Page:The McClure Family.djvu/38

24 turned the wilderness into habitations, waiting for the coming of the Son of God when the graves shall give up their dead. Let no spade or mattock ever hereafter disturb the soil that vegetates so luxuriously over their ashes. The time is coming—is already at hand—when history shall present to the living the actions of these venerable dead, and posterity will glory in deriving their descent from the settlers of the Valley of Virginia."

James and Agnes McClure left seven children.

A., the oldest, was born in 1717, as shown in Chalkley, vol. II, p. 5; came to Augusta county with his father 1738, and settled on South River, near Lyndhurst, six miles south of Waynesboro. His farm joined Edward Hall and John Coulter. His deed for 359 acres, dated March 1, 1749, is recorded D. B. 2, p. 692, Staunton, Va.

His name appears frequently in the extant records of the county.

On the muster roll (spelled McClewer) 1742 of Capt. Jas. Cathreys's company, tenth in the list.

On August 21, 1757 he, with others, was directed to clear a road from Edward Hall's to Wm, Long's mill.

He was a juror 1767.

On December 15, 1778, he deeded to Andrew Alexander, a son-in-law, 204 acres "being part of the plantation John McClure now lives on, on the waters of the South river cornering John Coulter and Edward Hall."

The last mention of his name in the county record is August 28, 1791, when he appeared as a witness in a case of Edward Hall vs. John Coulter. He was then 74 years of age. He died intestate about 1798. The date is fixed by a court record of June 19, 1798, when George Hutchison, his son-in-law, was appointed guardian of his youngest child, an invalid daughter, Eleanor.

The family records do not give the name of his wife, but