Description Rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard 2019.0.3
Summary Information
Repository: University of Central Arkansas, Torreyson Library, Archives and Special Collections
Creator: Clayton and Wade families; Mode & Clayton Grocery; Clayton Grocery Company; KCON Radio Station
Title: Clayton-Wade Family collection
ID: M87-07
Dates Bulk: 1903-1952
Dates Inclusive: 1890-1980
Physical Extent: 2 boxes (0.63 Linear feet: 1 Full Hollinger and 1 Half Hollinger)
Language of the Material: English
Preferred Citation: (Bibliographic) Clayton-Wade Family collection, M87-07, University of Central Arkansas Archives and Special Collections, Conway, Arkansas.
(Footnote/Endnote info) Description of item, File or Item number, Box number, Series number, Subseries number, Clayton-Wade Family collection, M87-07.
Biographical Note: The Claytons were a prominent family in Conway (Faulkner County), Arkansas. William Beverly Clayton was born December 15, 1864 and died September 6, 1930. He was in partnership with J.A. Mode, resulting in the creation of Mode & Clayton Grocery. He married Carrie Condray on March 25, 1894, and they had five children.
Their oldest child, Beverly Paul Clayton, took over the operation of Mode & Clayton Grocery in the 1930s and changed the name to Clayton Grocery Company. He was trained as a historian but dedicated himself to running the family business.
Their second child, Bonnie Clayton, married Chester Munn, and they lived in Magnolia (Columbia County), Arkansas.
Their third child, Bennie Clayton, was born in 1899, and she married Reverend William Harvey Andrew, and they resided in Bryan, Texas until her death in 1957.
Their fourth child, Louise Clayton, was born around 1920. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and completed graduate work at the University of Iowa, University of Texas, Columbia University, and Arkansas State Teachers College (ASTC, now the University of Central Arkansas). Her teaching career in history began at Pine Bluff High School, and she later taught history at Central College (now Central Baptist College) and Ouachita Baptist College. In 1948 she joined the Conway High School faculty, and several years later she transferred to the Conway Junior High School. She died January 20, 1960.
Their fifth child, James Clayton, married Madge Wade, and they resided in Conway (Faulkner County), Arkansas. James owned and operated KCON Radio Station, which began broadcasting on November 13, 1950, after three years of pending license approval. James remained its manager until his death in 1961, after which Madge became president of the company. The location of KCON was in the basement of Main Hall until 1966 when KUCA moved into the vacant space left by KCON. Madge taught Latin and French at Ouachita Baptist College for four years before marrying James, and then she taught Latin at Conway High School for many years once she and James moved to Conway, Arkansas. Both were active in the Faulkner County Historical Society, Conway Community Arts, and the First Baptist Church. Madge was a member of the Conway Shakespeare Club and the Conway Orpheus Club.
Madge Clayton’s parents were Reverend and Mrs. Oscar Jefferson Wade. Reverend Wade, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, held pastorates at Magnolia, El Dorado, Little Rock, and Texarkana, Arkansas and in El Paso, Texas. Wade left the ministry to become president of Central College in Conway, Arkansas.
Scope and Contents Note: This collection contains the correspondence, business papers, photographs, and memorabilia of the Clayton family. It also contains business information on the family industries of Mode & Clayton Grocery, Clayton Grocery Company, and KCON Radio Station. It also includes genealogical materials of the Wade family.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged into three series- 1. Correspondence and Business Papers 2. Photographs 3. Oversized Materials and Memorabilia
Administrative Information
Publication Statement: University of Central Arkansas Archives and Special Collections
UCA Archives
Torreyson Library
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, AR 72035
Phone: (501) 450-3418
Access Information: Please call (501) 450-3418 or email archives@uca.edu prior to your visit to ensure availability of records.
Conditions Governing Use: This collection is open for researchers.
Physical Access: In accordance with the UCA Archives and Special Collections policy and archival best practices, two staff members must be present to move the oversized boxes for research use.
(Conservation) Materials are fragile. The Archivist may choose to provide a photocopy for research use.
Processing Information: This collection was acquired on September 14, 1987. The collection was processed under the direction of archivist Tom W. Dillard. The finding aid was edited by Shelbea Gentry in 2025.
Immediate Source of Acquisition: Madge Wade Clayton
Related Archival Materials: Conway Shakespeare Club collection, M95-07; Conway Orpheus Club records, M01-12; KCON collection, M07-02
Controlled Access Headings:
Account books
Arkansas–Politics and government–1951-
Arkansas State Teachers College (ASTC)
Business records
Correspondence
Clayton Andrew, Bennie (Person)
Clayton Munn, Bonnie (Person)
Clayton, Beverly Paul (Person)
Clayton, James (Person)
Clayton, Louise (Person)
Clayton, Madge (Person)
Clayton, Paul (Person)
Clayton Mode, Sally (Person)
Clayton, W.B. (Person)
Clayton Grocery Company
Conway High School
Conway School District
Dogs–Breeding–United States
Faulkner County Historical Society
Genealogy
Groceries
Grocery trade–United States
Grocery shopping
History–Societies, etc.
Hunting dogs–Breeding
KCON Radio
Mode & Clayton Grocery
Photographs
Phrenology
Property tax
Radio broadcasting
Radio stations
Roosevelt family
Tax assessment
Teachers’ contracts
University of Central Arkansas (UCA)
Wade, Reverend Oscar Jefferson
Collection Inventory
Series I
Box 1
- File 1 – Personal Correspondence of W.B. Clayton containing a letter from Franklin D. Roosevelt, October 11, 1928
- File 2 – W.B. Clayton, Insurance and Real Estate, undated
- File 3 – W.B. Clayton, Business Correspondence, 1901-1905
- File 4 – W.B. Clayton, Business Correspondence, 1906-1928
- File 5 – W.B. Clayton, Financial Records, undated
- File 6 – W.B. Clayton, Special Assessment Receipts, undated
- File 7 – W.B. Clayton, Poll Tax Receipts, undated
- File 8 – W.B. Clayton, Street Improvement Receipts, undated
- File 9 – W.B. Clayton, Faulkner County Property Tax Receipts
- File 10 – W.B. Clayton, Faulkner County Property Tax Receipts
- File 11 – Mode & Clayton, Legal Papers, undated
- File 12 – Mode & Clayton, Business Correspondence, 1908 – March 1909
- File 13 – Mode & Clayton, Business Correspondence, April 1909 – May 1909
- File 14 – Mode & Clayton, Business Correspondence, June 1909 – October 1921
- File 15 – Mode & Clayton, Receipts, 1904 – October 1908
- File 16 – Mode & Clayton, Receipts, 1908 – December 1908
- File 17 – Mode & Clayton, Receipts, January 1909 – March 1909
- File 18 – Mode & Clayton, Receipts, June 1909
- File 19 – Mode & Clayton, Receipts, July 1909 – May 1924
- File 20 – Beverly Paul Clayton Personal, undated
- File 21 – Clayton Grocer Co. Ledger, B.P. Clayton; A – F, 1938-1943
- File 22 – Clayton Grocer Co. Ledger, B.P. Clayton; G – M, 1942
- File 23 – Clayton Grocer Co. Ledger, B.P. Clayton; N – S, 1942
- File 24 – Clayton Grocer Co. Ledger, B.P. Clayton, Assets and Liabilities; T – W, 1942 – January 1943
- File 25 – Louise Clayton Personal & Correspondence, undated
- File 26 – Louise Clayton Home Plans, undated
- File 27 – Louise Clayton Business, undated
- File 28 – Data concerning Cadron, compiled by Louise Clayton, c. 1959
- File 29 – James & Madge Clayton Correspondence, 1939 – March 1960
- File 30 – James & Madge Clayton Correspondence, April 1960-1980
- File 31 – Madge Clayton, Conway Community Arts, undated
- File 32 – Madge Clayton, Business, Teacher Contracts, School Information, and News Clippings, undated
- File 33 – James E. Clayton, Business, undated
- File 34 – Dog Breeding
- File 35 – KCON, Radio Station, undated
- File 36 – Historical Society, undated
- File 37 – Application for planning grant, Conway School District #1, undated
- File 38 – Conway Public School Information, undated
- File 39 – Pamphlets, First Baptist Church, undated
- File 40 – Newspaper Clippings, undated
- File 41 -”The Voice”, Bulletins of the First Baptist Church, undated
- File 42 – Paul Clayton School Report Cards, 1906-1908 & 1921
End of Box 1
End of Series I
Series II
Box 1
- File 1 – Photographs, Conway Public Schools, 1890, 1895
- File 2 – Photographs, Conventioneers at Eureka Springs, c. 1900; Science Class, c. 1910; and Pole Dance, May
- File 3 – Mr. & Mrs. W.B. Clayton, 1907
- File 4 – Louise & Bennie Clayton, Conway School, 1910 & 1920
- File 5 – Reverend Oscar Jefferson Wade’s Study, Sanctuary Chandelier, and Ladies Parlor of Immanuel Baptist Church, 1912
- File 6 – Mode & Clayton Grocery, 1917, 1925, 1929, & 1930
- File 7 – Paul Clayton, c. 1930
- File 8 – Bennie Clayton, c. 1930
- File 9 – James Edgar Clayton, c. 1952 & c. 1930
- File 10 – Louise Clayton, c. 1960 & c. 1920
- File 11 – Democratic Convention, 1952
- File 12 – Republican Party Pictures, 1952
- File 13 – Mrs. Madge Clayton’s Latin Club Pictures, Conway High School, 1966
- File 14 – Sally Clayton Mode, Condray boy, Charles, undated
- File 15 – Unidentified Photographs, possibly Mrs. W.B. Clayton’s Parents
- File 16 – Unidentified Photographs
- File 17 – Negatives: W.B. Clayton Birthplace, King Cemetery, Early Faulkner County, etc.
- File 18 – Construction Work on Lake Maumelle (Pulaski County) Arkansas
- Item 1 – Mode & Clayton Store Record ledger for invoices, inventory, assets, and liabilities, Wholesale Groceries and Feed, 1913-1922
End of Box 1
End of Series II
Series III
Box 1 – Oversized Items
- Item 1 – Genealogical Record showing Clayton / Condray Lineage (from 1695)
- Item 2 – Genealogical Record showing Clayton Lineage (from 1665)
- Item 3 – Genealogical Record showing Clayton / Condray Lineage (from 1141)
- Item 4 – Genealogical Record showing Clayton Lineage (from 1665)
- Item 5 – Memorial box of newspaper clippings of Clayton Family Obituaries, undated
- Item 6 – Ada Clare Wall’s Commencement Book
- Item 7 – Automobile Blue Book, 1925
- Item 8 – The President’s War Message, April 2
- Item 9 – Application for Funds, Conway School District #1
- Item 10 – Policies, Rules, and Regulations of Conway Board of Education
- Item 11 – Pre-School Workshop Manual
- Item 12 – The Phrenological Journal, October 1892
- Item 13 – The Phrenological Journal, December 1893
- Item 14 – Directions for using the New Sun Typewriter, undated
- Item 15 – New York Life Insurance Company Pamphlet, undated
- Item 16 – Conway Garden Club February 1
- Item 17 – The Government Book Store 1915
End of Box 1
End of Series III
End of Collection