Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/403

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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juror in 1767, sold land in 1778, and died intestate in 1798. While there is no record of his wife, it is practically certain that she was Elizabeth, the daughter of Andrew Steele, who died in Augusta county, in 1764.

(III) Their tenth child, Andrew McClure, born July 18, 1767, died at the home of his son, John McClure. near Old Providence Church, December 30, 1847. He was a sol- dier of the war of 1812, enlisting March 4, 1814, at Staunton, Virginia, as a private of Captain Sangter's company. Twelfth United States Infantry. At the expiration of his term of service he was discharged, March 30, 1815, at Fort Covington. He married, January 15, 1789, Mary Mitchel, fourth child of Thomas Mitchel and Elizabeth (McClan- ahan) Moore. She died in 1795, and there- after he lived with his sisters and children, frequently walking between Waynesboro and Old Providence, a distance of twenty- five miles, even when over seventy years of age. He is said to have been a large and muscular man, closely resembling his son John.

(IV) John (2) McClure, fourth child of Andrew and Mary Mitchel (Moore) Mc- Clure, was born May 28, 1794, near Waynes- boro, and died April 26, 1873, ^t his home near Old Providence Church. He was less than two years of age when his mother died, and was reared by a great-aunt, Sarah Steele, of Augusta county. His educational privileges were small. He had some school- ing, however, and studied an English gram- mar published at Holgate, near York, in 1795. In 18 19 he settled on the farm of his uncle and aunt, James and Betsey Fulton, which he inherited and lived on for fifty- six years. He married, July 27, 1819, Jane Pilson, born June 14, 1797, died September 18, 1882, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Thompson) Pilson. She joined the Tink- ling Spring Presbyterian Church about 1816, and subsequently removed her membership to the Bethel Presbyterian Church, of which she was a member for nearly sixty-six years. She was the mother of eight children.

(V) The youngest of these, Matthew Thompson McClure, named for a great- grandfather, was born July 23, 1834, and is now living at the McClure homestead where his father and grandfather died, one mde northeast of Old Providence Church. With- out a scientific, education, through study and experimentation he mastered many of the

facts of agricultural chemistry, which has proved of advantage to himself and his neighbors. Of cheerful and optimistic nature, with a strong will and a keen sense of humor, his way through life has been a most pleasant one, not only to himself, but to those about him. He has filled various positions of trust and honor in the commu- nity, being school trustee and chairman of the Democratic district organization. Urged by friends to become a candidate for the legis- lature, he resolutely declined. He founded and fostered for several years, in association with two others, a classical school at Old Providence, which enabled many young per- sons of the community to prepare for higher education. He was a soldier of the civil war, serving as commissary sergeant in the Fifty-second Virginia Regiment, enlisting July 31, 1861, for a period of twelve months. He was first attached to General Edward Johnson's Brigade, afterwards commanded by General Early, in Stonewall Jackson's corps. He was commissioned second lieu- tenant, November 23, 1861, and on the re- organization of the army was retained as conmiissary sergeant of Company I, in which capacity he served until the close of the war. Early in 1865 he was promoted first lieutenant, and brevetted captain. He was made prisoner and paroled at Appo- mattox Court House, April 10, 1865. Foi some years he cultivated his father's farm as a tenant, and later came into its posses- sion by inheritance. He married, July 27, 1865, Sarah Catherine Bumgardner, born Alarch 18, 1842, in Carroll county, i\Iissouri, daughter of Lewis and Hettie Ann (Hal- stead) Bumgardner. Her great-grandfather. Christian Bumgardner, served v/ith General Washington in the colonial wars, in the cam- paign of 1754. Children: i. Lewis Bum- gardner, born February 12. 1866, in Green- ville ; cashier of the People's Exchange Bank at Russellville, Arkansas ; is an elder of the Southern Presbyterian Church of that place. 2. Jane Thompson, born April 2, 1869 ; married, December 27, 1902, Edwin Bumgardner, and lives at Walnut Grove, the old McClure home, the comfort of her parents in their declining years. 3. Anne Halstead. born September 28. 1870; married. October 4, 1893. Samuel Walter McCown. a farmer of Rockbridge, and ruling elder of New Mammouth Church. 4. James Alex- ander, of further mention. 5. Andrew Well-