Dorrance Avery Clanton (1901 - 1956)

* UPDATE TO THE ABOVE COMMENT

I don’t know why Patricia Clanton’s grave marker didn’t show when I first searched Find A Grave, but I tried a different venue and found it. Here is the link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38646618/patricia-mae-clanton

And yes, her name was Patricia Mae Clanton, after her mother Rita (Reata) Mae.

This was my great grandfather. He was married to LaRita Mae Culp (first name alternately spelled LaReata, Reata, or Rita). They had 3 children not 2: Dorrance Avery Clanton, Jr., Jean Ethel, and daughter Patricia (Mae or May?) who was born around 1931 and died at 3 years old in or around 1934. Her little gravestone used to be on FindAGrave, but I searched it up recently and it’s not listed as of Nov. 2021).

She drowned in or near the Brookdale Lodge in Santa Cruz CA. Father worked for the CA. Fish and Game Department, and I believe had something to do with the fish hatchery nearby. I was told by D. A. Clanton Jr.’s wife Marianne (since deceased) that Patricia had drowned in a very tragic accident at the location mentioned and after she was buried the family elected to never speak of her or the accident again. It was kind of a sad family “ secret”. My grandfather never mentioned it.

The only reason I discovered this was because I was getting interested in genealogy at the time, and was browsing around on FindAGrave for Clantons when I stumbled upon her headstone, with a couple notes claiming Patricia was their aunt, had died in a drowning accident in a creek running through a room at Brookdale Lodge, that the family buried the fact, and this particular (relation?) believed Patricia was actually the little girl apparition that haunts the Brookdale Lodge and has been seen by many over the years.

I have terrible sleuthing skills and don’t have the money to join this or that genealogy site searching out information on Patricia Clanton, dead at age 3, daughter of Dorrance Avery and LaRita Mae Clanton, youngest sister of Dorrance and Jean Clanton (Price). I just thought I’d toss what I’ve found out here in the event any related Clantons would care to explore this further.

And also, to have some sort of record of her tragic death. It just rankles me that this sweet little girl who died so young was hurriedly buried and her memory hidden away. Marianne (Clanton nee’ Gee) added that they were very private, closed off people with little to no social life and kept very much to themselves.

• note - I finally found Patricia’s grave marker https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38646618/patricia-mae-clanton