Fountain-Montgomery County IN Archives Biographies.....McClure, James 1809 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 12, 2006, 4:39 am

Author: H. W. Beckwith (1881)

   James McClure, farmer, Newtown, was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 3,
1809. His parents were William and Esther (Gregory) McClure. In the spring of
1826 his father entered the land where he now lives, the N. 1/2 of Sec. 17, T.
20, R. 6. He had made a selection of land on the Wea plains, and intended to
establish himself there, but finding some Presbyterian families on Coal creek
who had removed from the same section of country in Ohio where he lived, he was
induced to reconsider what he had determined upon. When he came the country was
in an execrable condition for travel; where there were roads they were muddy
beyond description, and elsewhere the surface was sodden with rains; the streams
were high, wild and dangerous, and could be crossed only by swimming his horse.
He brought $400 in silver coin in his saddle-bags, with which he paid for his
land. In the autumn following he moved his family, which consisted of his wife
and six children; the latter were James, Sarah Jane, Martha Ann, John, Samuel,
and Eleanor. James and John are the only ones surviving. The latter has resided
in Mercer county, Illinois, since 1853. The parents went to their rest many
years ago, the mother in 1854 and the father in 1860. The latter was one of the
prominent organizers of the Presbyterian church on Coal creek in 1827, the first
in the county, and was one of the original board of elders. Our subject united
with the congregation in that year, and was about the second person taken in on
examination. At the date of Mr. McClure's coming here only two settlers had gone
higher up the creek and located. A traveler going to Crawfordsville would go
half the distance before he would see a house. It was all government land. Mr.
McClure's house was built by his father in 1832. He has since put up an
addition. Probably there is not another in the township of as great age in so
good preservation. Mr. McClure was married in 1835 to Phebe Dagger, a pious and
exemplary woman, and member of the Presbyterian church after the time of her
marriage, and who died July 16, 1880. They reared six daughters and two sons,
all of whom are living: Mary E., wife of Benjamin Piffle; Charles D.; Esther J.,
married William Carruthers, who afterward became a veteran soldier in the late
war; he served one term of enlistment, and then reentered the army in the
regular service as hospital steward; and after his discharge, while returning
home, died at Fort Dodge; Sarah Jennetta, wife of Hamilton Cheney, of Republic
county, Kansas; William A.; Phebe H., wife of Samuel Ogle; Emma K., and Eureka.
Mr. McClure has raised four children besides his own. Charles was a soldier of
three years' service. His biography will be found in this work. Our subject has
always been a leading man in his community, and his influence has been steadily
exerted in the interest of good order and a moral and advancing condition of
society. In his church, in which he has been a consistent and influential
member, he holds the offices of elder and trustee. He was an ardent supporter of
the Union cause during the war, and is now a firm advocate of republican
principles as affording the only guaranty of the perpetuity of our institutions.
In 1874 the republicans of Fountain county ran him as their candidate for the
lower house of the legislature, but he was defeated.

Additional Comments:
Richland Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.

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