JEFFERSON COUNTY OHIO - BIO: Robert and James MCCLAIN and families *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Carol Newman Banjerene@aol.com October 27, 1998 *********************************************************************** Robert and James McClain and families Maggie Robert Alexander McClean is my ancestor, this is the history from Virgina to Penn>to Jefferson County >to Carroll County. This is a proud family and in it own way has the blessing of the all seeing eye. Yours Ross A McClain From: "Randy & Kelley McClain" To: "Ross A McClain" Subject: Fw: Robert and James McClain and families Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 21:41:12 -0600 Most of this came from cemetery and land records as well as some History of Jefferson Co., OH Biographical sketches. There is an 1850 census in Saline Twp., Jefferson Co., Oh M432 roll 699 page 480, line 37 dwelling 1433 and family 1482 for Samuel McLain and wife Amanda with three children William 5, James 3 and Thomas 1. Also Mary Johnston 65 born PA and Keziah McLane age 19 and a James Parsons 22. You might want to look up this census. Keith James McClain b. circa 1781 in PA or VA., d. 9 July 1854; mar. 12 Aug 1801 in Jefferson Co., OH to Clarissa Maple b. circa 1783; d. died 1866 in Jefferson Co., OH, both are buried in Island Creek Cem. Her parents are William and Keziah Larrison Maple. Children: 1. William b. ca. 1809, d. ca 1878 buried in Pine Creek Cem., Jefferson Co., OH 2. Robert??? mar. 28 mar 1831 to Elizabeth Hildenbrand. * 3. James b. ca. 1818, d. ca. 1870, buried in Island Creek Cem. 4. Samuel b. ca. 1818, d. age 55 in 1873, buried New Somerset Christian Church Cem. with Mary and son Allbert.; m1. 22 Dec 1841 to Mary Ann Parsons b. 30 Jan 1821, d. 1849; m2. 30 Dec 1850 to Mary Maple b. 1830, d. 1909; 5. Eli b. ca. 1827, d. 1849, buried with parents in Island Creek Cem. 6. John b. ca. 1813, mar. 18 March 1836 to Mary Ann Orr. 7. Sarah m. 12 January 1832 to Jesse B. Goodwin. 8. Clarissa m. 6 July 1837 to James Watts?? 9. Patience m. 11 Dec 1845 to Cromwell Harbout. 10. Keziah m. 14 Aug 1851 to James Parsons. 11. Mary Ann m. 7 Mar 1851 to Silas Shaw 12. Matilda m. 5 Apr 1855 to Ambrose C. Harbout ** Jefferson Co., OH Land Records bkA2 p. 434 18 Oct 1848-- Robert McClain & wife Elizabeth to Aaron Maple $500 S1/2 of E1/2 of NE 1/4 of S9 T11 R3. Robert and Patience McClain Family FATHER: Robert McClain #403 bir : 1746 Scotland mar : CA 1774 VA dea : 1824 Jefferson Co., OH bur : 1824 Jefferson Co., OH Father: an unknown person #0 Mother: an unknown person #0 MOTHER: Patience Piles #404 bir : CA 1748 Loudoun Co., VA mar : CA 1774 VA dea : CA 1822 Fayette Co., PA Father: John (1) Piles #1114 Mother: Jemima #1115 CHILDREN X indicates ancestor of preparer 1 | Name: Jane Elizabeth McClain #430 F | bir: | mar: 13 Jan 1816 | to: John Dixon #431 2 | Name: Patience McClain #434 F | bir: | mar: | to: Seth Ely #433 | dea: 3 | Name: Eleanor B. McClain #436 F | bir: | mar: | to: Wright #437 | dea: 4 | Name: John McLain #103 M | bir : 17 Oct 1775 VA X | mar: CA 1795 PA | to: Sarah Maple #104 | dea: 1 Jan 1852 Jefferson Co., OH 5 | Name: Joseph McLain #401 M | bir: CA 1778 ? | mar: CA 1807 | to: Malinda #405 6 | Name: Polly McClain #432 F | bir: CA 1779 | mar: | to: Joseph Dixon #435 | dea: 7 | Name: James (1) McLain #399 M | bir: CA 1781 PA | mar : 12 Aug 1801 Jefferson Co., OH | to: Clarissa Maple #258 | dea : 9 Jul 1854 Jefferson Co.,OH | bur: 11 Jul 1854 Island Creek Cem 8 | Name: Robert jr. McLain #400 M | bir: CA 1788 | mar: CA 1800 | to: Mary #1112 9 | Name: William McLain (1) #402 M | bir: CA 1790 | mar: | to: Charlotta#1111 | dea: 9 Jul 1854 Morgan Co, OH 10 | Name: Thomas McLain (1) #398 M | bir: 21 Oct 1792 | mar : | to: Patience #569 | dea: 17 Mar 1856 Robert McClain is first found in the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia when his Parents-in-law, John and Jemima Piles, give him 100 acres of land as a wedding gift on the 14th of November in 1774. John & Jemima Piles also gave 100 acres to their other son-in law, Charles Dawson on 7th of October 1775 and John Piles gave 100 acres to his son-in-law Thomas Hawkins on the 1st day of August in 1782, [Jemima was deceased by this date.] Robert and Patience sold their property August 12, 1779 and moved to Fayette County, Pennsylvania sometime before 1787,[some say in 1784,] Robert bought a 347 acre tract of land called "Springfield" in Nicholson township. This was on the Monongahela River about 15 miles from the Virginia--Pennsylvania border--later West Virginia. His father-in-law moved with his second wife Nancy to the county just south of the border, Monongalia, now West Virginia but still Virginia in the 1700s. HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA" by. Ellis Items regarding: McLain--McClean, p. 20; also in the chapter on "The Monongahela of Old" p88 [g] as a footnote. An old Indian named "Bald Eagle", who had been a somewhat noted warrior (but not a chief) of the Delaware tribe, had his home somewhere on the Upper Monongahela, probably in the village at the mouth of Catt's Run, but whether there or higher up the river near Morgantown is not certainly known. He was a very harmless and peaceable man and friend to the settlers, yet he was killed without cause, and the cold-blooded murder was charged by the Indians upon the white men. Of the Bald Eagle and the circumstances of his death, Mr. Veech says, "He was on intimate terms with the early settlers, with whom he hunted, fished, and visited. He was well known along our Monongahela border, up and down, which he frequently passed in his canoe. Somewhere up the river, probably about the mouth of Cheat, he was killed, by whom or on what pretense is unknown, His dead body, placed upright in his canoe, with a piece of corn-bread in his clinched teeth, was set adrift in the river. The canoe came ashore at Provance's Bottom, where the familiar old Indian was at once recognized by the wife of Willaim Yard Provance, who wondered he did not leave his canoe. On closer observation she found he was dead. She had him decently buried on the Fayette shore, near the early residence of Robert McClean, at what was known as McClean's Ford. This murder was regarded by both whites and Indians as a great outrage, and the latter made it a prominent item in their list of grievances." p. 698 Robert McLain was a Scotchman who settled in Nicholson township, south of the mouth of Catt's Run, on the bank of the Monongahela River. He was an elder of the Mount Moriah Presbyterian Church of Springhill, which was organized by the Rev. James Power in 1774. Among the early settlers he was highly esteemed and respected. He was so unfortunate as to be compelled to kill a fellow being to save himself and family from being burned to death. The region along the Monongahela was infested by a band of robbers, called "Bainbridge's Gang," with headquarters at a high bluff of the river now owned by Jesse E. McWilliams' and known as the Robbers' Den. McClain was the owner of a very valuable stallion, which they resolved to take. McClain having been notified of their intention, stabled his horse in the kitchen of his house. When they arrived they soon discovered the whereabouts of the horse, and commanded McClain to bring him out. Receiving no reply, they warned him that unless he did as they bade him his house would be fired. Still receiving no answer, Bainbridge commanded some of his men to get straw, and he would show the d--d Scotchman whether his commands were to be disregarded. Seizing the straw and advancing to execute his threat, McClain fired, killing him instantly. He was then carried off by some of the gang, who wrapped the body in a bed coverlet, with stones and sunk it in the Monongahela. Mr. McClain, in the later years of his life, was greatly troubled in mind by the recollection of this justifiable homicide. Mr. John Bowman (deceased), grandfather of Morgan H. Bowman Esq., of Uniontiown , told the writer that Robert McClain frequently visited his father's house, and that he had often heard him express his deep regret for having killed the desperado Bainbridge. The late Mr. McClain's death has not been ascertained. His remains lie in the McClain burial ground in Nicholson. Note ( Believe this may be his wife's resting place since Robert McClain's stone is in Island Creek Cemetery in Jefferson Co., OH., died in 1824.) CHURCHES p. 702 & 703 Mount Moriah Church The records of Fayette County show that a Presbyterian Church was built in Springhill township as early as 1773. The land upon which the church was erected (about four acres) was purchased of Joseph Caldwell. The following is taken from the records of the church: "The congregation was organized as a church by Rev. James Power, of New Castle Presbytery, in 1774. The elders were Robert McLain, James Pollock, Theopolus Phillips, Thomas Ramsey, William Hill, Abram Crow. Rev. Power in 1776 settled with his family on Georges Creek, where he continued to reside for some years. In 1778, Rev. James Dunlap preached for the congregation. Many important changes took place about this time, the most notable being the organization of the Redstone Presbytery. The Georges Creek or Mount Moriah Church divided in 1781, the members north of Georges Creek organizing the 'Old Frame', thus becoming the principal church and assuming control of the mother or Mount Moriah Church, the whole congregation being known as the 'Mount Moriah Church.' Rev. James Findley preached the regular sermon, and Henry Robinson, Joseph Hughes, Joseph Patton, James Dunlap, Samuel Porter, and others. In 1789 they purchased of Richard Brown a log house twenty by twenty, which answered their purpose. It was used as a church in the winter, but during the summer the congregation worshiped in an adjoining grove. Robert Findley preached as supply in 1790-91, the church adding to their ground by a purchase made of Isaac Phillips, Esq. By alterations the house (now a frame) was enlarged to forty-eight by thirty-six, and to Robert Findley were added as supplies Revs. William Swan, George Hill, George Mercer(presiding judge of Washington County, PA), Jacob Jennings, and David Smith. In 1793 the church united with Union or Tent, and in September, 1794, Rev. David Smith was regularly installed pastor (the first of this congregation). He continued in charge a little over three years, In 1798, Georges Creek, Muddy Creek, and Union or Tent united, with the Rev. James Adams in charge, he being the second regularly installed, Oct. 16, 1799. He resigned in 1808. The members having nearly all emigrated West, the church was suffered to fall into decay. An occasional sermon was preached by the Rev. James Dunlap to the remnant. He was at this time teaching school in New Geneva. This state of things continued for some years. In 1816 the house was thoroughly repaired, and in the following year Ashbel Green Fairchild, a licentiate of New Jersey, preached for the members. This he continued to do in 1818, and in July, 1819, was ordained and installed as pastor. The membership at this time was ten, with Henry Jennings as elder. In a few months the membership was increased to ninety persons. In 1822 he was in charge of Georges Creek, Morganstown, and Greensboro' congregations and took Union or Tent Church. The Old Frame was under his care until 1854, a period of thirty-six years. This justly celebrated divine continued in charge of the Tent Church until his death, June 30, 1864. In this same book an 1819 "List of taxables [these were males over 16yezrs of age and subject to poll tax] in Brownsville Burough and township " included Robert McClane and a listing of business for the same area included Robert McClane as under Tanners. [do not know whether this is the same as Robert McClain or not.}