William Clayton

Born in Penwortham, Lancashire, on July 17, 1814, he joined the Latter Day Saint movement in England and later emigrated to the United States. He served as a missionary, clerk, and trusted assistant to church leaders during a formative and difficult period in the movement’s history.

Clayton is best known as the lyricist of "Come, Come, Ye Saints", a hymn closely associated with the Latter-day Saint pioneer experience. He also kept detailed journals and records, which have made him an important firsthand source for historians studying the early church, the migration west, and life in Nauvoo and Utah.

He died in Salt Lake City on December 4, 1879. Today, he is remembered not only for his writing, but also for the careful documentation that helped preserve a crucial chapter of nineteenth-century religious history.