THE CLAXTON FAMILY OF
by Tommy Claxton
The original of this article was published in the Henry
County, TN Family History Book published by Turner Publishing Co.,
Jeremiah Claxton was
born in 1807
[by all accounts in
In May, 1838 Jeremiah
enlisted in
the Tennessee Volunteers at
He is listed as paying
the poll tax
on the available tax lists for
By 1860 Jeremiah &
Emaline, the
progenitors of the Henry County Claxtons, were in
They [Jeremiah and
Emaline] arrived
in
Joel Porter (Joe, Sr.) married Catherine Annie Black. Their children are Catherine (Kate), Emma S., Jerry, Robert Wesley (Bob), Mary Jane, Joel Porter (Joe, Jr.), William (Bill) Green, Nannie Myrtle, Julia, Lillian Lee, and George E.
Robert D. married Emma Raines. Their children are James Edmond, John Wesley, Cora Robbie, Leeper Randle, and Herlie Freeman.
All of Joe, Sr.'s children married. Of the boys, Jerry married Mannie Raines, and their children are Tillman Clyde, May (who died in infancy) and Myron Walker. Robert Wesley married Nannie F. Holiday, and their children are Joe Hafford, Herman Wesley, Elbert Jerome (Hooks), and Virgie Marie. Joe, Jr. married May Belle Starling, and their children are Hettie Ann, Clyde Waymon, Sue Belle, Robert Jerome, Porter, Mildred Christine, Merle Marie, Joe (Jack), Dorothy Faye, and Evelyn Inez. William Green married Pearl B. White and had one child who died in infancy. George E. married Mary Elizabeth Bucy, and their children are Emma Katherine and James Paul.
Of Robert D.'s boys, only John Wesley, who married Myrtle Bowen, had children. They are James Lowell and Alice Lorene.
The Claxton family has
had an
impact on
William and Robert Wesley owned a livery stable.
Jerry operated the
Claxton Clay pit
located off
Robert Jerome owned Claxton's Food market and later Paris Appliance Store and was a Paris City Commissioner.
Joe (son of Joe, Jr.) was also a City Commissioner and vice-mayor of Paris; he was chief medical technologist of Henry County General Hospital before becoming the hospital's administrator.
Herman Wesley owned Claxton Auto Parts and Paints store.
Clyde Waymon worked as a salesman for the Paris Coca Cola Company.
Elbert Jerome owned Hooks Claxton's Grocery and Pony Farm.
Tillman and his son
Rex were
conductors with L&N Railroad, Tillman on the last passenger train
into
Tommy (son of Rex) is a teacher and technology supervisor with Henry County School System [now retired]. He was Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 26.
Dr. Robert D. Adams
(son of Sue
Belle who married Horace Guston Adams) is a physician in
Billy Joe Adams (son of Sue Belle) retired as superintendent at Holley Carburetor.
Andy Hooper (son of
Merle Marie who
married Steve Henry Hooper) is Administrator of Eastwood Clinic and
currently
serves on the Henry County School Board; he was also a city
commissioner for 12
years and was mayor of