From the Dixon Pilot, July 1944
Mrs. Jane E. Claiborn, 99 Years Old Buried Sunday
One of the few persons who remembered the war between the states and who had witnessed the transformation of this country from wilderness and prairie to farm and industry, died last Saturday at Crocker, when Mrs. Jane E. Claiborn was summoned, at the age of 99 years, 6 months and 17 days.
Mrs. Claiborn came to Pulaski county in about 1864, the year she married D.A. Claiborn. She attended school at the old academy at Lebanon, and often told of the Bushwhackers coming through that town and cleaning out chicken yards and barn lots so completely that not enough food could be found to keep the people from hunger. In those days no salt could be bought in Lebanon and present day complaints of the inconvenience of the rationing program never failed to amuse Mrs. Claiborn. "You don't know anything about hard times" she would say to her listeners.
Jane E. Claiborn nee Huffman was born at Lebanon December 21, 1844. To Mrs. Claiborn and her husband D.A. Claiborn (who died March 1931) were born 11 children, eight of who survive as follows: O.C. Claiborn, Decaturville; Dr. Ed Claiborn, Camdenton; Dr. Dru Claiborn, Big Timber, Mont.; H.A. Claiborn, Wister, Okla.; W.T. Claiborn, Crocker; and Fannie Salveter; Belle Layman and Carrie Hamilton, all of Crocker. The deceased children were Matthew, Cleopatra and Arthur.
Mrs. Claiborn was early converted and had lived a consistent Christian life all through the years, as a member of the Christian church.
36 Descendants in Service
Other survivors are 45 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. In addition to her own family she reared two orphan children, giving them the same care and love that she gave her own family.
According to Dru Salveter, cashier of the Bank of Crocker, and a grandson of the deceased, more than 35 of Mrs. Claiborn’s descendants are serving their country in its armed forces.
Funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon at Mitchell's Chapel, 4 miles east of Crocker with six grandsons acting as pall bearers: Charlie Claiborn, Paris Claiborn, Winfred Layman, Harold Hamilton, Ralph Hamilton and Allan Salveter.
Reverend W.E. Waddell, Christian minister, assisted by Reverend William Gammon, Presbyterian minister conducted the services at the church and grave.
