Preston Copeland Clayton (September 23, 1903 – June 20, 1996)"Former justice dies at 92", ''The Montgomery Advertiser'' (June 24, 1996), p. 6. was a justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1953 to 1954. Born in

Eufaula, Alabama Eufaula is the largest city in Barbour County, Alabama, Barbour County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census the city's population was 13,137. History The site along the Chattahoochee River that is now moder ...

, Clayton enrolled at the University of Alabama at the age of 16, and received a B.A. there in 1924. He

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

under Judge Walter B. Jones to gain

admission to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1931. He served in the Alabama Senate from 1939 to 1953, and served in the U.S. Army in World War II, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel, and commanded an artillery unit in the Italian and North African campaigns. In 1953, Governor

Gordon Persons Seth Gordon Persons (February 5, 1902 – May 29, 1965) was an American Democratic politician who was the 43rd Governor of Alabama from 1951 to 1955. He was born and died in Montgomery, Alabama. The Dauphin Island Bridge south of Mobile i ...

appointed Clayton to a seat on the Supreme Court of Alabama vacated by the death of Joel B. Brown. Clayton raised pure-bred

Arabian horse The Arabian or Arab horse ( ar, الحصان العربي , DIN 31635, DMG ''ḥiṣān ʿarabī'') is a horse breed, breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is ...

s as a hobby, and organized and lead organizations for Arabian horse enthusaists. Clayton married Jewel Gladys Robinson of Clio in 1933, with whom he had three daughters and one son. He died at his home in

Clayton, Alabama Clayton is a town in and the county seat of Barbour County, Alabama, United States. The population was 3,008 at the 2010 census, up from 1,475 in 2000. History Clayton has been the county seat since 1834, two years after the creation of Barbou ...

, at the age of 92.

References

1903 births 1996 deaths People from Eufaula, Alabama University of Alabama alumni U.S. state supreme court judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law United States Army personnel of World War II Alabama state senators Justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama {{Alabama-state-judge-stub