Elkhart County, Indiana.
      2. Tony Clayborne was born in 1962.
7. William Paidy Clayborn (“Will”) was born on 10 April 1893 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He married Mary Etta Hobbs (1899-1985) on 2 May 1915 in Warren County, Tennessee. She later married Charlie G. Henderson (1902-1990) on 31 March 1945 in Warren County and her headstone name is Mary C. Henderson. Will died on 14 June 1940 in Coffee County, Tennessee.
   1. Mary Lucille Clayborn was born in about 1917 in Warren County, Tennesse, and was living with her parents as of the 1940 census.
   2. Harold “Rusty” Clayborn was born on 27 March 1921 in Tennessee. He married Lena Violet Pinegar (1927-2002) on 15 September 1943 in Coffee County, Tennessee. Rusty died on 27 August, 1983 in Coffee County.
      1. Billy James Clayborn was born on 11 January 1947 in Coffee County, Tennessee. He married Connie Chisam on 29 December 1973 in Coffee County. Billy died on 13 August 1986 in Coffee County.
   3. A premature infant son was born and died on 25 March 1924 in Coffee County, Tennessee.
   4. Lessie Anita Clayborn was born on 26 May 1925 and died on 28 October 1925 in Coffee County, Tennessee.
   5. Bobbie L. Clayborn was born on 8 May 1927 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married Lloyd C. Meadows (1926-1994) on 12 January 1952. Bobbie died on 3 December 2008 in Coffee County.
   6. Thelma Dean Clayborn was born in 1939 in Coffee County, Tennessee. She married William T. Grosch on 24 May 1958 in Cannon County, Tennessee.
8. Denver Dee Claybourn (“Dee”) was born on 10 March 1895 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He was a self-employed farmer and died on 14 October 1918 in Warren County, Tennessee, of influenza.

Footnotes

• 1
  His death certificate incorrectly lists his birth year as 1867. As confirmed by family history and census records, he was actually born in 1861.
• 2
  Amanda Vanatta was born in October 1853 in Kentucky (probably Wayne County) to James “Jumps” Vanatta (1828-1862) and Carolina Garrison (1825-1904).
• 3
  Jim’s date of birth on his death certificate is 17 June 1882, on his headstone it is 19 June 1886, on his World War I draft card it is 17 June 1881, and in the 1900 census it is June 1881. Taking these sources together, we have surmised that the most likely birthdate is 17 June 1881.
• 4
  Malissie’s date of birth on her death certificate is 27 February 1882, but that is not possible considering the date of birth of her older brother. Her death certificate indicates that she’s buried in Vanatta Cemetery in Warren County, but the only cemetery by that name is in DeKalb County, and there are no Parker graves currently listed there.