| Forsyth County Historical Association Forsyth County, North Carolina |
The Log House at the corner of Old Hollow Road and Stanleyville Dr. is commonly referred to as The John Clayton Log House or The Old House. It is the oldest building still standing on The Clayton Family Farm, which is listed on The National Register of Historic Places. The Clayton Family Farm is about 25 acres of house site, expansive lawn and woodlands that form an oasis in what is now a built-up, modern residential environment. It includes:
The John Clayton House is a two-story, two-bay wide, weatherboarded log dwelling. Family tradition claims it was weatherboarded in 1860. However, the presence of several beaded weatherboards on the southwest side of the house in an area that would have been hidden by the original chimney suggests that the house had beaded weatherboards prior to 1860. Extending across the rear of the log house is a heavy-timber frame, shed-roofed addition with two rooms. Its construction and detailing suggest that it was added not long after the original construction of the house. The exterior of the John Clayton House belies its true age. The interior, however, retains an impressive collection of features that are consistent with detailing used in houses in the Salem vicinity during the late eighteenth century. For a log house located on the outer edge of the Wachovia Tract, the John Clayton House exhibits surprisingly sophisticated detailing. Of particular note are the beaded ceiling joists, the wide hand-planed and bead edged boards that sheathe the first floor walls. HISTORY On February 7, 1799, John Clayton (ca 1756-1801) gained title to the property from Frederic William Marshall, the administrator of Wachovia. It is likely that he farmed the land prior to this since it was common practice for the Moravians at that time to initially establish an agreement- intent to sell with a prospective buyer, but then formally convey the land by deed only when the new owner had paid in full for the property and had proved to be an upright neighbor. John Clayton Sr., “who according to the best available information was a native of New England and one of the pioneers in Bethania Township where [he] improved a farm.” John married Charity Banner, from the Town Fork Settlement and had nine children. John’s eldest son, John Clayton Junior (1788-1863) acquired full title to the property on June 25, 1817, when the other heirs of John Clayton Sr. deeded it to him for one thousand dollars. The deed states, “the house and plantation whereon the said John Clayton [Jr.] now lives” with his wife Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Reuben Moore, of Moore’s Springs in Stokes County. They had ten children, one of which was Mathew Clayton, the sixth child. Their fifth child, William Wilson Clayton is Alma Clayton’s great grandfather. Matthew Columbus Clayton was born in the log house on October 27, 1830. His early years were quietly spent with the experiences of a typical farm boy with such advantages as come from the local schools. His mother used to card, spin, weave and dress her family in homespun. He left the farm at the outbreak of the war and enlisted May 22, 1861 in Company D (Forsyth Riflemen) of the Twenty-first Regiment, North Carolina Troops. This troop was formed by Capt. Belo and mustered in front of the Belo House is Salem. He was wounded in a skirmish and narrowly escaped death. A bullet struck him in the corner of the right eye next to the nose, entered his head, and twenty-one days later was removed by the surgeon who located it behind his left ear. In passing through his head the bullet almost miraculously missed the vital spots. He lost two brothers during the war. In 1863 his father died and Matthew inherited three shares of the estate, his and that of his two brothers who died in the Civil War. They had made a pact before they left for the war. After the war Matthew married his dead brother’s sweetheart, Sarah Mildred McKinney, of Surry County. They lived in the log house where she cooked by open fire. He later erected a substantial brick home and frame barn on the property. After 1879, when Matt moved his family to the new brick house he had built, the log house was used for grain storage, general storage and a general store, later operated by John G. “Gid” Clayton, Matthew’s only child born in 1873. Gid married Ora Belle Ziglar, whose father was High Sheriff of Forsyth County. Sometime prior to Matthew’s death the log house was moved on rolling timbers. Unfortunately it fell off the timbers before getting to the intended site at the sawmill run by the Claytons. Matthew decided to let it stay where it fell off the timbers, which is at the intersection of Stanleyville Dr. and Highway 66/Old Hollow Road. Matthew lived in the brick house until is death. A tall obelisk marks his grave and reads, “Matthew C. Clayton, Oct 27, 1830 – Dec. 4, 1920, A confederate solider of great courage and endurance, Volunteered in 1861, Co. D 21st Reg. N.C. Troops, This Company numbered 165, only 12 being present at the surrender, Was never captured, shot through the head with a Minnie Ball near Harpers Ferry, received a full discharge, Re-enlisted and was with Early in his raid on Washington D.C. Surrendered with Lee at Appomattox. Participated in all the principal battles of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Born, raised, lived and died on this plantation”. At the time of his death he was the only surviving member of the original company of Forsyth Riflemen. Gid Clayton always lived at home and gave the utmost solicitude and care to his parents during their declining years. He attended local schools and Oak Ridge Institute. He served for more than thirty years as a justice of the peace. He died in a freak car accident in Virginia on New Year’s Eve, 1931 while driving newlyweds to their honeymoon. The three people in the car drowned after the car overturned into 2 ½ to 3 feet of water. It was estimated that the crowd at Gid’s funeral numbered 3,000 – 5,000 people. The general store was immediately closed, never to reopen. Ora Belle and her youngest child, J.G. continued to live in the homeplace and operate the farm. She rented the log house to the Pardue family for $10.00 a month. Mr. and Mrs. Pardue had seven children, Hobart, Hazel, Harvey, Grace, Ruth, Bob and Sandra. During this time the house had crude electricity, no plumbing and was heated by wood stoves on both floors. Gid and Ora Belle’s only son, J.G. Clayton inherited the homeplace upon his mother’s death in 1951. J.G. and his wife, Alma continued to rent the house to the Pardues until the early 1970’s. Later the house was rented to Allan and Dot Spears who operated “Old House Antiques” until 2000. In January of 2001 the house was donated to Preservation North Carolina in an attempt to save it from demolition by the City of Winston-Salem. In March 2001 Barry Rakes, a local historic architect, bought the house and lot. In January 2003 it was moved to its current location in an attempt to provide some privacy, lessen impact of noise from the busy intersection, and move it further from the street. The house is now owned by J.G. and Alma’s youngest son and his wife, Norris and Kathleen Clayton. It has been restored by Architectural Restoration owned by Jarrell Jones. |
| The John Clayton Log House by Kathleen Clayton |
