By 1869, the family had settled in a logging camp near Seabeck, Washington Territory, where a sister, Esther, and a brother, Frederick, were born.
[1] In July 1897, just weeks after hearing the news that gold had been discovered in the Klondike, Will's brother Frederick sailed for Skagway, Alaska.
As mayor, Clayson promoted improvements to infrastructure, including water and sewer lines, streets and sidewalks, and the city's docks.
It was during Clayson's tenure that the city council approved an ordinance authorizing the construction of the Eklutna Dam by Frank Ivan Reed's Anchorage Light and Power Company.
[3] Clayson became an early investor in Anchorage Air Transport, Inc, which was founded in 1926 to capitalize on growing demand for commercial aviation.