McCLURE-James - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

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 land where he now lives N 1/2 of Sec 17, T 20, Range 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 they 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 IL since 1853. The parents went to their rest many years ago, the mother in 1854 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 2nd 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 home. 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 the marriage and who died July 16, 1880 They reared six daughter and two sons all living: Mary E, wife of Benjamin Riffle; Charles D; Esther J. married William Carruthers who afterward became a veteran soldier in the late war, 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 Ft. Dodge; Sarah Jannetta wife of Hamilton Cheney of Republic County, Kansas; William A; Phebe H wife of Samuel Ogle; Emma R and Eureka. Mr. McClure has raised four children besides his own. Charles was a soldier of 3 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.