Peter T. Claton

Peter T. Claton was born March 22, 1832, in Clark County Ohio and died May 3, 1924, aged 92 years.  He removed to Shelby county, Ohio, in 1839, where he grew to manhood.  In 1855 he removed to Beauro County, Illinois, where he engaged in farming.  He was married to Elizabeth Martin November 1, 1860, his wife dying in Feb. 15, 1861. September 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, 7th Kansas Cavalry.  In the fall of 1862 on account of trouble with his eye sight he was unable to  do cavalry duty and was transferred to the  quartermasters department where he served as teamster until his discharge September 25, 1864. After the war he returned to Beauro County, Illinois.  December 25, 1864, he was married to Elizabeth C. Belknap.  They lived on a farm in Beauro County until spring, 1874, when they came to Ringgold County and located on a farm in Liberty Township, where they made their home for forty-one years and reared a family of six children, all living.  They are M.L. Claton, of Waco, NE; Mrs. Charles Main, John W., Mrs. E.C. Mathany, living in this county; Willard O. Claton, of New Port, OR; Mrs. C. A. Harsh, of Centerville, IA.  In 1915 on account of age they decided to leave the farm, selling out and removing to Mount Ayr, and for the past nine years have lived a retired life.  During his active life, Uncle Peter, as most of his friends called him, aside from his own work always found time for anything that was helpful to the community in which he lived.  He was a member of the M.E. Church and the funeral was conducted by his pastor, Rev. Jay Kirkendall.  He was a good man and tried to make the world a little better for his having lived in it.