Genealogy by Martha

Cross - Love - Culpepper - Herron - Mordecai - Shelby - Cobb

Joshua Claxton

Male 1800 - Abt 1850  (~ 60 years)


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  • Name Joshua Claxton 
    Born Between 1790 and 1800  prob Sumner, Dickson City, TN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died Abt 1850  Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I36  MyTree
    Last Modified 15 Aug 2009 

    Father James Claxton,   b. Abt 1750,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Family ID F4382  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Delilah Hand,   b. Between 1815 and 1820, Dickson Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1870, Bowling Green, Stewart Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 55 years) 
    Married 15 Oct 1838  Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. William H. Claxton,   b. 17 Nov 1842, Dickson Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Martha J. Claxton,   b. 1843, Montreal, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. James Levi Claxton,   b. Abt 1844, Stewart Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aug 1908, Cheatham Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 64 years)
     4. Julia Claxton,   b. Abt 1845, Stewart Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Joseph H Claxton,   b. Abt 1847, Green Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    +6. Lucy Ann Claxton,   b. 14 Jun 1849, Cumberland City, TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Nov 1926, Marianna, Lee Co., AR Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
    Last Modified 17 Jul 2017 
    Family ID F4315  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Susan Ross,   b. Abt 1801,   d. 10 Sep 1859, Nashville, Davidson Co., TN (probably) Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 58 years) 
    Married 3 Oct 1810  Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. James Claxton,   b. Abt 1820, Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1844, Nashville, Davidson Co., TN (probably) Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 24 years)
     2. Elizabeth L. Claxton,   b. Abt 1830, Dickson Co., City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Nancy J. Claxton,   b. Abt 1832, Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. Queen Tina Claxton,   b. Abt 1833, Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    +5. Thomas J. Claxton,   b. Abt 1834, Dickson City, Sumner Co., TN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 17 Jul 2017 
    Family ID F4718  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Posted by: Philip Howton Stephens Date: December 10, 2000 at 12:37:04
      In Reply to: Re: NEWSOM, Robert, 1789-1855, VA>MO by Robert M SHORES of 1699
      Mr Shores...thanks for your reply. Leatha Boze (Caldwell co KY, 1870) widow of Avery Claxton lived next door to Y.C. Newsom and Ursula (Bates) Newsom. Leatha left Bedford co, Tn in 1861 where Avery Claxton died a few years prior. In 1810, there was a Robert Newsom in adjoining Hopkins co, Ky. In 1840, a Robert Newsom lived next door to Joshua Claxton in Dickson co, Tn. Can you identify that Robert Newsom? Many thanks...Phil.

      Tennessee Marriages to 1825:
      Spouse #1: Claxton, Joshua
      Spouse #2: Rice (sic), Susannah (Ross)
      Married: 03 Oct 1810, Tennessee, Sumner County.

      1840 Census, Dickson, TN:
      Joshua Claxton, head household with 1 m under 5 (Thomas J.) , 1 m. 5-10 (?), 1 m. 50-60;
      1 f. under 5, 2 f. 10 - -20 (Nancy & Elizabeth), and 1 f. 20-30 (Delilah)..
      Who is the male 5 - 10? James would have been 20.

      Joshua Clarkson 1820 Census Sumner County 400010-00010-0300-1000-0100. James could have been one of the four males under the age of 10, but we have no idea who are other 3 males under 10 in the household. Since James was born around 1819 or 1820 it is figured the other 3 males would have been older than James. James is the oldest child of Joshua we have on record. Susan Ross was his mother and her parents lived in Madisonville, Hopkins County, KY. Since the Duck river runs through so many counties it is hard to determine who are his brothers on the Duck river. (Bedford, Marshall, Maury, Hickman, and Humpheys) (Dickson County is a one point about 20 miles from the Duck River) Thelma wonders if a Tommy Claxton of 1836 Poinsett County is the AR brother.
      (Source: (Tommy Claxton - 2008)

      James’s grandmother in Madisonville KY was Lydda Ross. The two uncles on the Duck River could be Isaac Claxton (b. ca. 1770) and John Claxton (b. ca. 1775). Joshua’s only other known possible uncle would be Anson (Anderson? If the two are separate men, Anson is thought to be dead, which would explain why he was not mentioned. Anderson Claxton is living in Arkansas in 1840). The brother who was 40 miles from Memphis could be Tommy Claxton of Poinsett County, found on an 1838 Tax list (This information came from Thelma Phillips). James does not mention any other brothers or his second family in Dickson County aside from his father. (Source: Tommy Claxton)

      I have only seen an index of taxes for the taxes earlier than 1802.
      Plan to review the actual books in Sumner County later.
      Except of an instance where Anson paid tax on a wagon, etc. that he
      purchased at a sale the tax list generally reports only property tax or poll
      tax or both.
      In the case of the Sumner County Tax list I have read so far it has been
      both Poll and Property with a rare personal property tax.
      A male usually paid poll tax from age 21 thru 60 regardless of land or
      whether or not he was head of a household.
      I have attached an Excel Tax list where Mary Ann and I scarfed up some tax
      info from the original tax books (not an index).
      This only includes tax books from 1802 thru 1816 and we ran out of time that
      day on that last book. We plan to go back and get earlier books later.
      The file is currently sorted in order by last name, first name, and tax year
      Column A would resort it back into the natural order as we read the tax
      books.
      It looks like James paid the taxes for the land on Rocky Creek until 1809,
      then apparently James moved somewhere else in the county and started paying
      Poll tax and Joshua started paying the land tax and poll tax on the same
      Rocky Creek property (at least land with the same amount of acres (274).
      Do not know why James did not pay poll in 1809 but did in 1810.
      Joshua's first record of paying poll is in 1810 which would seem to be when
      he came of age to vote.
      1810 is when Joshua and Susan got married. There are two references to land
      grants for Joshua one in 1806 and one in 1807. It would seem that before
      one became of age the parent or guardian would be assigned land grants until
      such time the minor became of age. Maybe James paid the taxes on that land
      until Joshua became of age. This would imply that James was Joshua's
      father. There is a younger James in the 1820 Census and an older James as
      well. There is also an older male in the older James's household.
      There are two land grant entries in 1806 and 1807 but apparently only one
      piece of land had taxes paid on it. (Source: Tommy Claxton)

      I have attached an Excel Tax list where Mary Ann and I scarfed up some tax info from the original tax books (not an index).
      This only includes tax books from 1802 thru 1816 and we ran out of time that day on that last book. We plan to go back and get earlier books later.
      The file is currently sorted in order by last name, first name, and tax year
      Column A would resort it back into the natural order as we read the tax books.
      I also attached the "Sumner info" list that everyone probably already has a copy of by now.
      It looks like James paid the taxes for the land on Rocky Creek until 1809, then apparently James moved somewhere else in the county and started paying Poll tax and Joshua started paying the land tax and poll tax on the same Rocky Creek property (at least land with the same amount of acres (274).
      Do not know why James did not pay poll in 1809 but did in 1810.
      Joshua's first record of paying poll is in 1810 which would seem to be when he came of age to vote. 1810 is when Joshua and Susan got married. There are two references to land grants for Joshua one in 1806 and one in 1807. It would seem that before one became of age the parent or guardian would be assigned land grants until such time the minor became of age. Maybe James paid the taxes on that land until Joshua became of age. This would imply that James was Joshua's father. There is a younger James in the 1820 Census and an older James as well. There is also an older male in the older James's household. (Source: Tommy Claxton)

      I found this: Claxton, Sally married Thornton, Jeremiah; 16 Feb 1813 Kentucky, in Woodford County. Woodford County is where a Joshua Clarkson was a census. Where, if at all, does Sarah (Claxton) Thornton fit in with the Ross's or the Hopkins County Claxton's?
      (Source: Bill Claxton)

      Sumner Co., TN (Source: Bill Clarkson - 12/2008)
      The first evidence of James Claxton in Sumner County was a 1798 recording of him on a Tax List. Tommy Claxton states that “A male usually paid poll tax from age 21 thru 60 regardless of land or whether or not he was head of a household” Roberta Estates comments; “There are two kinds of tax lists. One type of tax list is on property owned and it typically gives the acreage because the tax was calculated on the acreage. The second type of tax list was a personal property tax list and everyone had to pay unless they were old or infirm and declared so by the court. The personal property tax list also had columns for slaves, horses, and other items one was taxed on. Looking at the tax list itself will tell you which kind of list it was. Also, lists were kept in two ways. One was in the order the tax collector visited the homes. This kind can be exceedingly useful as they show neighbors and neighborhoods. The second way is what I call semi-alpha where the names are grouped by letter. Those lists aren't nearl as useful for the genealogist except you can tell at a glance if there are any other similar surnames in the district where the list was taken.” On this Tax list his name was spelled as Clacston. (This is just the first of many creative ways to spell Clarkson or Claxton. The question for many researchers is which came first, or are they two separate names that simply became enmeshed because they sound similar to the ear)
      He next shows up in 1808 during the contentious litigation battle between Joshua Claxton and Alexander McMillan over a land grant. (A more detailed description of this legal struggle can be read in the Joshua Claxton article) Needless to say, James became involved in a physical confrontation with Alexander McMillan, and was charged with assault. He is found guilty and is charged a $25 dollar fine (This was a steep fine; you could buy an acre of land for about a dollar or two). It is unclear what the relationship was between Joshua and James, but based on later census reports, it is clear that James is older than Joshua, and may be his father or uncle. further confirm a close relationship, James was paying taxes on a piece of land until 1809, and then Joshua assumed the tax payment and/or ownership. This is what Tommy Claxton said about this: “It looks like James paid the taxes for the land on Rocky Creek until 1809, then apparently James moved somewhere else in the county and started paying Poll tax and Joshu started paying the land tax and poll tax on the same Rocky Creek property (at least land with the same amount of acres (274). Do not know why James did not pay poll in 1809 but did in 1810.
      In 1808, James may have been involved in this litigation of “James Clanton vs. John Bailey & John Pritchell”. The name on the suit is listed as Clanton, a sometimes common error that
      creates confusion and uncertainty for Claxton and Clarkson researchers. James served on a number of juries in 1808-1809, including one with John Shaver who married Rebecca Claxton. John Shaver’s property is next to James’s land, which was later owed by Joshua Claxton. Rebecca Claxton and Joshua Claxton may be siblings based on their close age.
      The next record of James is in said 1820 Sumner County census report. There was just one other recorded Claxton (written as Clarkson) listed in this 1820 census in Sumner County, Joshua Claxton. Joshua’s birth was between 1780 and about 1786 (See the article “Joshua Claxton” for more information).
      In 1826, there was an estate sale for James, so he apparently died in 1825 or 1826. Mentioned in the purchase of items of his estate was John Claxton (a possible son. There was a John Claxton in 1820 Bedford County census who was born about 1775), John Shaver (a possible son-in-law)
      and Susan Claxton (who may the Susan Claxton who was married to Joshua Claxton in 1810).
      One of the mysteries of the Claxton’s in early Sumner history (1790-1820) is figuring out who the other Claxton’s were who are found on various county records. Others listed in this time period was Jeremiah, Thomas, Anson & John Claxton. (Some of the following is already included in the article on Joshua Claxton) Jeremiah may have been the same Jeremiah who settled up in the Hopkins County area of Kentucky, and was killed in the War of 1812 in New Orleans. He also may be the earliest and first link to the Claxton’s history in that area (Christian, Hopkins and Caldwell Counties of Kentucky) Thomas (b. before 1788) is mentioned just once in 1809, in notes that read “Suit, charge - cov't appeal, transferred to Sumner Circuit Court”. This court action was against the same infamous Alexander McMillan that Joshua was tied up with. No one knows Thomas’s age or relationship to the other Claxton’s in Sumner County, but it appears that Thomas is closely related to them.
      A number of later Claxton’s name their sons Thomas.
      Anson (b ca 1773-75) is first recorded in the U.S. census in 1800 in Granville County NC. He has two boys under 10, no daughters and listed as between 25 to 45 years of age. This fits into the theory that Anson is the father to Hiram born about 1798 and James born about 1799. More importantly, in the 1800 census he is surrounded by the men who James Claxton conducted business with prior to his departure to Middle Tennessee. This adds credibility to the theory that he is the son of James (b. ca 1750).
      Anson was recorded owning property in Sumner County in 1809 (1809: He buys 25 Ac from James Winchester. James clears a debt of $150 by selling the land for $300 to Anson with Anson owing $150) and was a witness for Hiram Claxton’s marriage to Patsey Steele on Oct 28, 1817 along with John Steele. There is some discussion and debate about the possibility that Anson could also be Anderson Claxton (b ca 1775), who shows up in later records, but not before 1820 (a possible Williamson County census as “Aaron Carkeron”) or 1828 (His marriage in Bedford County was to Rosannah Wendell Tatum. Side note; Rosannah’s first husband Howell Tatum was primarily responsible for blowing the whistle on the Glasgow Land scandal that caught Joshua Claxton up in its process) So apparently Anson died before 1820, or he becomes Anderson in the records. Concerning this debate about the identity of Anson; in reviewing the 1800 Granville County census, Anson Claxton is on page 68 (there are 15 names to a page). On page 66, 31 names away is Micajah Wade. Micajah (born 1777) is married with one son per this census report. There are two woman aged 16-35 in his household, and one woman over 45. This older woman is probably a mother or mother-in-law of his. Rootsweb.com says the wife in the 1800 census was Sarah McCormick. The information on dates is conflicting (no big surprise) on Rootsweb.com.
      Howell Tatum and Rosannah Wendel’s daughter Elizabeth (born about 1808) marries a Micajah Wade sometime in the early 1820’s. We find Micajah Wade in Holmes County Mississippi in 1840. In the 1830’s, it appears that he has been filing land claims in Alabama in Butler County and through the Cahaba Land Office. In the late 1840’s he is filing land claims in Franklin County. It appears he may have died about the same time as Anderson Claxton. If we go to the 1850 census, Rosannah Claxton, the widow of Anderson Claxton, is living with Elizabeth Wade, the apparent widow of Micajah Wade. So, back in 1800 Granville, Anson Claxton is living near Micajah Wade. James Claxton (1740) is an attorney-in-law for a Wade family in Virginia to recover items. It would appear that James has a prior connection to the Wade family. There are two other Wade families within 3 pages of Anson. And then you add in Anderson Claxton marrying Micajah’s mother-in-law in 1828. It appears that these set of facts suggest that Anson and Anderson are the same man.
      John Claxton is recorded on the Tax list in 1799, and is involved in litigation (John DEN vs.
      James Vicent. John Claxton and Arthur Hankins are being ejected from property owned by their landlord James Vincent in 1803). John was also involved in litigation with Alexander McMillan, confirming his connection to the other Sumner County Claxton’s. He later moves and settles in Bedford, TN.
      James Lee Claxton of Russell County VA is an interesting person to look at as a possible
      nephew of James Claxton (b. ca 1750) too. Bobbi Estates writes this about James “James Lee Clarkson was born in 1775 in Russell County VA. and died on February 11, 1815 in Fort
      Decatur, Macon County AL. He married Sarah Cook (Daughter of Joel Cook) on October 10,
      1805 in Russell County VA. She was born in 1775 in Virginia and died on December 21, 1863 on Jonesville Road in Hancock County TN. Sarah reported their marriage alternatively with two different years, 1799 and 1805 The 1799 date was given when she was younger, and this researcher tends to believe it was correct because three of their children were born before 1805 with a fourth one being born in that year.
      All the County Minutes, Deeds records, etc, refer to James, Sarah and Fairwick (also Farwick, Farwix, Fairwix; broken tombstones has “____wix”) as Claxton’s. All descendants of James and Sarah use the last name Clarkson. James is on the tax lists in Russell County Virginia before 1800. The earliest record I have of him in Claiborne County TN is the following: June 16, 1805- 146- William Bales overseer of the road from Williamson Trent’s to the Bald Hill near Martin’s Creek intersecting the VA line- hands Nathan Morgan, William Morgan, Mark Morgan, Zachariah Stephens, James Claxton, William Allen, Charles Rite, George Spencer, Elijah Smith, Joseph Mourning, William Hatfield, Henry Smith, Jacob Smith, William Evans, John Allen, James Allen, John Riley and John Parot. There is also an 1809 Security to John Ryla in the County Court Minutes 3/71 (book and page) The children of James and Sarah COOK Clarkson are Farwick, Mahala, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Susannah, Martha, Henry and Mary “Polly”. All the children and their descendants go by Clarkson. They basically had a child a year, last child being born the same year James died (War of 1812) near Mobile (in 1815). Going back to finish our story of James, there is an intriguing court record is from 1826, when James Clarkson’s (Claxton b ca 1750) estate sale was held. His administrator was John Shaver. Listed as buyers at the estate sale were Susan Claxton (Joshua’s wife?), John Claxton (now of Bedford County?) and John Shaver (son-in-law?). Something unreadable in the estate sale paperwork mentions Claiborne County, where a number of Clarkson’s (see paragraph above) lived who descended from this James Lee Claxton of Russell County VA. To our knowledge, the first James (ca. 1750) did not name any sons James whom we know about. Plus, most importantly, James Lee (1775) descendant’s DNA matches up with the Claxton’s of Bedford County. This appears consistent with the assumption that the estate is referring to that group of Clarkson’s (Claxton’s) in Claiborne County TN. The John Claxton who is mentioned in the estate sale may be the John who is found in 1820 and 1830 Bedford County census reports. If so, this would help to tie the Sumner County Claxton’s (James b. ca 1750? and Joshua b. ca. 1780) with the Bedford County Claxton’s (John b. ca. 1775 and Isaac b. ca 1770) (Note: The children of John Claxton (b. ca.1775) who were born after 1798 were born in Tennessee. Isaac Claxton (b.ca. 1770) does not show up in Sumner County, but his son Solomon was born in NC in 1802. So it appears that Isaac followed his brothers after they were settled in middle TN, joining them perhaps in Wilson or Smith County before moving on
      the Bedford County.
      From the above information, one can make the following theory on the relationships: It appears that James b. ca. 1750 may have been the father or uncle of the clan of Sumner County Claxton’s. His children, nephews and nieces could include: Isaac b. ca. 1770, Mary b. ca 1773, John b. ca. 1775, Anson (Anderson?) b. ca 1775, James b. 1775, Anderson b. ca 1775, Rebecca c. ca 1776, Jeremiah b. ca. 1779, Thomas b. prior to 1788, Joshua b. ca 1780-86 and Susannah b. ca 1787. Each of these Claxton’s interacted with each other and resided in Sumner or Bedford County in the years 1800-1820. Even if James was not the father of all these Claxton’s (Remember there was an unidentified older male in James’s 1820 household) they were all probably siblings or cousins. Each of their names was repeated in later generations (except Anson; but Anderson was used a number of times).
      One other name to discuss is Nancy Claxton, who married John Bachelor in Wilson County on Nov 17, 1813 in Wilson County. This would place her birth somewhere around 1794 or so. Conclusion For all of us who carry Middle Tennessee Claxton blood in our veins, James should be rated right up there with the first Claxton’s to settle in North American and with those who carved out homesteads in early Virginia and North Carolina history. If one thinks about the process of planning a huge movement of people and supplies into a frontier wilderness over primitive roads, it would appear to be an overwhelming or at least a daunting task. Abandoning your farm, hard won over hostile people and nature, must require a dire necessity. Leaving family and friends must have been a heart-retching scene, knowing that at best it would be months or years before they were re-united, if death didn’t foreclosure it.
      James did not appear to take the whole family or clan. Perhaps those that stayed were married or were cousins. Those first Middle Tennessee settlers appear to be; James Claxton b. ca. 1750, Rebecca b. ca 1760-1770 (based on the 1840 Sumner & 1850 Sullivan County U.S. census reports) John Claxton b. ca 1775, Jeremiah b. ca 1779, Thomas b. before 1788, Susannah b. ca 1787 and Joshua b. 1780-1786. Those who appear to have come later were Mary b. 1773, Anson b. ca. 1775 and Isaac b. ca 1770. Mary, Anson and Isaac were already married in North Carolina and their spouses and in-laws may have kept them anchored in Granville until the success or failure of the western move was apparent. (Isaac’s wife’s name is unknown, but I have a theory that it will turn out to be a Wilson (totally unproven and speculate on my part)) Once settled in Middle Tennessee, Rebecca married their neighbor’s son, John Shaver. The Shaver’s stay in Sumner County until at least 1840, then are found in Sullivan County TN in 1850, where they are listed at 90 years of age (this appears to be wrong and may be about 80), they are still living together. John is stated to have died in 1859 per the RootsWeb.com site. If the 90 years of age is correct, it either forces James Claxton birth back to almost 1740, or Rebecca is a younger sister of his. Susannah married Stephen Evans. First, I could never find a Stephen Evans except a Stephen Evans of Overton County, who was living four counties east of Sumner Co of where they married. Then he is never seen again in the U.S. census. Then, I found another man who married an Evans girl in about the same time in Sumner County. His name was James Roberts. I then I found a James Roberts in the same county (Overton) as Stephen Evans. In fact, this James is living next to William Evans on page 10 (Ancestry.com records). On page 12 are five Evans, including Stephen. I believe it is a reasonable assumption to assume this is our Stephen (Claxton) Evans family and his clan. Then I found an old record concerning Howell Tatum (Anderson Claxton married his wife
      Rosannah in 1828) who died in 1822 that gave us an additional clue. It mentions in passing that Rosannah (his widow or ex-wife) and Anderson Claxton married in 1828 and moved west to Fort Smith, AR. This may help explain why we are unable to find Anderson Claxton in 1830. She is stated to be the daughter of Anson Claxton, who had one daughter under 10 in the 1800 Granville census. John and Nancy are found in the 1830 Maury County census, but appear to be gone by 1840. Then, a Stephen Evans is discovered in the Mississippi Territory Tax List census of 1810-1819
      (This may or may not be in conflict with the 1820 Overton County census records). People did travel between places, and it is conceivable that Stephen traveled to the territory and was on the tax list, while returning to the family homesteads in Overton County at times. He may have traveled to the territories to buy land and conduct business while his wife remained in Overton with the family. I found a Stephen Evans again on the 1819-1829 Tax List of Pulaski County in the Arkansas Territory. I believe this places him in western Arkansas, and in the 1819-1829 time frame, and would explain his absence from the 1830 census. We now have evidence that both Anderson Claxton and Stephen Evans were in the western parts of the Arkansas Territory in about 1830, and this gives us reason to believe that the Evans’s children (One child asked Anderson Claxton to be their guardian) are in fact Susannah Claxton’s children. Again, no direct evidence, but the sort of circumstantial facts that lead a reasonable researcher to make that assumption with some confidence. Susannah Claxton was married in 1805. This would place her birth no later than about 1787 (married at age 17 is about the earliest I imagine we can use). Anderson appears to be about 12 or so in 1787 (His maximum age based on all available information would be 17 in 1787), making him a tough option as Susannah’s father, but a solid choice as a brother. It then makes James Claxton the logical choice as her father. John Claxton may or may not have married before the journey west, and his wife is unknown.
      Joshua married Susan Ross, and began an interesting and turbulent life with her for 20 odd
      years.
      Anderson, if not Anson, is married (not for the first time in all probability) in Bedford County
      TN while in his fifties to Rosannah Wendel Tatum in 1828.
      Jeremiah appears later to wander further west, into Hopkins County Kentucky, where he heads into trouble with the law, a possible marriage and then an early death on the battlefield of New Orleans.
      Then there was Thomas, once seen, whose name is given to many Claxton baby boys in the years to come. We do not know his age or situation or relationship to the other Claxton’s. He may have been a brother to James, or even a son who died young. There is an outside chance he could be an old grandpa of 80 years or more, tagging along, unable to fend for himself in the world of 1800 America, dependant on the care from his children.
      But at the end of the day, it was probably James’s leadership and physical strength that
      persuaded his family to follow him into the dark and semi-known wilderness. And for that, he
      deserves our respect and remembrance.

      I spoke to one of the men who are publishing the “Early Cumberland Settlers” book, and he shared with me the neighbors of Joshua. They were:
      Archibald Taylor
      Abraham Price
      Samson Williams
      Michael Shavor
      Nearby was John Blackmore and a Pruitt family.
      (Source: Bill Clarkson)