From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana page 752:
Leonard N. McLain resides on section 7, Salem Township, where his father,
John McLain, settled with his family July 11, 1844. John McLain was
born in the State of New York, Dec. 25, 1792. He was reared in Cayuga
County where he married Eunice Nelson, a native of that county, born Feb.
16, 1803. In 1836 they moved to Monroe County, Mich., where they lived
till 1844, and then moved to Steuben County. Mr. McLain bought a tract
of unimproved land of John Candy. His first house, a log cabin, is
still standing. While this house was being built the family lived in
a log house on the farm now owned by Abner Sams, moving into their own house
in April, 1845. After getting his farm under a good state of cultivation,
the father died Sept. 2, 1855. The mother died Aug. 11, 1876.
There was a family of thirteen children, ten of whom came with their parents
to Steuben County. One was born here. Five of the children are
living---Nancy, Mercy, Leonard N., Eliza P. and Mary Ellen. Leonard
N., who owns and occupies the homestead, was born in Cayuga County, N Y.,
April 11, 1834. He enlisted July 24, 1861, in the Twenty-first Indiana
Infantry and served eighteen months, when the regiment was converted into
the First Indiana Heavy Artillery, and served till Jan. 10, 1866, when they
were discharged at Baton Rouge, La. His entire term of service was
four and a half years’ longer than any other soldier from Salem Township.
Soon after his return from the war he bought the old homestead.
He married Mary Fast, daughter of Reuben Fast, formerly of Salem Township,
and now of Michigan. They have two children--Erdley L.,
born April 26, 1868, and Ray, born Feb. 24, 1884. Mr. McLain’s
farm contains eighty acres, sixty-five acres under cultivation.
His residence and farm buildings are commodious and substantial. His
health was undermined by his prolonged army experience, and he has never
fully recovered his former vigor. He had four brothers in the service--Sylvester
served two years in the Second Michigan Infantry, when he was discharged
for disability. He died at Burlington, Michigan Dec.10, 1867.
Ambrose enlisted in the One Hundredth Indiana Infantry, and was discharged
for disability. He died July 23, 1863, four weeks after reaching home.
Charles enlisted in the Seventy-fifth Illinois, in the fall of 1862;
came home on a sick furlough and died March 18, 1864. John W.,
the youngest son, was in the same company with Charles, and died at Murfreesboro,
Tenn., Jan. 22, 1863. Two brothers-in-law, Martin Haines and
Orlando Dennison, were in the service. The former died in the army
and the latter is living in Kansas. Probably no other family in Steuben
County can show an equal army record with that of John McLain's.