Soldier Information
Name: Robert Clayton
Alias: Bob
Place of Birth: Nelson KY Year of Birth: 1827
Occupation: Farmer
Eyes: Black Hair: Black Complexion: Black
Height in Feet: 5 Inches: 5.5
Enlistment Information
Enlistment Date: September 19, 1864
Enlistment Place: Lebanon
Enlistment State: KY
Compiled Military Service Record
Document: View
Congressional District: 4th
Company: B Regiment(s): 123rd USCI
Mustered Where: Lebanon, KY
Mustered Out Date:
Rank at Muster Out:
Notes:
Robert Clayton was drafted, not enlisted, in the 123rd Regiment, Company B, of the U.S. Colored Infantry on September 19, 1864. He mustered in at Lebanon, Kentucky, for a one-year term. He was a 37-year-old farmer who was born in Nelson County, Kentucky. He died of small pox in the Eruptive USA General Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky, on January 25, 1865. Widow’s address; Lender [Malinda] Clayton, Loretto, Kentucky in Nelson County. He was reportedly buried at Eastern Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky; however, other documentation shows him buried at New Albany National Cemetery in New Albany, Indiana.
Soldier Death Information
Died in war? Yes
Military Death Date: January 25, 1865
Military Death Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Military Cause of Death: Small pox
Death Date: January 25, 1865
Cause of Death: small pox
Death Certificate
Soldier Pension Information
No pension card found
Widow Pension Information
Widow Pension Card: Pension Card
Widow Application Date: November 23, 1865
Application No.: 115894 Certificate No.: 123319
No other family pension card found
Pension File Information
Pension File: Pension File
Pensioners: Ann Malinda Greenwell
Pensioner County: Nelson Pensioner State: KY
Number of Pages:101
Pension Notes:
The following details are found in a 101-page widow’s pension file for Robert Clayton of Co. B, 123rd Regiment of USCI. The claim states Robert’s widow, Ann (nee Greenwell) Clayton, had been married to Robert Clayton on November 20, 1857, “proven by cohabitation for ten years and by Baptismal Record of children.” Ann’s first (possibly middle) name is listed as Malinda. Affidavit from William O. Ballard states Ann Greenwell was previously owned by Robert Greenwell. Claim lists names and birthdates of children: Thomas H. – September 18, 1857, Pius – July 17, 1859, Louis – April 15, 1861, and Daniel – September 4, 1863. Deposition of Ann Clayton states she was enslaved by Robert Grisnell [Greenwell], and her husband, Robert Clayton, was enslaved by Maria Clayton, who lived about 8 miles from New Haven, Ky. Ann says she started to be called by the last name Cross when she lived as man and wife with David Cross, but they were not married. She had four children by Robert Clayton and five children by David Cross. (She states his “right name” was David Brown.)
Freedman’s Bank/Freedmen’s Bureau Information
No Freedman’s Bank information found
No Freedmen’s Bureau Documents found
Family Information
Mother First Name: Mother Maiden Name:
Father First Name: Father Last Name:
Siblings:
Wife #1 First Name: Malinda Ann Maiden Name: Greenwell
Wife #2 First Name: Maiden Name:
Wife #3 First Name: Maiden Name:
Children: Thomas H. Clayton 1857
Pius Clayton 1859
Louis Clayton 1861
Daniel Clayton 1863
Family Notes:
In the widow’s pension file, there is an affidavit from the priest who baptized the children, with dates and other details. He refers to the mother as “Melinda Ann Greenwell.”
Family Tree: View
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1870 Census
1870 Census information not found
1880 Census
1880 Census Link: View
1880 Profession: Malinda keeping house
1880 Live with/near former enslaver? No
1880 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1880 Census Notes:
Robert Clayton’s widow, Malinda Ann Greenwell Clayton, is living with David Cross, a farmer. (In a deposition regarding her widow’s pension, she stated that she and David never married, although she used his surname since they were living as man and wife.) At the time of the 1880 census, Malinda has four children with David Cross and one son, Lewis Clayton, from her marriage to Robert.
Son Daniel is age 16, living elsewhere as a servant: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4241145-00517?pId=41963017
1890 Census
1890 Census information not found
1900 Census
1900 Census Link: View
1900 Profession: Day laborer
1900 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Can write
1900 Own/Rent: Rent 1900 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1900 Farm/House: House
1900 Census Notes:
In the 1900 census, Robert Clayton’s son, Pias/Pius, is living in Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky. He has a wife, Kate, with whom he has been married for 20 years. Kate has had 10 children, 7 of whom are living at the time of this census. The children of Pius who are living with him are: Robert, Sam, Mack, Ed, Carry, and Laura.
1910 Census
1910 Census Link: View
1910 Profession: laborer and laundry
1910 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1910 Own/Rent: Rent 1910 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1910 Farm/House: House
1910 Census Notes:
Robert Clayton’s son, Pius, is living with his family in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Pius and Kate have been married for 29 years. Kate has borne 14 children, and 9 of them are living. This census states Pius and Kate cannot read or write, but their children can. Pius is listed as a laborer, and Kate is listed as doing laundry. Children living with them are: Robert, Annie, Samuel, Malinda, Carrie, Laura, Catherine, William, and Mittie. (Three of the children appear to be named for their grandparents, Robert and Malinda Ann Clayton.)
1920 Census
1920 Census Link: View
1920 Profession: packer at stove foundry
1920 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Can write
1920 Own/Rent: Rent 1920 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1920 Farm/House: House
1920 Census Notes:
Robert Clayton’s son, Pius, is living with his family on Twelfth Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Pius and Catherine/Kate have two of their adult children’s families living with them. Daughter Catherine is married to Lucius Williams, and they have a son, George, who is almost three years old. Daughter Carry is married to Lee Taylor, and they have a seven-year-old daughter, Gertrude.
Enslaver Information
Name: Maria Clayton Location: Nelson County, Kentucky
Previous Enslaver: John Clayton
Enslaver Notes:
From the widow’s pension documents, in a deposition of Ann Malinda Clayton, June 22, 1893, she states “I was the slave of Robt Grisnell [Greenwell], and my husband was the Slave of Maria Clayton at the time of our marriage. My old mistress and master are dead and all the family, but I think my husband’s owner is living about 8 miles from New Haven, Ky. between Bardstown and New Haven Road, or she was living about one year ago.”
In the 1860 Slave Schedule, Robert and his wife appear to be enumerated next to each other (Robert is the 50-year-old male listed under John Clayton, and Malinda Ann is the 45-year-old female listed under Robert Greenwell).
1850 Enslaver Census
1850 Census Link: View
1850 Slave Schedule Link: View
1850 Number of Enslaved: 4
1860 Enslaver Census
1860 Census Link: View
1860 Real Estate Value: 1860 Personal Estate Value:
1860 Slave Schedule Link: View
1860 Number of Enslaved: 8
1870 Enslaver Census
1870 Census information not found
1880 Enslaver Census
1880 Census information not found
Compensation Information
Compensation Application not found