This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/wg.2ADE/1538.1 Message Board Post: Herbert Clayton was elected Mayor of Morris Apr 16, 1929. He was re-elected Apr 21, 1931. "Morris Daily Herald", July 16, 1934 Herbert E. Clayton, 39, an ex-mayor of Morris, died Saturday night at 9:30 in Silver Cross hospital in Joliet, following an emergency operation which was performed that morning at his request. The body was removed to the home in North Liberty street where it will remain until time for funeral services in the Federated church Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. Rev. Eldon Wenzel will officiate and a full military burial service will be conducted at Evergreen cemetery by the Grundy county post of the American Legion. Mr. Clayton's death was due to an ailment which had its start while in the service in the world war in the march to the Rhine in Germany. In the march, while pulling on the wheels of a cannon he strained the ligaments on the left side of his stomach, causing it to prolapse. For nearly five years following that he was a patient of government hospitals for veterans and finally resorted to a severe operation at Mayo Brothers hospital in Rochester, Minn. When taken ill early this summer with a recurrence of that first ailment he entered the Hines Veterans' hospital April 11 and left that institution for Mayo Brothers which he entered for observance and treatment. Receiving no relief at that institution he returned home and as a last resort submitted to the operation Saturday morning. Herbert E. Clayton was born on a farm south of Coal City, July 7, 1895, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Clayton. When he was seven years old his parents moved to Morris where he received his education in the public schools. After several years spent working on farms of the community he went to Dayton, O., in 1915, where he took up an electrical course in starting and lighting systems and opened a garage for automobile repair. When the world war broke out he was one of the first to answer the call and enlisted at Camp Sherman, O. He served over two years in the army; one year of that time was spent overseas, and he was honorably discharged at Camp Sherman. He returned to Morris and entered the garage business with his brother, Joseph Clayton, which proved successful until he was stricken with the illness that confined him to hospitals for several years. Mr. Clayton entered politics in 1928 and was elected mayor of Morris at that time by one of the biggest majorities ever accorded a city candidate. At the end of his first term he was re-elected to serve another term of two years. Since his retirement from office he has devoted most of his time to his home and gardens in which he took much pride. "Herb" Clayton as he was known to all was a diligent worker in whatever he undertook and was active in the affairs of Grundy county American Legion organization and also held membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veternas and was serving as senior vice commander of Morris post, American Legion. Surviving are his wife, formerly Miss Evelyn Benson, with whom he was united in marriage June 5, 1920; three brothers, Joseph, William and George, and four sisters, Mrs. D. E. Cotton, Mrs. Herbert Werner, Mrs. Wilbur Griffith, all of Morris, and Mrs. Thomas Turner of Joliet. Evergreen Cem, Morris, IL Section 1, lot 29 Herbert Clayton buried 17 July 1934, age 39 George Clayton buried 20 Jan 1978, age 96 Braceville-Gardner Cem, Grundy Co, IL Block 1, lot 51 Samuel Clayton 1856-1897 his wife Ann 1857-1930 (on other side of the stone is Cotton) Clayton families lived in Kendall Co, IL, Grundy Co, IL, & Ford Co, IL. I suspect a kinship, but I haven't really followed them up. They tend to use the same given names. Any questions, etc., let's switch to my E-mail lsharp@nmu.net Lea