PDG Clayton M. Williams
District Governor (22) 1919-1921
PERSONAL
Clayton Williams was born in Romulus, New York, December 22, 1878. After his grade and high school education there he attended the University of Missouri Law School, graduating in 1907. Clayton married Grace Lucille Parker that year, and they immediately moved to Everett where they raised three children and Clayt continued to practice law until his death in 1942. .
COMMUNITY SERVICES Clayt was not only active with his interest in the Rotary Club but his activities carried throughout the community where he served as leader in the Elks Club, the Chamber of Commerce, his Church, the Boy Scouts of America, the School Board; and as was so aptly said in the minutes of Everett Rotary: "There was nothing in Everett in which Clayt was not involved and did his best to get the rest of the members in with him."
ROTARY Clayt first became interested in Rotary in 1916 when he was elected the Charter President of the Everett Rotary Club, #272. At that time, Clayt and the Everett Rotary Club were active in the excitement of the "war to end all wars" which was then raging in Europe and fast approaching our involvement. He and the Rotary Club were instrumental in starting the National Guard in Everett and having the Everett Armory built. The Rotary Club was instrumental in starting the Boy Scouts of America in the Everett area and sponsored and financed the Boy Scouts for many years.
After his year as President, Clayt's keen interest in Rotary continued so that in his two terms as Governor 16 clubs were formed in the District, and the ground work was so well done that ten more clubs were chartered the following year
Clayt Williams started his law firm in Everett with Jessie Davis, later a President of Everett Rotary. The firm still continues in Everett with his son, Parker Williams, as the senior member of what is now the largest firm in Snohomish County. Parker, in 1982, a Rotarian for 36 years, served as the President of the Everett Club during the year 1966-67. Rotary was the life and the philosophy of Clayt Williams, and as his son, Parker, remembers, those were the years when Clayt's and his family's entire life were spent promoting Rotary. He also can remember families from Vancouver to Portland where they have stayed and have become close friends because of the sincere feeling that Clayt felt because of the Rotarian fellowship that permeated his life and those who associated with him.