Clayton Alonzo Stafford and his wife Grace Louise Everts

Date of photo not known estimated to be about 1899 to 1900 Photo courtesy of Marcy Volny

 194.  Clayton Alonzo⁵ Stafford (William¹ Robert² Andrew³ Daniel⁴) Born November 1876^1,2 in either Missouri or Iowa [there are several records with conflicting information regarding his birthplace]; died 15 December 1945 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado.²  Clayton was the 2nd and middle child of Daniel and Ellen Stafford neé Hewit.³  Researching this man was quite difficult due to the way he referred to himself in various records.  His daughter-in-law wrote in a letter to her niece that Clayton Stafford frequently changed names to avoid trouble.⁴

Even though he born after the Civil War life was not easy for him or his family.  By the time he was 11 years old, his parents decided to separate and Clayton went west with his father to Decatur County, Kansas where he attended school.⁵ When he was almost 15 years old his father sold their homestead⁶ and little is known about where they spent the next few years.  The author has researched in Warren and Monroe Counties in Iowa for documentation regarding Clayton's childhood.  No records were found for him in either county.  Sometime before February 1899, Clayton left western Kansas and went east to Thayer County, Nebraska where he met and married Grace Everts, daughter of Timothy Everts, of Hubbell.⁷

Less than one year after their marriage, Clayton and Grace had their first child, a little girl, they called Lula (b. 02 Jan 1900).⁸  For a period of time, Clayton resumed his relationship with his mother and sister, Sophia.  The family visited back and forth between Albia, Iowa, which is in Monroe County and in the southeastern part of the state.^9,10  In May, Clayton and Grace received a visit from Clayton's first cousin, John Adams, who lived in Red Willow County, Nebraska.¹¹ 

It seemed that Clayton was always looking for something better as it was not long before, Clayton and Grace moved to  Oklahoma where they were living when their second child, Martha Florence, was born on 28 July 1902.^12,13   The only evidence to support the tradition that Martha was born in Chandler, Oklahoma is the warranty deed signed by her parents and filed in Belleville, Kansas.¹⁴   When I visited Chandler, Oklahoma to research the Staffords, there was no other evidence in Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma that they were there.  Again, the family did not stay long in Oklahoma.  

Clayton and Grace decided that life might be better if they would go east and they spent a short period of time in Creston, Union County, Iowa where their third child was born.  They named this daughter, Opal Sophie Irene.  She was born on 11 October 1904.¹³

Apparently, there was reason for Clayton to uproot his family of five again. This time they lived for a short period of time in Atchison County, Kansas.  Trouble was waiting for them there.  Clayton made some poor choices and became involved with his employer's 15 year old daughter.  This did not set well with Mr. Seest and he reported Clayton to the law.  Although, Clayton left the area, moving his family to Glen Elder, Kansas in Mitchell County, he would not be able to hide there for long.¹⁵

The prosecuting attorney for Atchison County filed a criminal case against him and he was arrested, indicted, tried and convicted for violating the age of consent law.  The District Court sentenced him to confinement at hard labor for a term of 5 to 20 years.  Clayton's trial was in September 1906¹⁶ and he was admitted to Lansing Penitentiary on 04 November 1906.¹⁷ Just one week later his 4th and last child, Charley, was born in Glen Elder.¹⁸  

He served for the minimum term in the Lansing State Penitentiary in Leavenworth County, Kansas where he was enumerated in 1910 and paroled on 22 December 1910.¹⁷   During his incarceration, Grace and their children lived with Thomas N. Higgins in Linn County, Kansas.¹⁹  It is not known if Grace divorced Clayton Stafford and married Thomas Higgins or if she simply lived with him.  The census indicates that they are married, but research has not been done to document whether they actually married.   After Clayton's release, Grace returned to living with Clayton in Glen Elder, Kansas.²⁰

Even after this tragic event in their lives - things would not improve for this family.  In less than 5 years, Grace Stafford would die from a bowel obstruction.^20,21 After their mother's death, the children were separated and sent to live with relatives.  They would not live together as a family again.⁴  Clayton did not remain single long.  He married again to a widow named Mrs. Frances "Fannie" Hahn.²²  This marriage apparently was not a happy one as she did not remain with him and her obituary did not mention their marriage.²³  

There is a period from September 1918 to Feb 1929 in Clayton's life that remains undocumented.  Research in various logical locales has not uncovered documentation for his life during this period.  His daughter-in-law, Edna Stafford, stated that he would change his name when things got tough so it is possible that he was using an alias when the 1920 census was taken.  By the time he married Mrs. Elizabeth V. Mason, on 05 February 1929, he was using the name Charles Henry or C. H. Stafford.²⁴  This was the name that he used for the remainder of his life.^2,4  In 1930, C. H. and Elizabeth V. Stafford lived in Denver, Colorado where he worked as a janitor at a bath house.²⁵  They remained married until her death in July 1943.²⁶  C. H. Stafford lived only a short time after his wife's death.  He became quite ill from diabetes and eventually had to have his legs amputated.⁴  It was only a little over a year after Elizabeth died, when he died from complications due to diabetes in Denver, Colorado on 15 December 1944.³  Both were buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver.^2,26

For information about methods used to connect Clayton Stafford to his parents and grandparents, I have written an article describing how I determined that Clayton Alonzo Stafford was related to the Morgan County, Indiana Staffords.  It was published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 93 (September 2005): 177-191.  If you would like a copy of this article please contact me.²⁷

In summary, the life of Clayton Stafford was not an easy one.  He was born to parents who were not that happy being together, he never owned land during his lifetime, he worked at odd jobs throughout his life and died a poor man.  In spite of this he left descendants, who are warm, friendly, kindhearted people that have been successful with their lives.

Further research needed:

• Determine if Clayton Stafford served in Spanish American War as he indicated to 1930 census taker.

• Need to research Clayton and Grace's children.  Research on the 6th Generation has not been completed.

• Determine if Clayton and Grace Stafford were divorced at or after he was incarcerated.

• Determine if Grace Stafford married Thomas N. Higgins.

• Documentation for Clayton's children is needed.

i.

Lula⁶ Mae Stafford  

b. on 2 Jan 1900, Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska;⁸ d. 21 February 1972 at Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas;^{13, 28} married (1) Claud Virgil Hartsel, date not known ¹³ (2) John Franklin Hidy 06 Oct 1924.¹³ 

ii.

Martha Florence Stafford

b. on 28 Jul 1902 in Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma;^{12, 13} d. 13 December 1984 in Salina, Saline County, Kansas; ^{13, 29}  m. Boyd Oliver Burge on 24 December 1918 in Mankato, Jewel County, Kansas.¹³

iii.

Opal Sophia Irene Stafford

b. on 11 Oct 1904 in Creston, Union County, Iowa;¹³ d.13 August 1989 in Richland, Franklin County, Washington;^{13, 30} m. Clifford Finley Mann on 11 August 1920, place not documented.¹³

iv.

Charley Clayton Stafford 

b. on 26 Nov 1906, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, Kansas;³² d.  13 Sep 1983, Englewood, Arapaho County, Colorado;³³ m. Edna Lucile Crabtree 11 Aug 1931, Wray, Yuma County, Colorado;⁴⁴ 

Clayton Alonzo Stafford

Census Records:

• 1880 - Carlisle, Warren County, Iowa

• 1900 - Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska

• 1910 - Lansing State Penitentiary, Leavenworth County, Kansas

• 1920 - have not found

• 1930 - name changed the C. H. Stafford, Denver, Denver County, Colorado

School Records:

(Available upon request)

• Decatur County, Kansas - Starr School District No. 12 for the years 1887-1891

Marriage Records:

Clayton Stafford married at least three times.  His marriage records are shown here

• Stafford-Evert marriage record (13 Feb 1899), Thayer County, Nebraska

• Stafford-Hahn marriage record (10 Jan 1916), Mitchell County, Kansas

• Stafford-Mason marriage record (05 Feb 1929), Denver County, Colorado

World War I Draft Registration

• Draft Registration - 12 Sep 1918, Jewell County, Kansas

Court Records:

(Available upon request)

• State of Kansas vs. C. A. Stafford, defendant, Kansas District Court Journal, Volume 35:53-55.

Land Records:

(Available upon request)

• Stafford - Woolsey warranty deed (21 Aug 1902) Clayton and Grace Stafford co-sign deed, in Lincoln County, Oklahoma for sale of land in Republic County, Kansas owned by Grace Stafford; Republic County Deed Book 60:560-561, Recorder of Deeds Office, Belleville, Kansas.

Newspaper Clippings

(Available upon request)

• Announcement of marriage of C. A. Stafford and Miss Grace Everts, Hebron Journal, Friday, 24 Feb 1899, page 1, column 4.

• Death announcement, Timothy Evert, father of Grace Stafford, Hebron Journal, Friday, 08 Dec 1899, page 1, column 4.

• Birth announcement, daughter to Clayton and Grace Stafford, Hebron Journal, Friday, 12 Jan 1900, page 1, column 5.

• Arrival of Clayton's mother, Mrs. Ella Shepherd of Albia, Iowa, Hebron Journal, Friday, 26 Jan 1900, page 8, column 2.

• Arrival of Clayton's sister, Miss Sophia Stafford of Albia, Iowa, Hebron Journal, Friday, 23 Mar 1900, page 1, column 5.

• Departure of the visitor, John Adams to his home in Lebanon, Nebraska, Hebron Journal, Friday, 18 May 1900, page 1, columns 5-6.

• Clayton Stafford visiting in Albia, Iowa, Hebron Journal, Friday, 21 July 1899, page 1, column 5.

• C. A. Stafford charged with violating the age of consent law, case on September docket; Atchison Daily Globe, Friday, 07 Sep 1906; page 4, column 5.

• C. A. Stafford charged with violating the age of consent law, trial begins 13 September docket; Atchison Daily Globe, Thursday, 13 Sep 1906; page 2, column 6.

• C. A. Stafford convicted of violating the age of consent law, Atchison Daily Globe, Saturday 15 Sep 1906, page 3, column 4.

Prison Records:

(Available upon request)

• Prison Records - C. A. Stafford inmate file no. 2201, Lansing State Penitentiary, Leavenworth County, Kansas; received from Kansas State Historical Society, no citation for original on photocopies.

Death Certificate:

• Death Certificate, Charles H. Stafford, State of Colorado, 15 Dec 1944.

Burial Records:

• Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, 430 S. Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado.

Additional Photos:

• C.A. Stafford, inmate no. 2201, received from Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas.

• Clayton Stafford - middle aged man in front of house; location and date unknown; received from Marcy Volny

• Clayton Stafford with old farm truck; location and date unknown; received from Marcy Volny

• Portrait Clayton Stafford as an older man; received from Marcy Volny

Grace Everts

Census Records:

• 1880 - Rose Creek Township, Republic County, Kansas

• 1900 - Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska

• 1910 - Linn County, Kansas living with Thomas N. Higgins

Marriage Records:

• Stafford-Evert marriage record (13 Feb 1899), Thayer County, Nebraska.

Death Certificate:

• Death Certificate - Grace Everts Stafford, State of Kansas, 09 Aug 1915

Obituary:

• Beloit Gazette, 11 Aug 1915, page and column not cited

Burials:

Elmwood Cemetery, Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas

Hubbell Cemetery, Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska

Photos:

Hubbell Cemetery in Thayer County, Nebraska

Hubbell Cemetery Gate - Thayer County, Nebraska

Road to Hubbell in Thayer County, Nebraska

¹

Clayton Stafford household, 1900 U.S. Census, Thayer County, Nebraska, population schedule, village of Hubbell, Hubbell Precinct, ED 165, SD 4, sheet 3A, dwelling 56, family 57; National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 941.

²

Charles H. Stafford death certificate no. 16487 (1944), Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

³

Dan Stafford household, 1880 U.S. Census, Warren County, Iowa, population schedule, City of Carlisle, ED 229, SD 3, page 9, dwelling 49, family 49; National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 368.

⁴

Undated letter from Edna (nee Crabtree) Stafford (deceased in 2002) to Marcy (nee Burge) Volny; photocopy in author’s possession.

⁵

Starr School District No. 12, Decatur County, Kansas, years 1887-1891; received from Decatur County Recorder’s Office, Oberlin, Kansas.

⁶

Stafford – Wiggins warranty deed (29 June 1894), Decatur County Deed Record Book 20:22; received from Decatur County Recorder’s Office, Oberlin, Kansas.

⁷

Stafford – Everts marriage record (13 February 1899), Thayer County Marriage Record Book 4:212; received from Thayer County Clerk’s Office, Hebron, Nebraska.

⁸

Hubbell Brevities, The Hebron Journal, Friday, 12 January 1900, page 1, column 5.

⁹

Hubbell Brevities, The Hebron Journal, Friday, 26 January 1900, page 8, column 2.

¹⁰

Hubbell Brevities, The Hebron Journal, Friday, 23 March 1900, page 1, column 5.

¹¹

Hubbell Brevities, The Hebron Journal, Friday, 18 May 1900, page 1, column 5-6.

¹²

Martha Burge entry, Social Security Administration Death Index; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 15 February 2006.

¹³

Information received from Marcy Volny, daughter of Martha Burge nee Stafford.

¹⁴

Stafford – Woolsey warranty deed (21 August 1902), Republic County Deed Record Book 60:560; Recorder of Deeds Office, Belleville, Kansas.

¹⁵

City News, Atchison Daily Globe, Thursday, 13 September 1906; page 2, column 6.

¹⁶

City News, Atchison Daily Globe, Saturday, 15 September 1906; page 3, column 4.

¹⁷

C.A. Stafford inmate file no. 2201, Lansing State Penitentiary; photocopy received from Kansas State Historical Society.

¹⁸

Charley Clayton Stafford (521-10-6113), SS-5 form, Application for Account Number, Social Security Administration.

¹⁹

Thomas N. Higgins household, 1910 U.S. Census, Linn County, Kansas, population schedule, Scott Township, ED 123, SD 2, sheet 5B, dwelling [not stated], family 107; National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 445.

²⁰

Transcription of “Obituary Mrs. Clayton Stafford,” The Beloit Gazette, 11 August 1915, transcription by Mitchell County Historical Society), no page or column cited; received from Mitchell County Historical Society, Beloit, Kansas.

²¹

²²

Stafford – Hahn marriage affidavit (10 January 1916), Mitchell County Marriage Record Book F:406, Mitchell County Clerk’s Office, Beloit, Kansas.

²³

Hahn Obituary, newspaper clipping with no citations; photocopy received from Mitchell County Historical Society, Beloit Kansas.

²⁴

Stafford – Mason marriage record (05 February 1929), State of Colorado, Division of Vital Statistics, Marriage Record Report, No. 112011; FHL microfilm publication, film number 1690137E, Roll 89.

²⁵

C H Stafford household, 1930 U.S. Census, Denver, Colorado, population schedule, City of Denver, ED 35, SD 3, sheet 6A, dwelling 88, family 89; National Archives microfilm publication T626, roll 233.

²⁶

Charles H. and Elizabeth V. Stafford interment records, Fairmount Cemetery Interment Record, Denver, Colorado; received from Fairmount Cemetery, 430 S. Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado 80247.

²⁷

Sharlene K. Miller, “The Visit of John Adams Unlocks the Door to Clayton Stafford’s Lineage,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 93 (September 2005): 177-191; authors address:  20788 Orchard Lane, St. Joseph, Missouri 64505.

²⁸

Beulah Warfel (512-12-4714), Social Security Administration Death Index; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 15 February 2006.

²⁹

Martha Burge (514-68-3981), Social Security Administration Death Index; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 15 February 2006.

³⁰

Opal Mann (523-26-2460), Social Security Administration Death Index; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 15 February 2006.

³¹

Stafford – Crabtree marriage record (11 August 1931), State of Colorado, Division of Vital Statistics, Marriage Record Report, No. 2135; FHL microfilm publication, film number 1690137E, Roll 89.

³²

Charley Stafford (521-10-6113), Social Security Administration Death Index; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 15 February 2006.

³³

Family Group Sheet received from Linda Hersco; held by author in 2003.

³⁴

C A Stafford, inmate, 1910 U.S. Census, Leavenworth County, Kansas, population schedule, Lansing State Penitentiary, Delaware Township, ED 84, SD 1, sheet 3B, dwelling not listed, family not listed; National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 444.

³⁵

Clayton Alonzo Stafford World War I Draft Registration Card; downloaded from Ancestry.com citing National Archives and Records Administration, World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, M1509.

³⁶

State of Kansas vs. C. A. Stafford defendant, Kansas District Court Journal Volume 35:53-55; Kansas State Historical Society microfilm AR6642, Topeka, Kansas.

³⁷

Hubbell Brevities, Hebron Journal, Friday, 24 Feb 1899, page 1, column 4.

³⁸

Hubbell Brevities, Hebron Journal, Friday, 08 Dec 1899, page 1, column 4.

³⁹

Hubbell Brevities, Hebron Journal, Friday, 21 July 1899, page 1, column 5.

⁴⁰

City News, Atchison Daily Globe, Friday, 07 September 1906; page 4, column 5.

⁴¹

C.A. Stafford, inmate no. 2201, received from Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas.

⁴²

Timothy Everets household, 1880 U.S. Census, Republic County, Kansas, population schedule, Rose Creek Township, ED 274, SD 3, page 17, dwelling 105, family 153; National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 394.

⁴³

Grace Stafford tombstone, Elmwood Cemetery, Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas; photographed by Marcy Volny, June 2004.

⁴⁴

Stafford - Crabtree marriage record (11 August 1931), Colorado Statewide Marriage Records 1930-1939, FHL microfilm 1690137E, Roll 89, No. 112011.