Before Dr. Claycomb came to Moundville, his parents had moved to Nevada and lived on Birch Street. The 1880 Vernon County Census lists both families. George was age 61 and Elizabeth, age 59. George was a wagon maker. Dr. Claycomb was age 25 and his wife, Mollie, was age 23. They lived in Moundville.
Mrs. Elizabeth Claycomb died in 1884 and was buried at Deepwood Cemetery in Nevada. On January 23, 1886, Jenner Winning Claycomb, child of Fillmore and Mollie Claycomb, died and was taken to Deepwood for burial. Jenner had been born September 10, 1883.
During his years in Moundville, Dr. Claycomb was well known and was elected to many civic positions. The following biography was published in 1887:
From: History of Vernon County, Missouri. 1887, p. 793
(Physician and Surgeon, Moundville).
Among other professional men in this county Dr. Claycomb is deserving of honorable mention, and it is but the statement of a plain truth to say that he is a physician of true merit and worth. His career here has extended over a number of years, and during all this time he has steadily added to his ability as a physician the reputation which these years of experience have given him. A native of this State, he was born in Saline county July 28, 1856, and is, therefore, but little past the age of thirty years. George W. Claycomb, his father, originally from Virginia, was a mechanic by trade, and about the year 1841 became located in Missouri. His wife, formerly Miss E. J. Winning, bore three children, two of which are now living, one of whom, Stephen H. Claycomb, of Joplin, is the present State Senator from this district. Adnie K. died May 6, 1855, aged six and one-half years; Fillmore P., the subject of this sketch, up to the age of fourteen, remained in Saline county, then coming to Nevada, Vernon county, where he resumed the business of druggist, to which he had been reared. It was while occupied in this calling that he formed a taste for the medical profession, and accordingly he entered under a regular course of reading, first under the preceptorship of W. P. King, M. D., of Sedalia, following which he attended medical lectures at the Missouri Medical College of St. Louis. After graduating from that well-known institution in 1877 Dr. Claycomb came to Moundville to enter at once upon a career that was destined to be both honorable and successful. A partnership was first formed with Dr. E. J. Atkinson, hut since 1885 Dr. C. has been engaged in practice with Dr. Wheeler. He is now well established professionally and keeps abreast of the progress of his adopted calling, gaining as best he can a still more thorough knowledge of the treatment of diseases. Personally he is no less esteemed than as a physician. In 1879 the doctor was married to Miss Mary A. Shoemaker, of Lafayette county, MO., daughter of Philip Shoemaker, Esq. They have two children: Susan E. and Walter Sewell. One is deceased, Jenner Winning. He belongs to both the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. fraternities.On August 8, 1887, Walter Sewell Claycomb died. He had been born October 9, 1886, so was not yet one year old. Walter was buried beside his sister and grandmother in Deepwood Cemetery.
In summer of 1890, Dr. F. P. Claycomb was the treasurer for the Moundville School District. He made his treasurer's report that showed total receipts for the year of $987 and total expenditures of $792, leaving a balance of $194.03.
At about the same time, Dr. Claycomb had decided to move. By that time, his brother was Lieutenant Governor S. H. Claycomb and he was living in Joplin, Dr. Claycomb decided to move there. It was noted that Dr. Claycomb was one of Vernon County's best-known citizens.
Dr. Claycomb moved to Joplin on July 29, 1890 where he planned to continue practicing medicine. It was noted that Dr. Claycomb had practiced in Moundville for the past fourteen years and that he had established a reputation as one of the finest surgeons in the Southwest.
George Claycomb died on December 13, 1893 in Joplin. George, age 75, was the father of Moundville's former doctor, F. P. Claycomb and of former Lieutenant Governor, S. H. Claycomb. George had remained in Vernon County until 1891. He had originally come to Vernon County in about 1870 from Saline County, Missouri. His wife, Elizabeth, had died in 1884. George's remains were brought to Nevada for graveside services and burial in Deepwood Cemetery beside his wife. Two grandchildren (children of Dr. and Mrs. F. P. Claycomb) were buried in the same plot. The pallbearers were well known: Acting Nevada Mayor C. T. Davis, J. W. Phillapy, J. M. Liddell, J. W. Foreman, C. W. Conrad, and W. M. Sears.
The 1900 census shows Dr. Fillmore Claycomb living in Joplin, MO, but by 1903 had moved to California. Mrs. Philip Jones, formerly of Bronaugh, wrote the following in 1903 and mentioned the Claycombs, "We all like to live in California very much where the sun shines and the flowers bloom the year around with the balmy ocean breezes floating over them. We are living on the Pacific Electric Line and this is the pepper season. They are being shipped away by the car loads. The walnuts and celery are coming on now; they are both very extensively grown here, also the oranges are grown in immense quantities in this country. Garden Grove is a lovely suburban village, quiet and restful, but has enough business to make it interesting. Dr. F. P Claycomb and family are living in Santa Ana and are in good health as most everyone is in Southern California. This is a great place for climate."
Below is a news article about the death of Jenner Claycomb from the February 9, 1886 Nevada Daily Mail.
