Clay Lemon
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Clay Gladstone Lemon (1876 - 1948)

Clay Gladstone Lemon
Born in Benton, Marshall, Kentucky, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 16 Aug 1900 in Massac, Illinois, United Statesmap
Died at age 71 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 23 Oct 2015
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Contents

Biography

Names

Clay Gladstone Lemon, Clay G. Lemon[1][2][3]

Research Note

The given name "Clay" has a Old English origin applied as a topographic name for someone who lived in an area of clay soil. It could also be a shortened version of Clayton.[4] Clay's father J.R. was a spiritual man and may have been impressed by this bible passage: “But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

"Gladstone" pronounced Glad-stan is typically a surname that originated from Scotland from a place near Biggar in Lanarkshire, apparently named from Old English gleoda ‘kite’ + stan ‘stone’.[5] Clay's father J.R. had Lanarkshire Scotland roots and may have influenced the decision to name him in honor of his ancestors. One of the important people of the 19th century was British Liberal statesman and prime minister William Ewart Gladstone (1809-98). Gladstone was originally a Conservative minister who joined the Liberal Party and became its leader in 1867. He served four separate terms as Prime Minister from 1868-1894. His work saw the introduction of of elementary education, the passing of the Irish Land Acts and the third Reform Act, and his campaign in favor of Home Rule for Ireland.[6] Clay's father J.R. was a learned man and a teacher who must have been impressed by Gladstone. Also, Clay's mother had Northern Irish roots and may have been impressed by Gladstone's support for Ireland's future.

Birth and Parentage

Clay b. 09 Jul 1876 Benton, Marshall Co., KY s/o James Robert Lemon b. 10 Apr 1848 Guilford Co., NC d. 27 Jan 1919 Mayfield, KY and Cora A. Wilson b. abt. Apr 1850 KY d. 20 Mar 1885 Benton, Marshall Co., KY. Clay was their eldest son.[1][3]

1876-1900 KY LIfe

On 19 Jun 1880 Benton, Marshall Co, KY the Lemon household consisted of James R. (druggist), Cora A. and their infant children Clay G. and Luna E.[7] In 1882, 6 yo Clay began school Marshall County Seminary in Benton and studied there until 10 Feb 1887. Before his 8th birthday, Clay's mother died.[1][3]

After finishing Seminary school in 1887, when his father was serving as a member of the State Board of Equalization, Clay was elected page at Frankfort, KY serving two years.[3] Clay made $2 per day.[8] In 1889, he returned to Benton and continued in school until 01 Jul 1893 when not yet seventeen, he was appointed Benton's assistant postmaster, under his father.[1][3] J.R. described Clay at that time: "He was sober, moral, attentive to business and had bright prospects before him as a business young man."[1]

In 1897, Clay discharged his Benton assistant postmaster duties with eminent credit for four years.[3] In Dec 1897, he purchased the stocks and accounts of the Piles Commission Company on North Third Street in Paducah, KY.[9] On From 1897 to until 1901, he was connected with the Lemon-Gregory Hat Company at Paducah, KY, a company his father J. R. owned.[3] In Dec 1899, Clay worked at the Paducah Leader and was interested in starting a Benton weekly newspaper with Mr. L. C. Starks, formerly of the Marshall county Star.[10]

On 4 Jun 1900, the Lemons: JR (52), Lucretia (38), Clay (24), Luna (22), Maud (19), Scott (10) and Brown (3) lived at 326 N 4th Street, Paducah, KY. JR and Lucretia had been married 15 years, and Clay, Luna and Maud were single. JR was a milliner. Clay was employed in cigar manufacturing. Their home was owned and mortgaged. JR, Lucretia and Luna had attended 100 months of school, while Clay and Maud attended 80 months and Scott 40 months.[11]

On 02 Jun 1900, Carrie (Clay's future spouse) had been living in a home owned free and clear by her parents Joseph (46, b. Oct 1854) and Idella (40, b. Aug 1860), brother Clifton (single, 18, b. Oct 1882) and sisters Bernice (11, b. Mar 1889) and Josephine "Jo" A. (7, b. Nov 1893) 416 South Sixth Street, Paducah, Kentucky. All family members and their parents were born in Kentucky. Carrie's father was a jailer at the time. He was the jailer of McCracken County for twelve years and for two terms was clerk of the Circuit Court, dying while in that office. Carrie's brother was a railroad watchman and she and her sisters attended school. All could read, write and speak English.[12]

1900 Marriage

On 16 Aug 1900 Massac, Illinois (near Paducah) Clay m. Carrie Miller b. 19 Jul 1884 in Paducah, McCracken, KY d. 1 May 1931 in Chicago, Cook Co., IL d/o Joseph A Miller b. 13 Feb 1853 KY d. 27 Nov 1916 and Idella Hughes b. 10 Sept 1859 KY d. 06 Feb 1940. [13] Carrie was born and reared in McCracken County, Kentucky and attended school there. Her father was jailor of McCracken County for 12 years and for two terms was clerk of the Circuit Court, dying while in office. Clay and Carrie's son Clifton Wilson Lemon, was born 15 Apr 1901 in Mayfield, Ky, educated in Mayfield High School.[3]

1901-18 KY Life

On 28 Jan 1901, Clay was part of the Paducah Elk Delegation escorting the carnival band on an overnight boat trip on the Ohio River to Cairo, KY.[14] On 02 Feb 1901, Clay moved his cigar factory from 201 South Third St to 116 Broadway in Paducah, KY.[15] On 16 Sep 1901, Clay had leased the Marshall County Democrat newspaper based in Benton, KY and served as its editor. Clay had formally connected with the Benton Tribune and the defunct Paducah Leader.[16] He severed that connection on 29 Nov 1901 and returned to Paducah with Carrie.[17] On 11 Nov 1902, after serving as a newspaper reporter in Paducah and Mayfield, KY, he left the Mayfield Messenger to accept a position with the American newspaper in Nashville, TN.[18] a newspaper published 1894-1910.[19]

Clay wasn't in Nashville for long because on 22 Jul 1903, he returned to live in Paducah and acted as the local reporter for the Mayfield Messenger during the absence of W. K. Wall.[20] Therefore in 1903, two years after it was established, Clay returned to Kentucky to be associated with his father on the Mayfield Messenger daily newspaper and served an apprenticeship at the printing business as well as in the editorial rooms.[3] On 28 Aug 1903, Clay living in Paducah was assisting Mr. James W. Wear on the publication of the Murray Daily Ledger set to launch 17 Sep 1903.[21] On 11 Apr 1904, Clay returned to his position at the Mayfield Messenger after working on the Paducah Ledger.[22] On 08 Aug 1904, he returned to Paducah to act as a reporter for the Register during Mr. Robert Wilhelm's vacation.[23] On 15 May 1905, Clay was working for the Mayfield Messenger and was in Paducah for a visit.[24]

On 20 Jan 1907, Mayfield resident Clay was appointed by Col. J. Stoddard Johnson, president of the Kentucky Jamestown Exposition Commission, vice chairman of the Division of Finance, to conduct a Graves county campaign for the purpose of raising funds for a Kentucky building and exhibit at the 1907 World's Fair. Graves County had rich deposits of clay, an enormous tobacco crop and various industrial attractions to expose to the world.[25]

On 15 Apr 1910 at 7th St., Mayfield, KY, the Lemon household consisted of Clay father 34 yo and Carrie mother 26 yo renting their home with Clifton son 9 yo living with them. Clay and Carrie had been married for 10 years. Carrie had one child living (Clifton). Clay was a self-employed editor of the newspaper, Carrie had no occupation and Clifton was attending school. Clay was working on 15 Apr 1910 and throughout 1909. All individuals and their parents were born in KY.[26]

in 1918, Clay and Carrie adopted Otto Morris b. 04 Feb 1911 who became known as Herbert Otto Lemon.[2]

1919 Fathers Inheritance

Clay's father died in 1919 and bequeathed the Messenger to his three sons. Clay was the editor, Scott the business manager and Brian oversaw the mechanical department.[3] Clay's step-mother Lucretia received her husband's real estate and personal property in the will except for $1,000 life insurance which went to Clay's sisters Maude and Luna. The sisters sued Mrs. Lemon by challenging James Lemon's will made only 12 days before his death on the ground of mental incompetency and lost their case in Graves Circuit Court. Luna appealed the ruling to the Court of Appeals and lost the case on 12 Oct 1921.[27][28]

1920 KY Life

On 01 Jun 1920, after 20 years as the city editor of the Mayfield Messenger, Clay sold practically all of his interests in the paper to his half brother Scott who became sole manager. The same year, Clay bought the Livingston Enterprise newspaper at Smithland, KY from John L. Smith and moved there to manage its operations to make it one of the best papers in the history of Livingston County. Son Clifton W. worked there until he entered college.[3] The Enterprise was a good weekly and carried considerable advertising from Paducah merchant Unions. Lemon's knowledge of the business and news departments was likely a great asset in continuing the Enterprise as one of the best weeklies in Western Kentucky.[29][2]

Clay was assistant secretary of the State Democratic Convention of Louisville 04 May 1919. At the 1919 session of the Kentucky Senate, he was elected doorkeeper of the Senate without opposition. June 19, 1920, he was elected vice president of the First District Press Association. He was a member of the Christian Church, Mayfield Lodge No. 151, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Mayfield Lodge No. 565 of the Elks, Mayfield Camp, Woodmen of the World, and the Mayfield Commercial Club. [3]

On 03 Jan 1920 on North Sixth Street, Mayfield, Graves Co., KY, the Lemon household consisted of Clay G. Lemen (Lemon) husband, renting home, 38 yo, married, literate, b. KY, parents b. KY, proprietor of a daily paper, employer; Carrie Lemen, wife, 35 yo, married, b. KY, parents b. KY, no occupation; Clifton Lemen, son, 19 yo, single, attending school, literate, b. KY, parents b. KY, no occupation; Estelle L. Morehead, lodger, male, 35 yo, married, literate, b. KY, parents b. KY, book store merchant, employer; Bernice Morehead, lodger, male, 26 yo, married, literate, b. KY, parents b. KY, no occupation. Clay's household lived next door to his step-mother Lucretia Lemon and his step-brothers Scott and Bryan.[30][2]

1924-1948 Chicago IL Life

Clay and Carrie moved to Chicago btw. 03 Jan 1920/20 May 1924. On 20 May 1924 Chicago, Cook Co., IL after their son Clifton was married to Loretta Farmer, Carrie was keeping house and husband Clay was a newspaperman[31] for the Chicago Tribune.

On 03 Apr 1930 at 636 Cornelia, Chicago, IL (likely an apt building; several renters lived at that address), the Lemon household consisted of Clay G. Lemon, father, 52 yo, married, 23 yo at first marriage, publishing company proofreader, waged employee, rented home for $65 a month, had a radio set; Carrie Lemon mother 47 yo, 16 yo at first marriage, no occupation; Clifton son 27 yo, single, no occupation, unemployed; adopted son Herbert 17 yo, no occupation. Carrie and Herbert attended college or school at some time since 01 Sep 1929. All individuals and their parents were b. KY except Clay's parents b. NC. All individuals were literate.[32]

Carrie and Clay had lived in Chicago for several years prior to her death in 1931. Clay worked for the Chicago Tribune and Carrie was active in civic affairs.[2] She was an active member of he Southern Women's club in Chicago, which she helped to organize. Previously, she was a member of the First Christian Church in Paducah. She had many admirable traits of character and a charitable disposition which made everyone love her both in Paducah and Chicago.

Carrie d. 01 May 1931 Chicago, Cook Co., IL following a brief illness cased by diabetes and was buried in Maplelawn Cemetery, Paducah, Kentucky. Her mother, Mrs. Joe A. Miller and her sister Mrs. Tom A. Sanders, were at her bedside. A short funeral was held in Chicago prior to her body being transported to Paducah. Clay, Clifton and Carrie's mother and sister accompanied her remains to Roth Chapel on Fifth and Monroe streets in Paducah for the funeral. The Rev. Homer Strong conducted the rites and Alben W. Barkley, later US Senator from Kentucky and Vice President under Harry S. Truman,[2] delivered the funeral sermon. The active pallbearers included Gus Covington, Pete Seay, Earl Johnson, George Bingham, Ester Morehead, and R. A. Love, all of Mayfield, Kentucky. Honorary pallbearers were Marshall Jones, Tom Settle, Will Utterback, George H. Goodman, Gus Rogers and Senator Alben W. Barkley. Survivors included her husband Clay, son Clifton, mother Mrs. Joe A. Miller, three sisters Mrs. Tom Sanders, Mrs. Elmer Englert and Mrs. W. P. Allen, all of Paducah, brother Cliff Miller, cousin Mrs. J. C. Butler of Charleston, MO and a number of nieces and nephews.

In 08 Apr 1940, Clay (widower, 63) was a lodger with many other lodgers at 717 Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois and also lived there in 1935. He was unable to work, hadn't worked in 1939, made no income that year and had no income from other sources. The highest grade completed was elementary school, 5th grade.[33]

In 1948, Clay's last residence was 3211 Franklin Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois. He was a member of the Chicago Tribune staff, in the Typographical Union and a Christian at the time of his death.

1948 Death and Obituary

Clay d. 22 Apr 1948 in his residence (3211 Franklin Blvd), Chicago, Cook Co., IL bur. 25 Apr 1948 Maplelawn Cem, Paducah, McCracken Co, KY. Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m at Roth Funeral Chapel, Paducah, KY with Rev. W. John Parker officiating.[34] Survivors: son Clifton Wilson Lemon of Louisville, KY; adopted son Herbert Otto Lemon; sister Maude (Lemon) Proctor of NY and FL; his half-brothers Scott and Bryan Lemon of Mayfield, KY. Predeceased: spouse Carrie (Miller) Lemon, father J.R. Lemon; mother Cora (Wilson) Lemon; sisters Luna (Lemon) Baker and Lillian C. Lemon; half-brothers Robert C. Lemon and James King Lemon.

C. G. Lemon, 68, Mayfield Ex-Editor, Dies In Chicago

Special to The Courier-Journal. --- Mayfield, Ky., April 23. --- Clay C Lemon, 68, former Mayfield and Smithland newspaperman, died at his home in Chicago yesterday. Funeral will be held in Paducah Sunday afternoon.

He was a son of the late J. R. Lemon, a cofounder of The Mayfield Messenger, and was city editor of The Messenger for 20 years. He was a staff member of Chicago newspapers for many years after leaving Mayfield. Lemon operated a newspaper in Smithland, Ky., for several years before coming to Mayfield. He was born at Benton. Ky.

He leaves a son, Clifton Lemon, Louisville, a former Centre College football star: a sister, Mrs. M. L. Proctor, New York, and two. half brothers, Mayor Scott Lemon and Bryan Lemon, Mayfield.[35]

Children

Clay and Carrie had issue:

  1. Clifton Wilson Lemon b. 15 Apr 1901 Paducah, McCracken Co., KY d. 09 Nov 1955 Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY
  2. Herbert Otto Morris Lemon (son adopted 1918) b. abt. 03 Feb 1911 Luca, Livingston Co., KY d. 19 Mar 1990 Lakewood, Jefferson Co., CO; m. Agnes Johansson; had issue: Jim Lemon b. 1940s

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 J. R. Lemon, Lemon’s Hand Book of Marshall County Kentucky: Giving its History, Advantages, Etc. and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Citizens, Benton, Kentucky 1894, Reprinted 1987 by Marshall County Genealogical Society, Inc., pp 71, 74.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Billy G. Wallace (1928- ), Roots in Ireland: James K. Wilson Family including Foust, Johnston, Lemon and Wallace Families, Marshall County, Kentucky : accessed 06 May 2017 at [1]
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 History of Kentucky (Volume v.4), Judge Charles Kerr, editor, William Elsey Connelley and E. M. Coulter, The American, Historical Society, Chicago and New York, 1922, pp 319-21 : accessed December 28, 2019 at Ancestry.com [2]
  4. Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press cited on Ancestry : accessed January 24, 2020 at [3]
  5. Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press cited on Ancestry : accessed January 24, 2020 at [4]
  6. Lexico, Oxford Dictionary : accessed January 24, 2020 at [5]
  7. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved : accessed December 28, 2019 at [6]
  8. Messenger and Examiner (Owensboro, Kentucky) 17 Feb 1887, Thu Page 1
  9. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 23 Dec 1897, Thu Page 3
  10. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 13 Dec 1899, Wed Page 2
  11. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004 : accessed December 28, 2019 at [7]
  12. Year: 1900; Census Place: Paducah Ward 4, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: 540; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0068; FHL microfilm: 1240540. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
  13. "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK92-KB34 : 3 March 2016), Clay G Lemon and Carrie Miller, 16 Aug 1900; citing Massac, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 963,669.
  14. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 28 Jan 1901, Mon Page 1
  15. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 02 Feb 1901, Sat Page 4
  16. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 16 Sep 1901, Mon Page 2
  17. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 29 Nov 1901, Fri Page 4
  18. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 11 Nov 1902, Tue Page 8
  19. "About The Nashville American," Chronicling America : accessed 22 Sep 2018 at [8]
  20. "From the Mayfield Messenger," in the "People and Pleasant Events," column, The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 24 Jul 1903, Fri Page 5.
  21. "Kentucky News Condensed," The Owensboro Messenger (Owensboro, Kentucky) 28 Aug 1903, Fri Page 3.
  22. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 11 Apr 1904, Mon Page 5
  23. The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 10 Aug 1904, Wed Page 5
  24. "People and Pleasant Events," he Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 15 May 1905, Mon Page 5.
  25. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) 20 Jan 1907, Sun Page 34
  26. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2DS-QNQ : accessed 11 April 2017), Clifton W Lemon in household of Clay G Lemon, Mayfield Ward 1, Graves, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 83, sheet 2B, family 46, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 475; FHL microfilm 1,374,488.
  27. “Daughters Sue to Break Will of Col. Lemon”, The Central Record, Lancaster, Kentucky, 12 Jun 1919, p. 1 col. 2, compiled by Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress : : accessed 05 May 2017 at [9]
  28. “Editor’s Will Sustained”, Public Ledger, Maysville, Kentucky, 13 Oct 1921, p. 3, col. 4-5, compiled by Chronicling America : accessed 05 May 2017 at [10]
  29. The Crittenden press. (Marion, Ky.), "Lemon Buys the Smithland Paper", 09 July 1920. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress, p. 1 : accessed 08 May 2018 at [11]
  30. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch : accessed 30 Apr 2018 at [12]
  31. Clifton (son) marriage record in "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXLC-5HJ : 21 January 2016), Clifton W Lemon and Loretta Farmer, 20 May 1924; citing Clark, Indiana, United States, various county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 2,311,795.
  32. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002 : accessed 06 May 2018 at [13]
  33. Year: 1940; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T627_1006; Page: 85B; Enumeration District: 103-2700. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
  34. The Paducah Sun-Democrat (Paducah, Kentucky) 25 Apr 1948, Sun Page 8
  35. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) 24 Apr 1948, Sat Page 3




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Clay by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA test-takers in his direct paternal line. Mitochondrial DNA test-takers in the direct maternal line: It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Clay:

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