Marion County, West Virginia Biography of JAMES B. CLINTON, M.D. ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923. The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York. Volume II Pg. 479 JAMES B. CLINTON, M.D., was an early volunteer for service in connection with the nation's participation in the World war, and his initial work in his profession was with the Medical Corps of the British Royal Army. He lived up to the full tension of the great conflict and made a record that shall ever reflect honor upon his name. He has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Fairmont, Marion County, since the autumn of 1919. Doctor Clinton was born in Scotland, November 2, 1888, and is a son of John and Christina (Mason) Clinton, the former of whom was born in Ireland, in 1853, and the latter in Scotland, in 1851. John Clinton became a deep-sea fisherman in his native land, where he remained until 1889, when he came to the United States. In 1893 he returned to Ireland, and two years later, on coming again to the United States he was accompanied by his family and here he continued his residence more than forty years, having recently returned to Ireland, where he expects to pass the remainder of his life. His wife died in 1914. Mrs. Clinton was a daughter of John Mason, who was a native of Scotland and who came to the United States in 1848, he having been one of the argonauts in the California gold fields in 1849. His brother James served as colonel of a New York regiment in the Civil war, and two sons of Colonel Mason were killed in battle while likewise serving as gallant soldiers of the Union. Dr. James B. Clinton received his preliminary education in the public schools of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and in 1908 he entered Geneva College, at Geneva, New York, where he continued his studies two years. He then, in 1910, entered famous old Jefferson Medical College in the City of Philadelphia, and in the same he was graduated in 1916, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Thereafter he gave nearly two years of service as an interne in the hospital of Jefferson Medical College and in other Philadelphia hospitals. He thus had not engaged in independent practice at the time when the nation became involved in the World war. In April, 1917, the month that the United States entered the war, Doctor Clinton applied for a commission in the Medical Corps of the United States Army, and in the following month he was commissioned first lieutenant and immediately was assigned to duty overseas. He crossed the Atlantic in August of that year and was given assignment to the Medical Corps of the British Royal Army. >From September 3 to December 24, 1917, he was in service at the Base Hospital at Norwich, England, and on the 26th of December he received sailing orders and proceeded to France. On New Year's day of 1918 he was in the trenches. In France he was attached to the First Cambridgeshires, recruited from Cambridge University, and with this unit he was in active service eighteen months. He was almost continuously at the front, was present at nine major battles, went "over the top" five times, was five times knocked down by shell concussion, and for two hours was held a German prisoner. He was at Peronne during the great battle at that point; during the "big push" of 1918 was before Ypres and, later, Albert, at the crucial period of that great drive. He served in support of the French at Montdidier, and was in the great retreat of the British and French armies before the German drive of 1918. In August of that year he was sent with his regiment to the Somme to prepare for the drive that was destined to end the war. October 11, 1918, he was on the "Hindenburg Line," near the Canal du Nord, where he first came in contact with the fighting units of the American Expeditionary Forces. Later he was sent back to Vimy Ridge, and he was at Mons when the historic armistice was signed. In April, 1918, at the battle of Voomerzelle, Lieutenant Clinton was awarded the British military cross, a decoration for which only commissioned officers are eligible. Later he received two citations, and September 14, 1918, at the Somme, he again won the British military cross, at that time as a captain. On March 23, 1919, Captain Clinton was formally decorated at Buckingham Palace, by King George, he having been the first American to win twice the British military cross of honor. In April, 1919, Captain Clinton was transferred to the American forces, and in the following month he sailed for home, his honorable discharge having been received at Camp Dix, New Jersey, May 29, 1919. After leaving military service Doctor Clinton served as hospital interne in the City of Philadelphia until October, 1919, on the 10th of which month he established himself in active general practice at Fairmont, West Virginia. He is a member of the staff of Cook Hospital in this city, and is a popular member of the local Kiwanis Club. The doctor maintains affiliation with the American Legion. June 25, 2929, recorded the marriage of Doctor Clinton and Miss Beulah L. Harbison, who was born at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1887, a daughter of William and Etta (Graham) Harbison. They have two children, Barbara Jean and Christine Lorraine. Mrs. Clinton is a popular figure in the representative social activities of Fairmont.