" . . . . James Alexander Claxton,
president of the State Bank at Fayette, was born in Oswego county, New York, in
1854. He is the scion of influential and sterling ancestors on both sides of
the house, being the son of Isaac and Margaret (HOLMES)
CLAXTON. In 1864 his parents moved to Dunhamas Grove, Center
Township, Fayette county, Iowa, where the father bought a farm of two hundred
and eight acres, lying on the dividing line of Westfield township, and here,
amid primitive conditions, he developed a fine farm and established a
comfortable home, prospering by reason of arduous toil and good management; and
here it was that James A. Claxton, his son, grew to sturdy manhood . . .
.alternating farming in the summer months with schooling in the neighboring
schools in the winter time. . . . he took a commercial course in the Upper Iowa
University, and two terms in the collegiate work of the same institution. . . .
he taught school for two terms, but not finding this line of endeavor exactly to
his liking he returned to farming, which he then followed on his own account,
owning a fine place of one hundred and twenty acres, managing the same in a very
successful manner.
Mr. Claxton's domestic life began in 1879, when he formed
a matrimonial alliance with Emma ELPHICK, a very estimable
lady and the daughter of James and Martha ELPHICK. She was
born near Whitewater, Rock county, Wisconsin, where she spent her early
childhood, coming to Fayette county, Iowa, with her parents. . . .
On April
1, 1901, the Bank of Fayette was reorganized as a state bank and Mr. Claxton
became a stockholder in the same and was elected vice-president of the
institution. In 1903, Judge HOYT, the president of the bank,
died, and Mr. Claxton succeeded him as president . . . .
Besides his
interests in the Bank of Fayette, Mr. Claxton is also interested in the bank at
Randalia, Iowa. He and his wife are the parents of four interesting children,
names as follows: Bessie, Robert, Forest and Bernice. The first named married
Ralph THOMPSON and lives on the home place at Dunham's Grove.
Robert took a four years' course in the Agricultural College at Ames, . . . He
is now in partnership with William McFADDEN . . . have a large
stock farm about twenty-five miles from Chicago. Robert married Sarah HARWOOD,
the daughter of a prominent family.
Mr. Claxton and his family are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church, and fraternally he is a member of the Modern
Woodmen of America.