My Genealogy Hound

J. F. McCLURE was born near Jonesboro, Tenn., in 1834. His father, Ewing McClure, who was a native of Rockbridge County, Va., immigrated to Washington County, Tenn., where he was a farmer. In the war of 1812 he commanded a company, and participated in Jackson’s celebrated victory at New Orleans. John McClure, father of Ewing, and his wife, Elizabeth (Ewing) McClure, settled in Virginia, but were natives of Scotland. The mother of our subject was Antoinette Slemons, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Graham) Slemons, of English origin. J. F. McClure, the third of a family of six children, was born and reared on a farm. He was educated at Washington College, Tenn., and at Princeton College, N. J. He began life as a merchant at Jonesboro, Tenn., in which business he remained until the late war. He served in the Confederate Army as lieutenant in the Nineteenth Tennessee, but was severely wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and subsequently, in 1862, was discharged on account of disability. He re-enlisted, and was assigned to staff duty, but was captured at Vicksburg and held under parole one year. After being exchanged he was assigned duty in the Army of Virginia, where he was surrendered and paroled under Gen. Lee. After the war he followed civil engineering, and assisted in the building of the Cincinnati Shortline Railroad, the Big Sandy Railroad and the Cincinnati Southern. In 1873 he went into the coal business, opening mines at various places, among them the first on the Cincinnati Southern Railroad, and East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is Democratic in politics. In 1857 he was married to Miss Letitia Simpson, daughter of Francis and Mary (Blair) Simpson, of Jonesboro, Tenn. She was a Presbyterian in life, and died in 1862, leaving one child, Antoinette (Dosser). In 1867 Mr. McClure married Miss Julia E. Smith, daughter of Granville and Sarah (Boswell) Smith. Sarah Boswell is the daughter of Gen. Boswell. To this, marriage have been born three children; Sallie, Lelia and John.