James Alexander McClure

“ Here is the resting place of the ashes of the ancestors of many families in Virginia and Kentucky. Men whose names are woven by their descendants in the web of political and religious courts in colors too vivid to be unnoticed or mistaken. Here are the sepulchres of the men that turned the wilderness into habitations, waiting for the coming of the Son of God when the graves shall give up their dead. ”

“ My own branch of the McClures came to Albany, N. Y., in 1801, from the north of Ireland. We never have been able to connect ourselves with any other branches of the McClures in America, nor have we been able to ascertain anything about the original family in the north of Ireland, My grandfather's name was Archibald McClure, and his wife, Elizabeth Craigmiles. There are various family traditions about the character and life of my ancestors in the north of Ireland, but they afford no definite historical basis for the ascertaining of a geneaological line. ”

“ I like to live in Missouri very well, but there is a great deal of sickness here; nearly every person has the chills and fever here in the fall. I live about ten miles from Uncle Bily Mateer; his children are all married but two. I would be glad to see you in this country. Brother James was out here about three years ago. Tobacco is six dollars a hundred here. This is a great country for to make sugar. I made about 200 pounds of sugar here this spring. Every thing is cheap here but corn and bacon. I send my best respects to Ant Betsy and my father and to you and your family. ”

“ At a time when the harvest of death is so abundant and the young men of the South are falling by thousands, it may be thought unnecessary to chronicle their names, but every true soldier is a star, and his position in the social and national firmament is important, though 'one star may differ from another star in glory.' As such, posterity claims the right of fellowship with the gallant dead, when the drama ends, and naught but the soldier's name remains upon the scroll of his country. Hence we record for the future reader the name of John P. McClure. ”

“ No man ever thought more of his church. He was consecrated to its service in youth, and life's setting sun found the veteran of four-score years at the post of duty and of honor. Not only as a ruling elder did he serve the church of his fathers, but rendered efficient service as a trustee for near a half a century. When the first church was built here, he and his brother Joseph subscribed one-fourth of the whole amount required to complete the structure, and when we began to agitate the subject of building this new church edifice, he was the first one to subscribe. ”

“ And may there be fulfilled unto us the prophecy of Jeremiah, who said unto the house of the Rechabites, "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you, Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever." ”

“ Thomas treats me very well, he gets me anything I want, he thinks he never would have got along if I had not been with him. I have done a great deal for him it has been a great charge on me, but I hope the Lord will enable me to walk in the Christian path to fulfil my duties to them, it has caused me to have some serious times. My trust is strong in the Lord that he will guide me in all difficulty. Send me word when you want me to come home. Please to except my love for I must conclude and bid you good evening. No more but remain your neise until death.
BETSY M. McCLURE. Betsy Fulton. ”

“ S. S. McClure, speaking of his grandfather, Samuel McClure, said: "He was a man so constituted that he not only would not yield in opinion—he could not. I believe before changing his mind on a point on which he had determined, he might have been tied to the ground and cut to pieces inch by inch."
Rev. William Ramsey, in his letter published in the Autobiography, says of William McClure, brother of Samuel, "There are no doubt many of his equals in honesty and principal, but none could exceed him or his family, or indeed any of the McClures. ”

“ As I had purchased a cottage and few acres of ground in the suburbs in a shady, high, dry and well watered place, surrounded by groves and wholly out of the noise of the city, though in its chartered limits, we had agreed that as soon as he could ride a little better than he found he could then on trial, and as a means of gaining strength by change of air and scenery, and as a training for his journey until he got strength enough, he would go with me where we would live in the quiet of country life, with as much of books and friends as we might desire to see or read ”

“ Know all men by these presents that I, John McClure of Augusta County, and State of Virginia, lease unto George Harmon of the aforesaid County, and State of Virgini, a tract of land lying on Deer Creek, Madison County and State of Ohio, for the term of one year, in consideration of which the said George Harmon obligates himself to make all the outside fencing, good staked and riders for the true performance of which we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, or administrators in the penal sum of one hundred dollars. ”

“ The following obituary written by his lifelong friend, Rev. Horatio Thompson, D. D., for nearly fifty years pastor of the Old Providence Church and one of the trustees of Washington College that elected Gen. Robert E. Lee to its presidency. "He filled a large place in the community giving moral tone wherever his shade was cast. A peacemaker, a benefactor—the poor man's friend and the idle man's dread. He was the Christian and gentleman of olden times—holding both sacred and honor bound. As he lived he died. We all say, a patriarch has fallen. ”

“ I have in twelve acres of corn this year; corn and wheat crops are very good here this season. Corn and meat is very scarse here. My neighbors were good and kind enough to help me to fence in twelve acres. I got the money you sent by Mr. Stuart, that, and what Brother James sent me saved my land. I have seven children living, four sons and three daughters. My oldest daughter is dead. My neighbors say they will help me to fence in my farm. I have three head of horses and three milk cows. I think after I get my land fenced in I can make a support. My oldest boy is fifteen years old. ”

“ It was reserved for the last years of his life to develop the true patriot in his full proportions. He was Southern to the death, and truer steel was never hilted, nor more resolutely wielded, for it was tempered in the fire of patriotism.
When the war broke out he was pronounced unfit for service from an oganic affection of the heart, but in the second year of the war he believed his services were demanded and volunteered in the 14th Va. Cavalry operating in Western Virginia. All hailed him as a valuable accession, especially the members of his own company, the 2nd Rockbridge Dragoons. ”

“ Tom calls his son James Alexander. James has built him a fine house; have not been to see him for a year. I intend going there in a few days. I like Scott better than Russell. The people here are more moralise. Times is tolerable hard here at this time. I look for James here in a few days. Tom is doing tolerable good business here. Write to me how many children you have, what you call them all. No more at present. When I write to you again I have more to write.
POLLY McCLURE. John McClure. ”

“ Soldiers of his command still relate how in the most terrible hour of battle, in the most dangerous situations, he would make some droll, unusual remark that would provoke a peal of laughter and send men into the charge of battle with a smile. ”

“ My family originated in Scotland, from whence a Presbyterian minister and his two sons emigrated to Ireland. There is a tradition that they were weavers by trade. Coming to America they settled in Virginia, where my grandfather, Thomas McClure, was born about 1775. He had a brother, John, an Indian fighter, who went to Kentucky. Also a sister, Matilda, who married a Skidmore and went to Kentucky. Her grandson, Peyton Skidmore, died in Aztec, N. M., in 1902, and left an only daughter, Mrs. Lucy Hoyle, one-eigth Cherokee Indian. She is now a widow, wealthy and beautiful. ”

“ Also I give and bequeath to my two little sons, James Allen and Andrew, my plantation contained in two deeds and lying on Howard's Creek in Clark County, to be equally divided between them in quantity and quality, and to be freely possessed by them and their heirs forever, together with all the advantages accruing therefrom from now and henceforward. Also my two negroes, Isam and Doll, I grant and allow to be set at liberty, if from the judgment of their owners and the Executors, they shall have served truly and faithfully; Isam until the age of thirty-five years and Doll thirty-three. ”

“ But in 1728 it began anew, and from then to 1750, it is estimated that 12,000 came annually from Ulster to America.
Physically and morally, of all the people in the world, these Scotch Irish were the best suited by nature and by Providential training for building up a new country. Some of them were scholars, as Robert Alexander, a Master of Arts of Dublin University, who, in 1749, built on land now owned by Samuel Finley McClure, near Old Providence Church, Augusta County, Va., the log school-house, sowing the seeds of learning, of which Washington and Lee University is the ripening fruit. ”

“ Mrs. Kite, who was Miss Sallie A. Doak, was a granddaughter of Rev. Samuel A. Doak. D. D., whose name is eminent in the religious and educational annals of Tennessee. Washington College and Tusculum College are both monuments of his pioneer and constructive zeal, and his works still follow him in the sterling, spiritual qualities of the people of this section. Mrs. Kite was true, in her life and character, to this fine strain in her blood.
She was converted at the age of thirteen, and was ever afterward a faithful and diligent member of the Presbyterian church. ”

“ I now write you and thank God that my health and strength and unprofitable life are preserved, and that I am in the land of the living and in the state of repentance. I arrived here safely on the last of November and swore in, and entered upon the duties of my office on the 2nd of December last, and have never missed a day in the discharge of my official duties. I am on a salary of a $1000 per annum, paid monthly. Expenses in this city are high. Board cannot be had in decent families for less than $4 per week, besides your washing and other expenses. ”

“ I own a good farm here and have a comfortable home where I expect to spend the remainder of my days. I came to Iowa in the year 1851; the country was then very new and thinly settled in this part, there has been quite a change since that time; the country is still improving rapaidly; in another year we will have a railroad completed to our county. Our country is very healthy and is well adapted to agriculture and stock raising. ”

“ In January, 1782, the County Court ordered that no person in Charlotte or within two miles of the place, should be permitted to sell any spirituous liquors so long as the hospital was continued in that town and employed Matthew McClure to take possession of all such contraband liquors for the use of the hospital, as the commanding officer should direct. Too old himself to enter active service in the field, his sons were much engaged in the army. ”

“ It has the prospect of being a very rich country. It is settling very fast and with men of wealth. My staying so long from my family is very painful to me, but my misfortunes has forced me to try to make something for my family. I have above 30 acres in corn and oats and looks equal to any ever I saw. I think I shall have grain in abundance and grain is very high yet on account of people mooving so fast to this country. I design gowing back to Russell and Scott in July or first of August to try to settle up my affairs. ”

“ Stilling is a good business in country where a man has a mill of his own to grind his grain. Miils are scarce in this country; almost all horse mills, and then you must grind yourself and with your own horses and give the sixth bushel. You can get stills in country from 20 to 25 per cent lower in the gallon than in Virginia, and the head throwed in. Whiskey is two shillings per gallon by the barrel and from 50 to 621⁄2 by the retail, and a great deal of it is sold in that way. ”

“ In Munsey's Magazine, February, 1911, in an article on Robert Burns, illustrated with a photograph of old Alloway Kirkyard, the name George McClure appears on one of the stones. Many of the family are buried here. Rev. J. Campbell McClure, Kincardineshire, Scotland, belongs to this family. There is a family tradition that one of his ancestors, an ecclesiastical reformer, suffered persecution under Charles II in those well known days when the heroic and faithful Covenanters were subjected to such unholy treatment. ”

“ In every station and relation in life he acted well his part where all the honor lies; but beyond all this there were distinctive characteristics that marked the man and caused him to be respected and beloved by many of his fellows. ”

“ I do intend to erect a tan-yard between this and next Spring if I should leave this Country, which I think I will at this time. If I should go I want Brother Thomas to go with me when he is done learning his trade. I think he can do as well, and better perhaps, than whare he is. I wrote a letter to him some time ago. If I can get what money is owing to me I can establish myself some whare that perhaps I can make a living. ”

“ Corn is better than we expected, fall grain was very good, wheat is fifty cents a gushel in trade, corn won dollar a barrel. Money is very scarce in this Country. I have had a great deal to do for some time back. Thomas has had the workmen at his house. I have had no body to help till last week, we hired a black woman for a while. Thomas was up to see James about too weeks ago they wir all well then, he and his wife had the fever, his wife was very bad he had but a slight turn, his blak family had it and one died. ”

“ Lebanon, Russell County, Virginia, Feb. 15, 1828. Dear Brother, I now write you a few lines at this time, to let you know that we are all yet alive and in good Health at present, and shall be glad to hear that my letter may find you all enjoying the same Blessings. I heard from Thomas McClure two weeks ago, him and his family was well at that time, the last account I had from Polly she had a very severe spell of sickness, was then on the Recovery. Thomas is going to move from Scott the first of March to Hawkins County in Tennessee, as I have understood. ”

“ Several of the Ireland McClures claim a coat of arms as do those of Scotland, generally similar to that of the late Sir Thomas McClure, of Belfast, namely, a domed tower and pennant, but while his motto was Spectemur agendo, theirs is Paratus sum, which is also the motto of the McClures of Lancashire, though their coat of arms and crest are different. ”

“ The rest of the family is in tolerable health at present. Grandfather and Aunt Anne are in good health they both wish to be remembered to you and all the relations. Brother George and Aunt Anna has returned from Blount County. Mr. Whites and Uncle Hutchisons familys has been afflicted with the fever, I will mention the names of those that have been afflicted with the fever. Mrs. White, Sally, Anna Jorden, Eliza Drusilla, James Diddle. Uncle William was confined to bed six weeks, John White lay in the fever five weeks and continues very low. ”

“ Samuel McClure was born in Augusta County, Virginia, 16th May, 1748, and died at the residence of his grandson, Samuel McClure, Esq., in Clark County, Ill., the 18th December, 1845. He was a soldier of the Revolution, a brave and good man. Shortly after the close of the war he removed with his family to Kentucky. On his way they were overtaken by a party of Indians, his wife taken prisoner and his four childen butchered. He made his escape, obtained help, overtook and severely punished the Indians and secured his wife. ”