McClure - Charles A.
Source: H. W. Beckwith History Montgomery Co IN (Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 509
Charles A. McClure, teacher and farmer, Pleasant Hill, is a son of Matthias and Abigail (Elmore) McClure.
Matthias McClure was born October 8, 1812, in Adams County, Ohio, where his parents had immigrated from Kentucky.
His father, Nathaniel, was a native of Virginia, and his mother, Mary (Beder) McClure, was a Kentuckian.
Mr. McClure with his parents moved to Montgomery County in 1838, and settled in Pleasant Hill, Coal Creek township, where he lived three years.
His mother died October 16, 1841, aged fifty-nine years, and his father followed in 1851, quite old.
They were earnest and consistent christians, and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
When he came to Montgomery County Matthias McClure purchased 113 acres of land close to Pleasant Hill, which he has continued to farm ever since.
On December 12, 1841, he was married to Abigail Elmore, daughter of John and Abigail Elmore, of Crawfordsville, Indiana.
They then settled on their farm.
About that time he erected their present dwelling.
They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He has always been prominently connected with educational schemes, whether intellectual or moral.
His energies were bent to securing the efficient graded school, which did honor to Pleasant Hill for years.
He was a whig, and then a republican.
In the home farm are 185 acres, Charles A., his son, having added seventy-two acres.
Mr. and Mrs. McClure have had five children:
Nathaniel, John W., now a merchant in Pleasant Hill, Charles A., Matilda, and Thomas, deceased.
Charles A. was born May 1, 1855, on the old home farm near Pleasant Hill.
He received a common school education, pursuing his studies for some time in the Pleasant Hill graded school.
When seventeen years old he secured a license to teach.
For six years he has been employed as principal of the Pleasant Hill schools.
His success as a teacher is apparent.
He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for two years has been recording secretary.
Since sixteen years of age he has been local correspondent to the Crawfordsville "Journal,' and is now notary public.
In 1880 he was employed in taking the census, and in the same year was a candidate for nomination for County recorder in the republican convention