ARNOLDAS HANSFORD McCLURE
History of Arizona, page 66

One of Yuma's most progressive, energetic and successful business 
men is Arnoldas H. McClure, president of the McClure Realty, Loan 
and Trust Company. He is a wide awake and capable man in his methods 
and through his individual efforts is contributing in a very 
definite way to the growth and up building of Yuma and vicinity.

He was born in Gallup, Lawrence Co., Kentucky on September 15, 1870 
and is a son of William and Louisa (Boothe) McClure.  The father 
was a farmer and teacher, took an active and effective interest 
in civic affairs and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He died on January 2, 1889 and his wife passed away on 
April 1, 1910.

A.H. McClure received his elementary education in the public 
schools of his native state after which he attended Oakview 
Academy in West Virginia, owned by his uncle Prof. T.B. McClure. 
He attended  Ohio State University and then entered the Kentucky 
Normal College from which he was graduated with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts later receiving the Master Degree from that 
institution. He completed his studies in Graham College, 
Virginia, from which he received the degree of Doctor of 
Philosophy. He received a life teacher's diploma in Arizona 
from Governor Kibbey.  Mr. McClure engaged in teaching school 
and served as superintendent and principal of schools and as 
president of a normal school in West Virginia.  Later he engaged 
in newspaper work in Ashland, Kentucky and at Huntington, West 
Virginia.  In 1902 he came to Arizona and served as principal of 
the school at Concho, Apache County, for one year, when he went 
to Nogales, this state as Superintendent of Schools. He remained 
there two years and in 1905 accepted the position of Superintendent 
of Schools at Yuma.  He remained identified with educational 
affairs until 1910 when he turned his attention to real estate, 
organizing the McClure Realty, Loan and Trust Company of which 
he has been the executive head from the beginning. He has been 
prosperous in his individual affairs and is the owner of a well 
improved ranch of ten acres on the state highway, which is 
planted in grapefruit.  He has handled a large number of 
properties in Yuma and vicinity, s regarded as an authority 
on real estate values and also gives attention to loans, 
bonds, insurance and mines.  He resides in a real home, 
surrounded by date palms, which he imported from Algiers, 
and is still living in the same house which he built in 1906.

In 1896 Mr. McClure was married to Miriam Hatcher, who was born 
in Louisa, Kentucky, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Hatcher. 
To this union have been born four children: Louise, who is the 
wife of Captain O.R. Rhoads of Fort Benning Georgia and they 
have two children, Owen Jr. and Helen Louise; Arnoldas Kelly 
of Yuma; Miriam Dorrington who attended the University of 
Arizona for three years and is now in her father's office and 
George Elson, vice-president of the McClure Realty, Loan and 
trust Co., who is assistant storekeeper for the U.S. reclamation 
service.

In his political views Mr. McClure is a republican and has taken 
an active interest in public affairs. In 1922 he was the candidate 
for Secretary of State on the republican ticket on which Dwight B. 
Heard ran for governor.  He was a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows in which he passed through the chairs and is consul 
commander of the Woodman of the World. His religious membership is 
with the Protestant Episcopal Church. He is eligible for members 
in the Sons of the American Revolution.  He was a special 
investigator for the U.S. Treasury Department during the World 
War and was U.S. Commissioner. For four years during that 
period he had before him over one hundred cases, some of which 
were a number of narcotic and conspiracy cases. He is well 
versed in U.S. land matters, handling most of the homestead 
and desert land filings, final proofs and contests in 
southwestern Arizona and southern California, embracing the 
Phoenix and Los Angeles land offices. In 1903 he served as 
Secretary of the Arizona State Teachers' Assoc. and in the 
following year was elected president of that body, while in 
1908 he was made vice-president of the National Educational 
Assoc. He belongs to the Yuma Valley Country Club of which is 
vice president. He is an expert golf player, having won a golf 
bag for low score and plays in all nearby golf tournaments in 
Arizona and southern California.

Early in November 1929 he won the sweepstake golf tournament at 
the Yuma Valley Country Club in which he set a new course record 
of seventy three. Later in that same month Mr. McClure became a 
member of the Barbara Worth Country Club of El Centro and soon 
afterwards he, representing that Club, participated in a golf 
tournament given at the Del Rio Country Club in which he 
captured the low gross score and then won the medal play indulged 
in by the seven low handicap men of the clubs participating for 
the prized turkey.  In this playoff he broke on under par.

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