Bill W. Clayton

Bill Clayton
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
In office
January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983
Preceded byPrice Daniel Jr.
Succeeded byGib Lewis
Member of the
Texas House of Representatives
In office
January 8, 1963 – January 11, 1983
Preceded byMax Carriker (91st district)
Succeeded byBob Valles (74th district)
Constituency91st district (1963–1967)
78th district (1967–1969)
72nd district (1969–1973)
74th district (1973–1983)
Personal details
Born(1928-09-11)September 11, 1928
Olney, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 6, 2007(2007-01-06) (aged 78)
Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Resting placeSpringlake Cemetery
Political partyRepublican (after 1985)
Democratic (before 1985)
Spouse
Delma Dennis
(m. 1950)
Children2
Alma materTexas A&M University
University of Texas at Austin
OccupationFarmer
Businessman
Lobbyist

Bill Wayne Clayton, sometimes known as Billy Clayton (September 11, 1928 – January 6, 2007), was an American politician from West Texas who served as a state legislator for twenty years and was Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983, a tenure twice as long as that of any other presiding officer of the house elected before him. A Conservative Democrat from a rural area of the Texas South Plains, Clayton attained the speakership by successfully forging a broad-based House coalition. He was considered one of the most influential legislators - and, after he left the chamber, lobbyists - in modern Texas history.