FIVE GENERATIONS OF ONE FAMILY LIVING

The Great-Great Grandmother is 78; The Babe Little Over Three Months

FAMILY RECORD IS UNIQUE

Great-Great Grandmother’s Husband Had Twice Been United in Marriage by the Rev. Dr. John McMillian, Founder of Washington and Jefferson College- Reside in Washington.

Living representatives of four generations usually attract attention, because great grandparents are by no means numerous, but five generations, reaching from the great-great-grandmother down, and particularly all females, is a case of extreme rarity. The accompanying picture presents an interesting group of the last name kind.

The great-great grandmother, Mrs. Hannah Ann McClure, was 78 years old on January 29, last. She was the third wife of James Taylor McClure, who was 58 years her senior at the time of their marriage, she being 17 and he 75. Mr. McClure came of a landed family in Donegal, Ireland, his father having been granted 200 acres for servces rendered the king of England. James came to America about 1790, leaving his home, tradition says, because his father refused him permission to wed an Irish lass of his choice. His first wife was Nancy Crouch and his second Rachel Palmer. To both he was united in wedlock by the Rev. Dr. John McMillan, founder of Washington and Jefferson College.

James McClure acquired a farm of 154 acres in the neighborhood of Thomas Station and when death overtook him his remains were interred in an orchard on his farm. The farm is now owned by the heirs of Joseph Gilkeson. Living in the region in which many of the stirring scenes of the Whisky Insurrection took place, his sympathies were strong on the side of the rebels, but history does not record the fact that he ever openly took any part in the opposition to the officers of the law.

The five persons picture in the group are: Mrs. Hannah Ann McClure, the great-great grandmother; Mrs. Martha Ann Conley, her only daughter and the wife of Charles Conley, a carrier on R & D (?) Route No. 11; Mrs. Ann Amos, daughter of Mrs. Conley and wife of James Amos, an employee of the Forest Oil Company; Mrs. Ola Martha Wharton, daughter of Mrs. Amos, and wife of James Wharton, a milk dealer, and the Wharton baby, Irene, born on January 1, 1904.

Mrs. McClure has living seven grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Another great-great grandchild died recently. All of the group reside in Washington and the four women attend the Third United Presbyterian Church, presided over by the Rev. E. C. Little.

Original Source: An article from a Washington County, Pennsylvania newspaper.

Article and accompanying photo owned by Jane McClure Knarr and photographed from orig by her mother, Mrs. Anna Taylor McClure.

James Taylor McClure, b. abt 1768 in Convoy, Donegal, Ireland, married abt 1791 in , Washington, Pennsylvania to Nancy Crouch b. abt 1775 in , Washington, Pennsylvania, died 1843 in North Strabane, Washington, Pennsylvania.

Their children, all born in North Strabane, Washington, Pennsylvania, were:

• James b. 1793
• Sarah b. 1795 m. 1812 March 13 to George Leviston
• Robert b. 1797
• Jane b. 1799 m. William McMillan
• David b. 1802 Aug 17, d. 1876, m. 1823 to Mary Cameron
• Thomas b. 1804 Dec 25, d. 1879 June 2 in Jennings, Crawford, Indiana, m. in , Washington, Pennsylvania to Eleanor (Ellen) Wilson b. 1805 Nov 5, d. 1876 June 18 in Jennings, Crawford, Indiana
• Nehemiah b. 1808, d. aft. 1860 in Dick Johnson, Clay, Indiana, m. Phebe who also died in Dick Johnson, Clay, Indiana
• Rachel b. 1811 d. aft 1870 in Meigs, Muskingum, Ohio
• Andrew b. 1814
• Mary b. 1817

After Nancy’s death, James married Rachel Palmer. Third, he married Hannah Ann before 1845. Hannah and James had:

• Martha Ann b. 1845 married Charles Conley

You have no idea how high my eyebrow is raised over James, aged 75, marrying a 17 year old girl. I’ve wondered what kind of a man he was…or believed himself to be.

James is in the North Strabane, Washington, Pennsylvania censuses 1800 thru 1850.

1850 Pennsylvania, Washington County, North Strabane
Pg. 33
74/74 James McCluer 82 Farmer $4400 b. Ireland
Mary 33
Hannah 24
Nancy 46
Martha 5
75/75 David MCCLUER 47 farmer b. PA
Lavinah 34
Samuel 17
Mary Jane 13
Joseph 11
Isabel 7
William 5
Martha 2
76/86 George PALMER household

Source: Thank you to Shirley McClure Gillenwater