Clayton, Powell, soldier and diplomat, was born at Bethel, Pa., Aug. 7, 1833. He was educated in the public schools and at the Partridge Military Academy at Bristol, Pa., after which he studied civil engineering at Wilmington, Del. In 1855 he came to Kansas, where he followed his profession of civil engineer until 1861, having been city engineer of Leavenworth in 1859. On May 29, 1861, he enlisted as a captain in the First Kansas infantry; was made lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Kansas cavalry on Dec. 28, 1861; promoted to colonel on March 7, 1862, and to brigadier-general on Aug. 1, 1864. He was mustered out on Aug. 24, 1865, and from 1868 to 1871 was the reconstruction governor of Arkansas. He then engaged in business as a planter in Arkansas; was a delegate to every national Republican convention from 1872 to 1896; was minister to Mexico from 1897 to 1905, and since then has been president and general manager of the Eureka Springs railway.