Will County IL Archives Biographies.....McClellan, Edward R ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 11:32 am Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County EDWARD R. McCLELLAN, who is engaged in farming and cattle-raising on sections 22 and 23, Plainfield Township, was born in Will County, October 26, 1860, the only child of John and Arathusa (Brown) McClellan. In 1745 three McClellan brothers came to America and settled, one in Connecticut, another in Pennsylvania and the third in western Massachusetts. From the Massachusetts settler descends the subject of this article. From the Pennsylvania descended Gen. George B. McClellan. Hugh McClellan, our subject's great-grandfather, was captain of a company of minute men from Shelburne and Colerain, Mass., who started from the front April 20, 1775, the day following the battle of Lexington. He served honorably throughout the Revolutionary war and participated in many hard-fought battles, among them the battle of Stillwater on the Hudson, where General Burgoyne had thrown a rope bridge across the river to be used as a means of retreat. A few days before that engagement the colonists were roused east of the Hudson. All of the pewter plates in their houses were melted into bullets. Although a child of Colonel McClellan had just died, he stopped only long enough for the burial, and with a fleet horse overtook his men before they reached Stillwater. There the bridge was guarded by a company of thirty Hessians, all but one of whom were killed, this aiding materially in the defeat of Burgoyne and his bloodthirsty Indian allies. At the close of Shay's rebellion his home was made the repository of the arms and ammunitions of war of the little belligerent army, and a large room in his colonial mansion, known as the north chamber, was filled with them. There he also administered the oath of allegiance to the people. Hon. Michael McClellan, son of the Revolutionary colonel, was elected on the Whig ticket to the Massachusetts legislature, in which he served for several terms. By his marriage to Jane Patterson he had eight children, of whom John was the youngest and is now the sole survivor. He received a public-school education and remained on the homestead until he attained his majority. From Massachusetts he came direct of Illinois and settled in Will County, buying one hundred and sixty acres of land in Plainfield Township. To this he added until he owned one hundred and eighty-five acres. There he remained, cultivating the soil and raising stock, until the fall of 1883, when he retired from farm cares. Since then he has made his home in Plainfield. During the existence of the Whig party he voted for its principles and afterward became a Republican. Since 1880 he has held the office of road commissioner, a position that he has filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people. The education of our subject was obtained in the schools of this county and the high school in Niles, Mich. Upon completing his course there he returned to the home place and began to assist in its management. He continued with his father until the latter's retirement to Plainfield, since which time he has been alone. He has made a specialty of the cattle business, making his farming secondary, and while he sells some oats, he is obliged to buy each year considerable corn for feeding. In buying cattle his preference is for the Durhams. He has added to his holding until he now operates two hundred and sixty-five acres, every part of which is now accessible to running water. One hundred and thirty acres are under the plow, the remainder being used for the pasturage of stock. In addition to his cattle he keeps a few trotting horses on the place. In the delegation work of the Republican party in his township Mr. McClellan has taken an active part, wielding an influence for the candidates of the party, but seeking no official honors for himself. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. November 27, 1883, he married Miss Carrie I. McAllister, daughter of Capt. Edward McAllister, of this township. They have two daughters, Inez A. and Vera E. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/mcclella1133gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb