Bio of Mcclure, John S. - Stephens County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 18 Jun 2006 Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/stephens/stephens.htm ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== JOHN S. MCCLURE is president of the Ten Thousand Club of Duncan, which has been the most active organization in promoting the growth of the town. The club embraces within the scope of its efforts not merely expansion in numbers, but all the interests that make a better city. In thus being chosen to head this club, Mr. McClure's position as a leader of sentiment and action in Duncan is well shown. Mr. McClure has been in the real estate and insurance business in Duncan since August, 1906, for a time being associated with James P. Sampson, the pioneer newspaper man of Duncan, who retired in 1907, and since that time Mr. Newby has been his partner. Mr. McClure was identified with some of the early business activities of Duncan. He came here in 1892, and started the third grocery in town, his old stand being now occupied by the City National Bank. In 1900 he retired from merchandising and engaged in the cattle business in Castro county, Texas. He purchased some cheap lands and leased others, but his enterprise as a whole was marred by ill luck, mainly attributable to disease and hard winters that carried off many of his stock, so that no profits were shown and much of his capital disappeared. After this venture he returned to Oklahoma and for two years was engaged, in partnership, in a grocery business at Lindsay. He has been very active in bringing the advantages of Duncan to the knowledge of the world. He was secretary of the Democratic committee during the last campaign. John S. McClure was born in Fannin county, Texas, January 10, 1865, the family having been founded in the Lone Star state by his father, Washington S. McClure, who was one of the pioneers and first settlers of Bonham. Washington S. McClure was born in Tennessee, a son of John McClure, an Irishman from Baltimore, Maryland, and passed his life as a farmer. He was a soldier in the Confederate army, and passed away at Bonham, Texas, December 5, 1877. He married Elizabeth Nally, who died before her husband. They were parents of Henry, of Fort Worth; John S.; and Alice, wife of I. J. Gordon, of Lindsay, Oklahoma. After the death of his parents John S. McClure was reared by his father's sister at Bonham. His opportunities to gain education were confined to brief and infrequent attendance at the country schools, and he began life on a farm, renting land during his residence in his native state. As an orphan he had an uphill fight duing [during?] his early years, and constant industry has been the keynote of his success. He married, January 16, 1889, Miss Taddie Leftwich, of Bonham, Texas, who was born in Bolivar county, Mississippi. They have one child, Nellie May, born November 10, l895. The family is an active one in the affairs of Methodism, and for many years Mr. McClure has served the church as steward. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/stephens/stephens.htm