Joel Clayton, the founder of the village of Clayton, California, was born in Bugsworth (now spelled Buxworth), Derbyshire (county), England, located about 125 miles north of London. Bugsworth was a mining community and today has a population of 300 people.

Joel was born in 1810 and was the oldest of 11 children, having 3 sisters and 7 brothers. In 1837, at the age of 27, Joel came to America looking for better work and adventure. Joel sailed from Liverpool, England to Boston, Massachusetts on a small packet ship that held about 100 people. The journey took about 23 days. Other members of his family followed him to America in 1839.

Upon first arriving in America, Joel settled in Lowell, MA. He eventually moved west to Pittsburg, PA where he worked for an Uncle, Peter Bate. Later, he moved to the Wisconsin Territory, where mining was a major industry. It was here that Joel would meet his future wife. In 1840, Joel's sister, Hannah, married in the town of Mifflin, Iowa County, WI, a town also founded by Joel Clayton. A year later, in 1841, Joel married Margaret Ellen McLay. At one time, Joel served as Chairman of the town Council and later, as Postmaster. Joel's parents are both buried near the town of Mifflin, Wisconsin.

During this period, Joel became associated with the Hudson Bay Company, that was in control of most of the Northwest Territory. Land in the area was being given to settlers who were willing to move west. 640 acres were given to each man, 160 acres per wife and child.

Joel followed the trail west. Families would gather at Independence, Missouri, awaiting the make-up of wagon trains. In May, 1842, a group of 80 people left for the Oregon Territory, a journey that would take 88 days if all went well.

Joel would eventually make four of these trips from Independence as a Wagon Master for the Hudson Bay Company. On two of Joel's trips, a brother of his would travel with him and eventually, like Joel, settle in California.

Joel first settled around Bellingham, Washington where he traded with the indians until one group burned his cabin forcing Joel to leave. Joel and his brother Charles left Washington in 1848 aboard the ship "Henry" bound for San Francisco, where gold had been discovered in the foothills of the Sierra's. Gold mining proved to be very hard work and eventually, Joel started grubstaking other miners. Eventually, Joel and his brothers opened a butcher shop in Stockton, a large dairy business in San Francisco and mercantile stores in the Diablo area and at the Black Diamond Mines, east of Clayton.

Joel's wife, Margaret, did not come west until 1853 where she arrived via sailing ship, in San Diego. She, Joel, and their 3 children settled first in Ft. Tejon where they ran a horse ranch and stage stop for travelers heading into the central valley and to San Francisco. Three more children were born in Ft. Tejon but died from childhood diseases.

Joel was familiar with the Diablo Valley and knew someday that he wanted to live here. He purchased 40 acres at the confluence of Mitchell and Diablo creeks and in 1855 built his home here. In 1857, he founded the town of Clayton and laid out the town and streets that exist to this day. He helped his brothers also layout the towns of Antioch and Sant Clara. Joel and his wife had three more children in Clayton, two died and are buried near the family vineyards (DeMartini winery hill).

Joel and his brothers become some of the wealthiest men in California in the 1850-1860 time period. One brother Charles, became a U.S. Senator. Joel, lost most of his wealth as a result of investments that went bad.

Joel died in 1872 in Somersville at the age of 62 from quick phneumonia. His wife Margaret died in 1908 in San Francisco where she lived with her youngest grand daughter, Edna Calhan. Both Joel and Margaret Clayton are buried in the Live Oak Cemetary, near Ygnacio Valley Road and Ayres Road.