Clayton, Nicholas J.

(November 1, 1839 - December 9, 1916) A native of Ireland, Nicholas Joseph Clayton emigrated to Ohio with his widowed mother in the early 1840s. After serving in the Union navy during the Civil War, he joined the Memphis architectural firm of Jones and Baldwin. In 1872 he was sent to Galveston to supervise construction of two company projects, the First Presbyterian Church and the Tremont Hotel. Attracted by the city's vitality and growth, he stayed to open his own architectural office. A tireless worker noted for his bold style, attention to detailing, and professionalism, Clayton designed elaborate churches, commercial structures and homes throughout Texas and the South. His most significant contribution, however, was his influence on Galveston's architecture. From the 1870s to the early twentieth century, a period known as the city's golden era, his distinctive style was dominant. Examples of Clayton's work which still exist include the Walter Gresham House (Bishop's Palace), Ashbel Smith Building (Old Red), W. L. Moody Building, and the Trueheart-Adriance Building in Galveston; St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Edward's College (Old Main) in Austin; R. E. Stafford Bank and opera house in Columbus; and Sacred Heart Church in Palestine.

Clayton, Nicholas J. is a historical marker in Galveston, Galveston County, dedicated in 1982. It is one of 283 historical markers documented in Galveston County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 373 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.3071, -94.7952 near Galveston. The nearest cataloged historic site is Hutchings, Sealy & Co. Building (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Smith, J. F., & Brothers (STOLEN), Schreiber-Miller Warehouse, and Greenleve, Block & Co. Building.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5167008235. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.