Benjamin Michaux Clopton (1807-1893)

Benjamin Michaux Clopton^{4 (Anthony3, Benjamin2, Walter1, William0)} of Tennessee and Texas was the son of Anthony Clopton and Rhoda Hoggatt.  He was named in honor of his great-grandmother Olive Judi Michaux Morgan, the daughter of Dr. Abraham and Susanne (Rochet) Michaux.  

Sidenote:  The Michauxs immigrated from France to Belgium to England before in 1705, along with other French Huguenot refugees, to land granted them by King James III of England on the James River west and further inland from the Jamestowne settlement.  Dr. Abraham Michaux registered a grant in present-day Powhatan County, Virginia in 1713 for 850 acres; this - and, indeed, all land granted to the Huguenots - served as a buffer against Indian attacks on British settlements further east.  Dr. Michaux suffered from the king's strategy when he was killed by Indians in 1717.  

The Michaux home and the chapel in which the family worshiped in Michaux, Virginia, still stands.  The home was restored and serves as a private residence; although, the current owners [as of 2019] are quite generous in granting access to visiting Michaux descendants.  The chapel was purchased by the Michaux-St. James Foundation, and has been lovingly restored and fitted with central air and heat. It now serves as a community center, wedding and reunion venue, and has been featured in period movies depicting American colonial church scenes. The MSJF also owns the home adjacent to the chapel and has created a reception hall and, on the second floor, a Michaux Museum.

A direct descendant of William Clopton, Gentleman, and Ann (Booth) Dennett Clopton, Benjamin was born in Davidson County, Tennessee on March 21, 1807.  He married in Davidson County, Tennessee on June 15, 1836, to Justina Augusta Haden, who was born April 4, 1818 in Rowan County, North Carolina.  Along with his brother, William Anthony Clopton, Sr., Benjamin moved his new family to the Republic of Texas in 1837.

On February 13, 1839, Benjamin purchased a blacksmith shop in the town of Bastrop, Bastrop County, Texas for $100.00. On that day he also bought an enslaved woman, Polly, and her son, William Henry. However, he sold Polly for $1,000.00 only a few weeks later, on March 8, 1839; we do not have further evidence of William Henry's presence in the family.  Benjamin continued to operate the blacksmith shop until May 4, 1849, when he sold the business for $500.00. 

In 1845, while an Alderman in the town of Bastrop, he purchased 1/4 of block #9 in a city auction for $41.00.  His fortunes continued to rise, and on May 25, 1850, he bought 400 acres of land for $300.00 near Elgin (SW corner of James Standifer).  The 1860 United States Census in Bastrop County lists Benjamin's occupation as a farmer; the 1870 Census, he is shown as a blacksmith; and, the 1880 Census he is once again recorded as a farmer.  The family grew corn and cotton, and in the also leased land for oil exploration.  

In 1886, Benjamin sold 120 acres to his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Clopton Sherman; he sold an additional 120 acres in 1888 to his son, John Benjamin Clopton.

Benjamin and Justina had nine children, five of whom lived to adulthood: 

1. Sherman Clopton⁵ (1836-1836), born in Tennessee, USA. (died an infant)
2. Anthony Clopton, Sr.⁵(1836-1878), born in Tennessee, USA, m. 31 Dec 1861 to Margaret Sophronia Mayes. They had eight children, seven survived to adulthood:
   1. John Hoggatt Clopton⁶ (1862- ) (died an infant)
   2. Walter E. Clopton⁶ (1865-1939)
   3. Agnes Sophronia Clopton⁶ (1866-1944)
   4. Daniel Benjamin Clopton⁶ (1868-1954)
   5. Justina Leora Clopton⁶ (1871-1950)
   6. Sarah Elizabeth "Sallie" Clopton⁶ (1873-1937)
   7. Caroline Amelia Clopton⁶ (1875-1907)
   8. Anthony Clopton, Jr.⁶ (1877-1948)
3. Hoggatt "Hock" Clopton⁵(1840-1916), born in the Republic of Texas, m. (1) 31 Jan 1866 to Martha Anne Christian.  They had five children; four survived to adulthood:
   1. Charley Clopton⁶ (1867-1867) (died an infant)
   2. Annis Clopton⁶(1868-1964), m. 1889 to Robert Lucius Williams.  They had five children:
      1. Charles Baird Williams⁷ (1890-1971)
      2. Robert Haden Williams⁷ (1895-1962)
      3. Albert Paine Williams⁷ (1898-1974)
      4. Olive Williams⁷ (1900-1987); never married.
      5. Ruth Williams⁷ (1905-1950), m. 20 Aug 1940 to Berry Francis Akin.
   3. Albert Michaux Clopton⁶(1870-1917), m. 2 Jul 1890 to Etta Mae Arbuckle.  They had four children; three lived to adulthood:
      1. Annis Ella Clopton (1891-1893) (died an infant)
      2. Lancelot Michaux Clopton (1892-1953)
      3. Gladys Aurelia Clopton (1894-1984)
      4. Grace Clopton (1896-1983)
   4. Effie Clopton⁶ (1872-1948), m. Frank Clements.  No issue.
   5. Georgia Woods Clopton⁶(1877-1922), m. 29 Nov 1897 to Emmitt Gray Bryan.  They had three children:
      1. Nannie Gray Bryan⁷ (1898-1980)
      2. Mattie Blanche Bryan⁷ (1903-1954)
      3. Albert Daniel Bryan⁷ (1905-1982)
4. Agnes Clopton⁵(1841-1916), born in the Republic of Texas) m. 3 Oct 1867 in Bastrop County, Texas to Walter Patrick Scott.
   1. Ella Scott⁶(1869-1905), m. 29 Nov 1891 to William R. Easley.  They had one surviving daughter:
      1. Mary Bell Easley (1895-1962), m. Jul 1912 to Bennett Davis Merritt.  They had thirteen children. 
   2. Fanny Scott⁶ (1872-1872) (died an infant)
   3. Samuel Shaesby Scott⁶(1875-1921), m. 1908 to Clara Schuermann, daughter of William Schuermann and Clara Yeager  Sam and Clara had three children:
      1. Walton O. Scott⁷ (1909-1920). (died 11 years old)
      2. Marie Scott⁷ (1911-1969)
      3. Wilton Elege Scott⁷ (1913-2005), m. 16 Apr 1942 to Loradean Allen.  Wilton, a member of Sigma Gamma Epsilon fraternity, earned his BS in Geology from the University of Texas in 1936.  He retired in 1978 as Chairman/CEO of Tenneco Oil.  In his honor, the Wilton E. Scott Centennial Professorship was established at the University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences.
5. Mary Elizabeth Clopton⁵ (1845-1919), born in Texas, USA, m. 1889 as his second wife, William Sherman.  No record of issue.
6. Rhoda Ann Clopton⁵ (1849-1849), born in Texas, USA. (died an infant)
7. William Clopton⁵ (1850-1860), born in Texas, USA. (died 9 yrs old)
8. John Benjamin Clopton⁵(1852-1919), a violin craftsman, born in Texas, USA, m. 22 Mar 1883 to Rosalie Susan Erhard.  They had one surviving daughter:
   1. Nellie Erhard Clopton⁶ (1885-1939), m. 20 Sep 1922 to Eugene Thompson Smith.  No issue.
9. Sandy Clopton⁵ (1854-1860), born in Texas, USA. (died 6 yrs old)

Justina died October 23, 1869, in Bastrop County.  Benjamin survived another twenty-five years but did not remarry; he died January 14, 1893, in Elgin, Bastrop, Texas.  They and their infant daughter, Rhoda, share a headstone in the Elgin City Cemetery.

References:

Fitz, Mary E.  2019, personal knowledge regarding Michaux family and Wilton Elege Scott.

Wright, Maggie Clopton & Suellen Clopton Blanton. Dec 1995. Clopton Family Newsletter.