HENRY McCLELLAND, who is engaged in cultivating two hundred and sixteen acres of land on section 21, Odin Township, Marion County, was born in Licking County, Ohio, October 22, 1818. He is the son of Alexander and Catherine (Coursen) McClelland, the former of whom was a native of one of the eastern states.
Alexander McClelland also followed the occupation of a farmer, and was married to the mother of our subject while residing in Pennsylvania. Grandfather Coursen was a patriot in the Revolutionary War and was wounded while loading a cannon. He came west as far as Ohio in 1795 and entered land from the Government, on which he resided until his decease. His good wife survived many years, passing away in her eightysixth year. The nine children comprised in the parental family were
Our subject is the only member now living, and was a lad of eight years when he was deprived of the care of his father. His parents were members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in his political relations Alexander McClelland was a stanch Democrat. Our subject remained at home caring for his mother until reaching his twenty-second year, in the meantime acquiring a limited education in the district school, which he was permitted to attend only a few weeks during the winter season.
When ready to establish a home of his own, he was married to Miss Sarah A., daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Sprage) Pring, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. McClelland was born in Ohio July 23, 1822. After his marriage our subject rented and operated the home farm in Ohio until 1841, when, coming to Illinois, he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the Government, to which he has since added until he is the proud possessor of two hundred and sixteen acres. The trip to the Prairie State occupied twenty-seven days, and on arriving here they found the entire township to contain but forty families. Mrs. McClelland died March 21, 1888.
To Mr. and Mrs. McClelland has been born a family of nine children, three of whom died when young. Those now living are,
The parents are members in high standing of the Methodist Protestant Church.
In politics our subject votes independently.
He has been very active in public affairs, and for sixteen years was Constable, and for nine years served efficiently as Highway Commissioner.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois"
Chapman Publishing Co, Chicago, 1894
Pages 569
Submitted by Sandy (Whalen) Bauer