Faith Clayton was born in Central, South Carolina, the daughter of Dr.
Lawrence Garvin and Martha Irene Adelaide “Addie” Smith Clayton on 6 Jan 1898.
She attended the public school of Central for the first and second grades.
She then enrolled as a third grader and continued through high school in the
college preparatory department of Southern Wesleyan University. From 1914-1918
she attended and was graduated at Southern Wesleyan University. She taught
social sciences in the public schools of North Carolina, South Carolina and
Mississippi from 1918 to 1930.
She returned to her father’s home in 1930 to help care for him during his
declining years. After his death in 1935 she moved to Columbia, studied
business, worked with the Richland County, South Carolina Social Service Board,
and attended the graduate school of the University of South Carolina. She
accepted a job as Employment Interviewer in the State Employment Office in
Liberty, S.C. and became manager in 1941, serving until 1950 when she was
appointed by Governor Strom Thurmond to the State Industrial Commission. Only
three women in the United States had ever served in a similar office. The other
two were in New York and Massachusetts. This job requiring approving or
rejecting common law releases or agreements on settlement of awards concerning
industrial accidents. From 1956-1965 she served as Senior Adjudicator of Claims,
or Claims Examiner, for South Carolina Unemployment Commission, Columbia, SC.
In 1965 she retired and moved back to Central. She has maintained a close
connection with the college, wrote a History of Grimes Hall, served a
successful term as Alumni Treasurer and furnished abundant information to this
writer on the history of the college. She was awarded the Honoring Doctorate of
Laws from her Alma Mater on May 9, 1982. Senator Strom Thurmond, in a telegram
stated: “The Clayton Family has played an important role in the history of
Central Wesleyan College [Southern Wesleyan], with her father as one of its
founders, and Miss Faith as one of its most dedicated supporters.”
In 1984, through the efforts of Anne Sheriff and Julia Woodson, Miss Faith
Clayton donated her papers to the library at Southern Wesleyan University. It
collection included abstracts of court records, wills, deeds, Bible records,
family history and original documents on many of the Upstate families.
Faith Clayton died 17 Dec 1993 and is buried at Sharon Methodist Church in
Anderson County, SC.
Southern Wesleyan University
Faith Clayton Family Research Center
907
Wesleyan Drive
Central, SC 29630-1020
864-644-5000
S.W.U. Library Hours: Visit
http://www.swu.edu/library/hours.php
Ann Sheriff at
claytonroom@swu.edu is normally
available on Wednesday mornings.
Appointment Setup: Call 864-644-5088
and leave a message.
