William Clayton (Mormon)
| William Clayton | |
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| Member and Clerk of the Council of Fifty | |
| March 11, 1844 – December 4, 1879 | |
| Called by | Joseph Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 17, 1814 Penwortham, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
| Died | December 4, 1879 (aged 65) Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37.92″N 111°51′28.8″W / 40.7772000°N 111.858000°W |
| Known For | An early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, clerk and scribe to Joseph Smith, and credited with inventing a version of the modern odometer |
| Spouse(s) | 10 |
| Children | 42 |
| Parents | Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley |
William H. Clayton (July 17, 1814 – December 4, 1879) was an early leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who was a clerk and scribe to the Mormon religious leader Joseph Smith. Clayton, born in England, was also an American pioneer journalist, inventor, lyricist, and musician.
Clayton was born in Penwortham, Lancashire, England, the son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. He was the eldest of 14 children. He married Ruth Moon on October 9, 1836.
In 1836, Clayton investigated the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Taught by church apostles Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, Clayton was baptized October 21, 1837; ordained a priest in December; and a high priest on April 1, 1838. Clayton's parents and siblings also joined the church. Clayton quit his job as a factory clerk to devote his time to missionary service in England, where he founded a branch of the church in Manchester. In 1838, he served as second counselor to the British mission president Joseph Fielding, with Willard Richards as first counselor.
In September 1840, Clayton led a group of British converts who emigrated to the United States. He and his family first tried to farm in Iowa Territory, then settled in the predominantly Latter Day Saint community of Nauvoo, Illinois. There he was a clerk and scribe to Joseph Smith. In an 1840 letter, Clayton wrote to church members in Manchester about interacting with Smith:
We have had the privilege of conversing with Joseph Smith Jr. and we are delighted with his company. We have had a privilege of ascertaining in a great measure from whence all the evil reports have arisen and hitherto have every reason to believe him innocent. He is not an idiot, but a man of sound judgment, and possessed of abundance of intelligence and whilst you listen to his conversation you receive intelligence which expands your mind and causes your heart to rejoice. He is very familiar, and delights to instruct the poor saints. I can converse with him just as easy as I can with you, and with regard to being willing to communicate instruction he says, "I receive it freely and I will give it freely." He is willing to answer any question I have put to him and is pleased when we ask him questions.
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