Family Histories of Coleman County, Texas

John David Clay
by H. Aubrey Clay and Gladys Clay Sippola

From A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 
edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission
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      John David Clay, born July 15, 1875 in Rutherford, Tennessee, came to Texas, probably in the late 1890's, to teach in Buffalo Gap at the Cumberland Presbyterian College where he met and later married Alma Alberta Harris, his pupil at the college, on September 8, 1901 (see Samuel R. Harris).  J. D. and Berta taught school in Blanket and Rising Star, moving next to Paint Rock . J. D. was pharmacist in the drug store there, but he probably also taught in Paint Rock.  Their daughter was born here.

     They moved to Talpa in 1908, where he and James Benjamin Harris bought the drug store from a Mr. Boyer.  J. D. was the pharmacist in the Clay and Harris Drug Store until Ben got his pharmacy certificate (see J. Ben Harris).  August 9, 1909, J. D. Clay was appointed on the Sanitary Board for Talpa.

     J. D. Clay was superintendent and teacher two years in Hartley, 1911-1913, where Harris Aubrey, their son, was born, December 28, 1911.  The family then moved back to Talpa, where J. D. was superintendent for the school year 1913-1914.  They then moved back to Hartley, where he was school superintendent for three more years.
J. D. received a Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1924.  He died in April, 1949 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Alberta continued to teach until she retired.  She passed away in Tulsa, April 1, 1975, both are biried in Tulsa.  Their children:

     (1) Gladys Brown, April 4, 1905, married Rudolph W. Sippola August 14, 1927 in Tulsa.  She followed in the footsteps of her parents and taught school.  We celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1977 in McAllen, and now reside in San Antonio.  We have two children: Bertram C., who lives in New Orleans, La. with his wife, Katherine, and two daughters, and Marie, who lives in San Antonio with her daughter.

     (2) Harris Aubrey, December 28, 1911, received degrees from the University of Tulsa and Columbia University, worked for Phillips Petroleum Company as a Chemical Engineer for over 34 years.  His first wife died and he now lives with his second wife, Garvice S., in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.


(Images to be added)

John D. and Alberta Clay


Gladys Clay serving tea to her dolls


Harris Aubrey Clay


 
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