from The History of Hendricks County (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1914)--pages 756-757
Charles C. Clay, the son of John J. Crittenden Clay and Mattie (Walker) Clay, was born November 23, 1874, in Eel River Township, this county. He was given a good common school education in the district schools of his home neighborhood, and early in life decided to devote his attention to agriculture and stock raising. His father had been a successful farmer and stock dealer and he worked with him until his marriage, and in this way received a practical education along those lines which he intended to make his life work. He continued to reside for two years after his marriage on his father's farm and then bought a farm one and one-half miles west of North Salem, which, with forty acres that he had inherited from his grandmother, gave him a fine tract of two hundred and fifty-five acres. Here he lived for seven years, and then moved into North Salem, where he has since resided. He still manages his farm, but puts most of his attention to the buying and shipping of live stock in car load lots. He keeps his farm well stocked at all times by buying the cattle in the city markets and placing them on his farm for fattening. In this way he makes use of all his own feed and grain which is raised on his land.
Mr. Clay was married in October, 1897, to Adina Emmons, daughter of James M. and Elizabeth (Trotter) Emmons. Her father was born October 28, 1828, in Giles County, Virginia, the son of Jehu and Sarah (Henderson) Emmons. When James M. was about eight years of age his parents moved to this state and located in Marion Township, this county. About three years later they permanently located in Eel River Township, where they lived the remainder of their lives. James M. Emmons was married in January, 1853, to Elizabeth Trotter, a native of this county and the daughter of James and Sarah (Whitt) Trotter, early pioneers of Hendricks County. After his marriage, James M. lived at North Salem, where he followed the trade of a carpenter and became a prosperous contractor and builder, an occupation which he followed the remainder of his life except when holding public office. In 1878 he was elected sheriff of Hendricks County and four years later was re-elected. Upon leaving the sheriff's office he bought a farm two miles south of North Salem, where he lived for ten years. He then sold his farm and moved to North Salem, where he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. Emmons reared a family of eleven children, eight of whom are still living: Oscar, of North Salem; Jewel, of Indianapolis; Leonidas, of Texas; Eldred, of Nebraska; Sarah Catherine, the wife of Nathan Davis, of Denver, Colorado; Ida, the widow of Wilson Haynes; Gertrude, the wife of Thaddeus Banta, of Decatur, Illinois, and Adina, the wife of Mr. Clay. The mother of these children died September 6, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Emmons were both members of the Christian Church.
Mr. Clay is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and he and his wife are both consistent members of the Christian Church of their town. They are the parents of four children, Mary, Emmons, Josephine and John J.C. Mr. Clay is one of the sterling and substantial citizens of North Salem, a man whose strong qualities demand respect, and whose congenial manner has won him many friends.