William S. McClanahan.
There are many points of more than passing interest in connection with the personal and ancestral history of this sterling and honored citizen of Vinton County, from which he went forth as a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil war and within whose borders he has maintained his home since his boyhood days. He is a scion not only of one of the honored pioneer families of Ohio but also of one that was founded in America in the colonial era of our history, a number of his kinsmen of an early generation having been soldiers in the War of the Revolution. Mr. McClanahan owns and occupies the attractive old homestead farm that was long the place of residence of his parents and that is eligihly situated in Swan Township, He has been a resourceful and successful exponent of agricultural industry in Vinton County and is a citizen whose character and civic status render it specially consistent to incorporate in this publication a
brief review of his career.
The lineage of the McClanahan family traces back to staunch Scotch-Irish origin and the first representatives of the name in America settled in Maryland prior to the War of the Revolution. In Washington County, that state, Alexander McClanahan, the paternal grandfather of Lieutenant McClanahan of this review, was born in the year 1775, and there he was reared to manhood. In Maryland was solemnized his marriage to Miss Nancy Miller, and there were born their first three children, — David, Alexander, Jr., and Elizabeth, the last mentioned having been a small child at the time of the family immigration to Ohio. In company with other families the McCllanahans made the long and onerous overland journey from Maryland to Ohio, utilizing teams and wagons for transportation and camping by night while enroute, the journey having been of several weeks duration. Alexander McClanahan had intended to locate in Pickaway County, but the prevalence of malaria, or chills and fever, in that section led him to establish the family home in Perry County, where he procured Government land and reclaimed a farm from the wilderness, both he and his wife having passed the residue of their lives on this pioneer homestead, where he passed away in 1850, at the age of seventy-five years, his wife having died about two years previously. Three of his uncles, Alexander, Robert and John McClanahan, became settlers in Augusta County, Virginia, and Alexander and John became captains in the Continental forces in the War of the Revolution. They served in a regiment commanded by Colonel Lewis and took part in the battle at Mount Pleasant, in what is now West Virginia,
this having been known as the first definite engagement of the great Revolutionary
struggle. There the famous old Indian known as Cornstalk met his death in the fort established by the patriot soldiers. Capt. Alexander McClanahan continued his services as a gallant soldier during the entire period of the war for national independence, and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel of his regiment.
After Alexander McClanahan, grandfather of the subject of this review, established his home in Perry County, Ohio, ten more children were born to him, the entire roster of the family having thus included ten sons and three daughters. All of the children attained maturity, all married and reared children, except one, and all passed away when well advanced in years.
Alexander McClanahan, Jr., father of him whose name introduces this article, was born in Washington County, IMaryland, on the 28th of June, 1813, and was a youth at the time of the family immigration to Ohio, where he was reared to manhood under the conditions and influences of the old pioneer farmstead in Madison Township, Perry County. In 1837 he wedded Miss Nancy Davis, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, on the 25th of November, 1817, and who was a child at the time of her parents' removal to Perry County. She was a daughter of James and Catherine (Sinift) Davis, and her father was a native of Loudoun County, Virginia. James Davis, a scion of sturdy Welsh ancestry, was reared to manhood in the historic Old Dominion and as a young man he came to Ohio and became a resident of Fairfield County. There he married Catherine Sinift, who was of German parentage, and a few years later they removed to Perry County, where the devoted wife and mother died many years later. Mr. Davis finally removed to Hocking County and there he died when seventy years of age. Alexander McClanahan, Sr., and his family held membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he was an old-line whig. James Davis, maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a member of the Lutheran Church, of which his wife also was a devout communicant.
After their marriage Alexander McClanahan, Jr., and his wife continued their residence in Perry County until 1851, when they removed with their four children, William S., Catherine J., Matilda and Mary, to Vinton County and established their home on a partially improved farm in Elk Township, where was born their daughter Harriet E., and where they continued to reside until 1856, when they removed to Swan Township and established themselves on the fine old homestead farm now owned by their son William S., of this review, who is here giving his time and attention to successful operations as" an agriculturist and stock-grower. Of the other children it may be noted that Catherine J. is married and resides in the State of Minnesota; Matilda is the widow of Dr. A. W. Schuek and maintains her home in Minnesota; Mary is the wife of Erastus Fautch and they now reside in California; and Harriet E., who became the wife of Dr. E. P. Frampton, was a resident of New Plymouth, Vinton County, at the time of her death, in 1901, her husband having passed away in 1897. Alexander McClanahan, Jr., continued his activities as a farmer in Swan Township until 1889, when he and his wife established a hoYne in the Village of New Plymouth, Vinton County, where Mrs. McClanahan was summoned to eternal rest on the 12th of June, 1891, and where her husband lived virtually retired until his death, which occurred on the 6th of January, 1896. In Perry County
they held membership in the Lutheran Church but after removal to Vinton County they became earnest members of the Presbyterian Church, both having lived righteous and altogether worthy lives and both having commanded the high regard of all who knew them. In politics Mr. McClanahan was aligned with the whig party until the organisation of the republican party, when he transferred his allegiance to the latter, its principles thereafter enlisting his support during the remainder of his life.
William S. McClanahan, the eldest of the family of five children, was born on the old homestead in Madison Township, Perry County, Ohio, on the 25th of July, 1838, and thus he was about thirteen years old at the time of the family removal to Vinton County, where he was reared to maturity and availed himself of the advantages of the common schools of the period. He has never severed his allegiance to the basic industry of agriculture and has long continued one of its energetic and
successful representatives in Swan Township, where he owns and resides upon the fine old homestead farm of 160 acres, devoted to diversified agriculture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock. The farm is eligibly situated in section 20 and its improvements are of substantial order, making it one of the attractive and valuable farms of the county, this place having been the home of Mr. McClanahan since 1856, so that he is now one of the most venerable of the pioneer citizens still remaining in Swan Township. He has been one of the loyal and publicspirited
citizens of Vinton County during the long years marked by earnest and worthy achievement on his part, and he is known and honored for his sterling character and his earnest efforts to be of use to the community.
When the cloud of civil war cast its shadow over the nation Mr. McClanahan was among the sturdy young men of Ohio who promptly tendered their services in defense of the Union. On the 19th of April, 1861, in response to the first call of President Lincoln, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he proceeded to West Virginia, where he continued in service
until the expiration of his three months' term of enlistment. He then returned home, but on the 25th of March, 1862, he again manifested his patriotic ardor, by re-enlisting in a company that was organized in Ohio but that became a part of the Second Virginia Cavalry. With this gallant regiment he served for some time under command of General Cox, and his later service was in the commands of Generals Crook, Sheridan and Custer. In 1864 he and his comrades of the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and he continued in service thereafter until victory had crowned the Union arms and the long and sang-uinary struggle came to its end, his honorable discharge having been received on the 30th of June, 1865. As a soldier Mr. McClanahan made an admirable record, and the same will reflect lasting honor upon his name. He took part in many important battles and minor engagements, including the battles of Cove Movintain and Lynchburg, Virginia, and in the various engagements of the historic Shenandoah Campaign. He was a participant in a fiercely contested battle at Moorefield, West Virginia, and was with General Sheridan's forces in the famous Battle of Winchester, on the 19th of September, 1864. Three days later he took part in the Battle of Fisher's Hill, Virginia, and on the 19th of October he was a participant in the engagement at Cedar Creek. His regiment then went with General Sheridan down through Central Virginia, but prior to this he had been in the connuand of General Custer when that gallant officer administered most severe defeat to the forces of General Early. Mr. McClanahan was one of the valiant soldiers who aided in destroying the Confederate influence along the course of the James River, and he took part in the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia, on the 30th of March, 1865. He was of the Union forces that dislodged the Confederate at Sailor's Creek and who took jDart in the spirited fight at Appomattox Station, Virginia, on the 8th of April, 1865, the surrender of General Lee having occurred the following day, and the regiment of Mr. McClanahan having thus been at the time very near the scene of the great surrender. In November, 1860, he was commissioned second lieutenant, and he continued the able and zealous incumbent of this office until he received his honorable discharge. In recognition of his gallant and meritorious service lie receives from the Government a pension.
In the "piping times of peace" Mr. Clanahan has shown the same patriotism and loyalty that prompted him to go forth in defense of the nation's integrity in the Civil war, and though he has not sought to identify himself with the activities of practical politics he has given unfaltering allegiance to the republican party and for twenty-one years served in the office of township clerk, with deep interest in all that touches the material and civic welfare of his home community and county.
In Swan Township, on the ]4th of January, 1864, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Clanahan to Miss Rachel Reed, who was born in Perry County, this state, on the 30th of July, 1838, her future husband having been born on the 25th of the same month and year, and their devoted companionship having continued for more than half a century, so that they are passing the gracious evening of their lives under conditions that make for serene peace and happiness. Mrs. McClanahan is a daughter of John and Eleanor (Iliff) Reed, both of whom were born and reared in Ohio, where the respective families settled in the early pioneer days. Mr. Reed was a prosperous farmer in Perry County at the time of his death, on the 2d of June, 1842, and his widow removed with her children to Swan Township, Vinton County, when Mrs. McClanahan. was a girl of fifteen years. ]\Irs. Reed here passed the residue of her life, which was prolonged somewhat beyond the psalmist's span of three score
years and ten, and she was a devout member of the Baptist Church. Ida, the only surviving child of Mr. and Mrs. IMcClanalian, was born on the 25th of May, 1865, and she and her husband remain with her parents on the home farm. She is the wife of Edward E. Hunter, who was born in Vinton County, on the 27th of February. 1858, and who since his marriage has had the general supervision of the farm of his father-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have no children.
