Individual Notes
Note for: Jessie Lee Clay, 6 JUL 1879 - 2 MAY 1952
Index
Occupation: Place: Stationary Engineer for Frisco Railroad
Residence: Date: 1920
Place: Springfield, , Greene, Missouri,
Residence: Date: 1930
Place: Springfield, , Greene, Missouri,
Residence: Date: 1910
Place: 5-WD SPRINGFIELD, , GREENE, Missouri,
Burial: Place: Eastlawn Cemetery, Garden of Tranquility, Springfield, MO
Individual Note: When Jessie Clay's mother died, his father sent Jessie and his sister Lucy (who died as a young woman) back to Missouri from the Oklahoma Territory. He put them on the train with notes on their jackets on which was written their names and who they were supposed to go to. They never saw their father again. His Aunt Mandy Clay Patterson raised him from that point on. His Uncle John Patterson (Mandy's husband) was Minnie McGilvry's uncle.
Jessie started working at age 9 in a tobacco factory in Springfield. He didn't smoke, but he did chew tobacco. [Nancy Shankle] Jessie later became a stationary engineer for the Frisco Railroad, working in the roundhouse, and lived in Springfield, MO.
Jessie had at least one other child before marrying Minnie, a daughter, probably illegitimate, name unknown. Florence Atwood thinks she probably was put up for adoption.
Greene County, Missouri Circuit Court Divorce Abstracts:
CLAY, Minnie May / CLAY, Jesse Lee
#40504. Final Decree 19 July 1906 Book 92 p 497. Default Decree for Plaintiff. She is innocent and injured party. Care and custody of Ruby Ellen Clay, minor child born of said marriage with Defendant, awarded to Plaintiff. (Jesse L. Clay married Minnie M. Cotter 14 February 1898).
Individual Notes
Note for: Arminta Clay, ABT 1856 - 1892
Index
Individual Note: Listed as Armida Clay on 1860 census, and Armita on 1870 census. In the 1880 census, "Armittie" is living with her parents in Shawnee, Henry County, Missouri and two children listed as grandchildren of Morris: Effa M., aged 4, and Jesse L., 11 months. Is Effa really Lucy or another granddaughter? Arminta is also listed in the 1880 census as being single, but that could be an error. Where was Mike Clay??
Individual Notes
Note for: Leslie Lorenzo Clay, 22 OCT 1908 - 17 MAR 1962
Index
Burial: Place: Eastlawn Cemetery, Springfield, MO
Individual Note: Leslie left home at age 16 and hitched rides on trains all the way to California. Florence McGilvry Atwood said that the family had a different attitude about hobos coming to the house for meals after Leslie left. Leslie was a lithographer (typesetter). His family lived in Sheridan, Wyoming. He was divorced from Mae at the time of his death.
Individual Notes
Note for: Ben Atwood, 14 MAY 1906 - MAY 1961
Index
Alias: Benton /Atwood/
Individual Note: Attended Drury College and University of Chicago Law School. Practiced law in Chicago. When he started his practice there was another Ben Atwood in Chicago. So he changed his name to Benton Atwood. This upset his mother greatly since she had named all her children with three letter names. "He added a ton." Benton had acreage of land in Elmhurst, IL and in addition to his law practice developed and built homes on subdivided lots of that land.
Individual Notes
Note for: Lloyd Frank Clay, 15 AUG 1913 - 8 MAY 1991
Index
Burial: Place: Eastlawn Cemetery, Springfield, MO
Individual Note: Lloyd Clay had a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. After college, he worked in radio in Springfield. Lloyd and Karleen were married on Oct. 12,1940 at the house on Elm St. by Dean Wofford from Drury. Lloyd soon went into the FBI during the war years and then later worked for Gardner Advertising. His main client was Purina, and after they formed their own advertising department, he joined Purina. All in all, he worked for Purina for over 45 years. Purina transferred him to Atlanta and he worked on their international advertising, traveling extensively. Purina later transferred him back to St. Louis.
From Linda Niles: "They celebrated their 50th anniversary several times in 1990. We went to Disney World in November and also had a big celebration at home in Oct. of 1990 with lots of friends and neighbors. Carl and I were there and so glad we were because Daddy died May,1991 just a few months later."
Individual Notes
Note for: Jake Claude Muskrat, 19 SEP 1892 - 1 MAY 1939
Index
Alias: /Claudie/
Occupation: Place: Farmer
Residence: Place: Not Stated, , Delaware, Oklahoma,
Residence: Date: 1900
Place: Township 24, , Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory,
Event: Type: 1902-07 Dawes Roll
Place: Card #4137, roll# 24436
Event: Type: Dawes Roll
Date: 1902
Place: #4137, roll# 24436
Burial: Place: Olympus Cemetery, Grove, Oklahoma
Individual Note: As told to Jim & Lorene Muskrat by Thelma Muskrat, Aug. 2000:
Back before Thelma and Claude were married, pie suppers were a social event. Claude was a social animal and was at ease and comfortable among the Fields and other Cherokee Indians around the Butler community. One Christmas, Thelma went with Claude to a pie supper at Butler. There was some drinking, and some of the Indians got drunk. A fight started and turned into a real brawl. Some Indians stood in the door and were letting some out and not letting others out. Thelma slipped out under the arms of one of the door guards. Claude evidently got out also. A group of thugs piled onto one Sam Swagee, and were all pounding on him. Thelma said Claude was not afraid of anyone or anything, and waded back into the schoolhouse, got Sam out from under the pile and got him outside. Claude took Sam home with him, where Grandma Ida washed Sam's wounds and applied bandages. Thelma said Sam probably would have been beaten to death if Claude had not rescued him. Claude was probably friends with the group pounding poor Sam.
Claude served in France in WWI. While driving cattle to Grove, after crossing Grand River a horse fell on him. He later died of his internal injuries at Veteran's hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
[Kelly History.FTW]
Jake Claude (AKA "Claude") Muskrat, son of James Ezekiel and Ida Lenora (Kelly) Muskrat, appears on the 1900 Federal Census in Indian Territory, Cherokee Nation (enumeration district 16, township 24 NR 24 East, sheet 16). That census shows seven year-old Jake as "Claud", living with his parents and that he was born in September 1892. Jake also appears on the 1910 Federal Census in Delaware County, Oklahoma (enumeration district 63). That census shows him as Jacob Claud Muskrat and that he was 17 and born in Oklahoma.
He also appears on the 1920 Federal Census in Delaware County, Oklahoma (enumeration district 30), living with his parents. That census shows he was 26 years old and born in the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma.
Jake married Elva May Mouck, daughter of Thomas and Annie (Durbin) Mouck. He appears with her on the 1930 Federal Census (Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma - Enumeration District 15), giving his age as 37 and birthplace in Oklahoma. This census shows that he was a mixed-blood Cherokee.
Individual Notes
Note for: Elva May Mouck, 16 JAN 1901 - 15 DEC 1975
Index
Residence: Date: 1920
Place: McMillan, , McDonald, Missouri,
Burial: Place: Olympus Cemetery, Grove, OK
Burial: Date: 1975
Place: Olympus Cemetery, Grove, Oklahoma
Individual Note: Worked in Edgar & Mary Burks' store from about 1945 -1952, then was a welfare caseworker.[Kelly History.FTW]
Elva May Mouck, daughter of Thomas and Annie (Durbin) Mouck, married Jake Claude Muskrat, son of James Ezekiel and Ida Lenora (Kelly) Muskrat. She appears on the 1930 Federal Census (Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma - Enumeration District 15), giving her age as 37 and birthplace in Oklahoma. She reported that her parents were born in Missouri.
Elva worked in Edgar & Mary Burks' store from about 1945 -1952, then was a welfare caseworker.
Her obituary appeared in the December 20, 1975 edition of the Grove Sun, Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma. She is buried in Olympus Cemetery in Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma.