Person:Isaac McClain (2)

Family links:
Spouse:
Mary Crumrine McClain (1841 - 1939)*

Children:
Roscoe F. McClain (1878 - 1970)*

*Calculated relationship

Isaac McClain was born in 1837 on the McClain homestead, one and a half miles north of Lima, and is a son of Andrew and Nancy McClain. The former was born near Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, and was a son of Thomas McClain, who came to Allen County in 1832 and located in Bath township, where few of his contemporaries still live. Not one tree on that land had yet fallen by the hand of man on the farm which he cleared and where he died in 1842. His wife survived him until 1873. They had nine children and Isaac was the seventh of the family.

Isaac McClain went first to school in a church in Lima, and then to a select school kept on the old farm in a little log building, which had been constructed for the purpose. After the death of his father, he remained at home with his mother until his marriage, and then moved to the McDonel place. Here he lived one year and then built a shanty on the site of his present comfortable residence. His wife owned 40 acres and Isaac McClain bought 40 east and 80 west, thus making a very fair-sized farm. In 1873 the present excellent home was built, which is supplied with gas from the wells flowing on the place.

In 1864 Isaac McClain married Mary Crumrine, who was born September 20, 1841, and is a daughter of Martin and Catherine (Brocies) Crumrine. The nine children born to this marriage were: Lucinda, wife of U. C. Apple, born September 21, 1864; William Leonard, born November 1 5, 1866; Charles Albert, born December 13, 1868; Henry Edward, born April 13, 1871; Florence May, born September 10, 1873; John Timothy, born March 6, 1875; Roscoe Franklin, born March 31, 1877; George Webster, born May 23. 1879; and Minnie Rachel, born March 10, 1886.

The farm occupied by Mr. McClain is known as the “Central Ridge Farm,” where great attention is paid to the breeding of fine sheep. Mr. McClain owns a very valuable full-bred Shropshire sheep, which was bred by Carpenter, of Toronto. Politically he is a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Isaac McClain. Allen County presented an almost unbroken picture of the typical wilderness when the McClains arrived in the early '30s after a tedious overland journey through the woods from Fairfield County. Not long after the family settled here Isaac McClain was born, and this venerable citizen of Perry Township is today one of the oldest living native born sons of Allen County. His own life has been one of productive energy and good citizenship.

Mr. McClain was born at the original family seat in Bath Township December 19, 1836, eighty-four years ago. His parents were Andrew and Nancy (Reese) McClain, both natives of Fairfield County, Ohio. When they came to Allen County they settled in the north part of Lima as it is today, but at such an early date that they were able to enter land direct from the Government. It was on this land that Isaac was born, being next to the youngest in a large family of nine children. He was only five years of age when his father died in 1841, but the widowed mother lived many years.

Isaac McClain had such advantages as the pioneer district schools were able to offer. and circumstances were such that he had to exercise his independent spirit to earn a living when quite young. The year before his marriage he moved to the home of his brother-in-law, James I. McDonald, in Perry Township, and has lived in that township for considerably more than half a century. After his marriage he lived for a time on his mother’s old place and then settled on forty acres in Perry Township, given him and his wife by her parents. He also bought forty acres more, and at once undertook the difficult labor of making a farm. The land was timbered and he had to clear the site on which he erected his first log cabin home. This log cabin served as a habitation for several years, and in the meantime his work of improving and clearing continued. Later from timber cut on the farm and converted into lumber at a nearby sawmill he erected a substantial frame house. The next step of progress was the addition of eighty acres more of cleared land, giving him a tract of 160 acres in one body. However, three acres of the land were taken as right-of-way for the Detroit. Toledo & Ironton Railway. With the responsibilities of active farming Mr. McClain continued to be occupied until 1910, when with his son Roscoe F. he entered a formal partnership, and this son has since been active manager of the home place. This Perry Township farm is known as the Riverdale Farm, and from it many fine horses, cattle, hogs and Shropshire sheep have gone to market.

January 10, 1864, Mr. McClain marricd Mary Crumrine, who was born in Perry Township September 20, 1841. Crumrine is an old and prominent name in western Pennsylvania, and her parents, Martin and Catherine (Proshus) Crumrine, came out of that state and established themselves as pioneers in Perry Township. Mr. and Mrs. McClain became the parents of nine children: Lucinda A., widow of Ulysses Apple of Perry Township; William Leonard of Lima; Charles E.. whose home is in California; Henry E. of Goldfield, Nevada; Florence M., Mrs. Philip Ulrey of Perry Township; J. T. at home; George W. of Bath Township; Minnie, Mrs. Fred Bradley of Lima; and Roscoe F., who is the seventh in age among the children.

Mr. Isaac McClain is a republican in politics. While always a very busy man, he has considered it a duty to act in public capacity when his services were required and he served as township land assessor and township treasurer. He helped build the Methodist Church in his community, and has ever since been one of its trustees.