John T. 'Jack' Clayworth died 1940

CLAYWORTH

Posted By: Iowa Old Press
Date: 3/18/2009 at 20:49:45

J. Clayworth, North Pioneer, Passes Away
John T. Clayworth, aged 72 years, an old-time Northerner, who was in the Klondike in its early days and who was an extensive owner of mining ground on Harrison and other creeks in the Circle distract, passed away at 11:45 o'clock Sunday morning in this city. He had been in failing health more than a year.

Of late years he had made his home in Seattle in winter and came north in the spring to look after his mining interests. This year he arrived here about the middle of May. He was taken seriously ill on Harrison creek May 22 and was brought to Fairbanks by Fred B. Johnston, mining operator on Harrison, for medical treatment.

Mr. Clayworth is survived by a brother and nieces in the States. It is expected the body will be sent to Seattle for interment.

~Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska
July 1, 1940

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Funeral for J. Clayworth Friday 7 P.M.
Funeral services for the late John T. Clayworth will be held in the chapel of the Hosea H. Ross morturary at 7 o'clock Friday evening. The rites will be conducted by the Fairbanks Igloo of the Pioneers of Alaska. Interment will be in the Pioneer Plot of Birch Hill cemetery.

~Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska
July 11, 1940

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Tribute To Memory of Real Pioneer
A tribute of unusual merit to a pioneer typical of those who conquered the Northland against great odds comes voluntarily to the News-Miner from another of his rapidly vanishing type. The passing of the venerated subject of the sketch was chronicled last week. The following appreciative tesimonial is gladly printed on request:

The late John T. Clayworth, better known to all old Sourdoughs as "Jack Clayworth" was a man typical of the pioneer Alaskan, a man who had many friends and kept them through all of the years; a kindly man who had a good word for everybody and who seldom, if at any time, talked about himself even to his most intimate friends. Therefore, his many friends and associates knew little of his life prior to his arrival in Alaska.

We do know that Jack was born in 1864, which would make him 76 years old at the time of his death; that he was formerly a resident of the State of Iowa, from which place we believe he departed for Skagway, Alaska, arriving there in the early part of 1897.

We know also that he was a man of indomitable courage and endurance in those early Alaskan years as evidenced by the determination shown in packing his third outfit over the White Pass Summit in the year 1898 after having lost two outfits he had attempted to take into Dawson in the year 1897.

We know also that he succeded in getting to Dawson in 1898 and that he worked on Quartz Creek and in various other sections of the Yukon Territory prior to coming to the Fairbanks country, which, as near as we can determine, was in 1904; thereafter working on Gold Hill, Ester and in the Circle district, and particularly on Harrison Creek, the scene of his past endeavors.

Jack had been ailing for some time and believing he was on the road to recovery, left Seattle on the 5th of June to spend the summer on Harrison Creek, where he had extensive interests. A day or two after his arrival on Harrison Creek he took a turn for the worst and was taken back to Fairbanks on or about Saturday, June 29, by his friend and business associate, Fred Johnston. He failed steadily thereafter until his death at the St. Joseph's Hospital. He is survived by a brother now living in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

It goes without saying, that we, as Pioneers and Alaskans in general will miss this rapidly diminishing type of Pioneer.

~Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska
July 16, 1940

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Notes:
-Enumerated on the 1870 U.S. census, Oskaloosa twp., Mahaska co. Iowa, John Clayworth, age 11, 'at home', b. Ohio; living with his parents John (52, b. England) & Jane (59, b. Ohio) and siblings: Joseph B. (24), Edward H. (19), Rismond (13), Addie J. (6); and William Clayworth (widower, 75, b. England). All of the children were born in Ohio.

-Enumerated on the 1880 U.S. census, East Oskaloosa twp., Mahaska co. Iowa, John Clayworth, age 21, farmer, b. Iowa; working as a farm laborer for John Mitchell. The birth places of his parents are blank.

-Enumerated on the 1885 Iowa State census, Spring Creek, Mahaska co. Iowa, there is a John T. Clayworth, age 26, farmer, b. Ohio; living in the household of John B. Clayworth, age 66, farmer, b. England

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