Isaac Calvin Clayton
© February 2005
Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168
Isaac Calvin Clayton, [Alexander, John, Thomas, Thomas, Zebulon, John, Edmund, Henry] was born 17 April 1843 in Bartlett, Wesley Township, Washington County Ohio, the son of Alexander Clayton and Hannah W Collins. He had three siblings. His father was a farmer and Isaac helped as a farm laborer.
On May 2 1864 Isaac enlisted as a private in Company D of the 148th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Plymouth, Ohio. His description was duly noted on the record with blue eyes, brown hair, fair complexion and 5 feet 10 ½ inches tall.
He was mustered in the 17th of May at Marietta for 100 days. The Regiment was organized as an Ohio National Guard Unit under Colonel Thomas W. Moore. On May 23rd the Regiment boarded a Marietta & Cincinnati train headed for Harper’s Ferry. Shortly after leaving Marietta the train was involved in an accident. Three men were killed and three seriously injured. The Regiment proceeded to Harper’s Ferry where it remained a short time before moving to Washington, D.C. By June 12 they were at Bermuda Hundred. The following day they were in General Butler’s entrenchment at the front.
Isaac was among seven companies under Lt. Colonel Kinkead that left Bermuda Hundred for City Point on 16 June 1864. On the ninth of August Joseph Smith of Company D, S. E. Graham of Company H and another man in company A were killed by an explosion of an ordinance boat. Some time between May 2 and June 30 Isaac reported as sick. The total loss of the Regiment was forty, many due to illness. On the twenty-ninth of August the 148th left City Point for a return trip to Marietta. They arrived in Marietta on September 5. On the thirteenth a public dinner was given the Regiment by the citizens of the County. Isaac mustered out the following day. He received his honorable discharge 15 December 1864 signed by Abraham Lincoln as President and Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War. His discharge is in possession of descendent, Kacey Cavanagh Coleman.
Four months later Isaac married Anna Jane Graham 24 January 1865 in Bartlett, Wesley Township, Washington County Ohio. Their first child, our ancestor, Dessie Mae Clayton was born 15 July 1865 in Bartlett. Between 1865 and 1880 Isaac and his wife bought and sold several properties in Plymouth [now Bartlett] and the surrounding country side. One such transaction ended up in Common Plea Court involving a lot in Plymouth sold to James Smith in a judgement.
Isaac and Anna’s last child, Eva was born 7 August 1879 in Bartlett. Sometime before May 1883 Isaac got a job with Drew Selby & Company in Portsmouth, Ohio along with friend William Steel. In July Anna traveled to Portsmouth to visit with her husband. By Fall of 1883 Isaac was able to move the family to Portsmouth permanently.
Portsmouth flooded in February 1884. The Ohio rose an average of a foot per hour. Flooding began the 8th and reached its height February 12th. People were driven from their homes. During the flood Isaac bruised his hand while repairing a boat. He developed blood poisoning and died 23 April 1884. Isaac was only 41 years 6 days old. He was buried in the front of Soldiers Circle in Greenlawn Cemetery.
Isaac’s widow was received as a member of Bigelow United Methodist Church that fall and died February 1887 leaving behind three children still under age -William Elzy, James Finley and Eva Ann. J. M. Graham was appointed their guardian and applied for a pension on their behalf under Isaac’s military service. The children received the pension until they reached their majority.