A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1044-1045
James H. Clay is one of the most prominent of the pioneers of Eel River Township, Hendricks County, Ind. He traces his paternal ancestry to Henry Clay, his great-grandfather, who was the head of one of the first families of old Virginia in the time of the colonies, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. This gentleman finally left his native state and settled in Kentucky contemporaneously with Daniel Boone, and there erected a stone house, which remains until this day. Samuel Clay, son of Henry and grandfather of our subject, was also a native of Virginia, and a valiant defender of American rights in the Revolutionary War, in which he enlisted at the early age of fifteen years, and in which he sustained a severe wound. With his father, he settled in the wilds of Bourbon County, Ky., where he acquired several hundred acres of land and became a leading citizen. He married Rachel Wynn, and he and wife ended their days in Bourbon County, strict members of the Baptist Church and honored by all who knew them. L.B. Clay, son of the above and father of James H., our subject, was born in Bourbon County, in 1799, was for many years a successful merchant of Lexington, and married Arabella McCowen, to which union were born James H., Olivia, Samuel and Elizabeth, of whom James H. and Samuel alone survive. On relinquishing the mercantile business in Lexington, Mr. Clay engaged in farming in Bourbon County for some years; then passed a year in Hendricks County, Ind., and then ten years in Missouri, also in the pursuit of agriculture; he then returned to Bourbon County, Ky., but passed his few declining years in Lexington, where he died a comparatively poor man, owing to business reverses, although he had at one time been quite wealthy. He was possessed of remarkable will power and tact, and his business failure was the result, not of a lack of sound judgment, but a too confiding trust in his business friends. His wife was a devout and leading member of the Presbyterian Church at Lexington, of which he also was a liberal supporter. Her death was a sad blow to the family she had adorned so well, and the father never became himself again, although he was twice again married. In politic Mr. Clay was an old-line Whig and a stanch supporter of the principles of the sage of Ashland.
James H. Clay was born in Lexington, Ky., January 20, 1819, received a fair education, and was reared to farming. He is, however, to a large extent self-educated, and altogether self-made in a business point of view. In connection with farming he has also carried on to a great extent grazing and stock trading. For thirty-five years he has occupied his present farm and has been closely identified with the progress and improvement of Eel River Township and Hendricks County. Before generously dividing his estate with his children, his farm land comprised 500 acres, of which he has retained 180 acres for his own use as a homestead. This is adorned with a modern and well-furnished farm residence, and a commodious barn, and is well stocked with choice grades of cattle and other live stock. Formerly a Whig, Mr. Clay has of late years been a stanch Democrat. Although the township was strongly Republican, as a rule, Mr. Clay has been honored with the office of township trustee. Fraternally he is a member of the North Salem lodge, No. 142, F. & A.M., in which he has filled the office of junior deacon, and in religion he adheres to the Church of Christ, in which he was formerly also a deacon. He is one of the leading men of the township, financially, and is a public-spirited citizen, taking great pride in his farm, township and county, and rejoicing in their advancement. The marriage of Mr. Clay took place, most happily, to Miss Susan Fleece, daughter of Charles and Mary (Harlan) Fleece, and sister of Capt. Jacob Fleece, whose biography will be found on another page. The children born to this happy union were named, in order of birth, as follows: Arabella, Mary C., Samuel C., Sallie N., James A., John J.C., Arthur E., and Joseph F. Of these, Arthur E. and his wife, Nettie (Stevens) Clay, reside on the homestead with the father; the mother, Mrs. Susan (Fleece) Clay, having departed this life April 29, 1884—a loss which the husband and children have never ceased to deplore.