Nestor Clay (1799-1835), an early settler of Texas, was born in Kentucky, the son of Mary Jane "Polly" (Dawson) and Thomas Clay, a captain in the Revolutionary War. He moved to Texas in 1822, but returned to Kentucky one year later, to marry Nancy Wilson Johnson (1806-1834). In 1824 they returned to Texas together and had three children. Nestor Clay represented Washington County at the conventions of 1832 and 1833. Both Nestor and Nancy Clay have been reinterred in Austin’s Pioneer Cemetery (now Texas State Cemetery). Nestor’s brother Tacitus completed the construction of Clay Castle, started by Nestor, in 1836.
The Clays’ son, Tacitus Clay (1824-1868), named for his uncle, was an influential businessman, Confederate army officer, and mayor of Independence, Washington County, Texas.
Sources:
Texas State Cemetery.
The Nestor and Tacitus Clay Papers, 1802, 1832-1860, 1962, include original correspondence and deeds, transcripts of wills, legal documents, biographical information, and family trees of the Clay and Johnson families. The papers relate to family genealogy and land papers of the Clay and Johnson families, as well as the re-interment of Nestor and Nancy Clay.
Unrestricted access.
Unrestricted use.
Nestor and Tacitus Clay Papers, 1802, 1832-1860, 1962, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
This collection was processed by Chester Kielman, July 1962.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s