JACOB McCLELLAN. Of the citizens of Odin Township, Marion County, few are so well and so favorably known as is our subject, who is the proud possessor of four hundred and ninety-four and one-half acres of valuable land, all of which is under cultivation with the exception of eighty acres of timber. It is favorably located on section 28, and forms one of the most attractive homesteads in all the county.
Mr. McClelland of this sketch was born April 3, 1812, in Licking County, Ohio, and is the son of John and Mary (McClelland) McClelland, natives of Pennsylvania.
The father of our subject located in Licking County when about its only inhabitants were the Indians. His wife was the daughter of Alexander and Catherine McClelland, the former of whom was an uncle of his father's. Our subject was the only child born of his union with Miss McClelland, as the father died when our subject was quite young. Mrs. McClelland married for her second husband Jacob Fry, and by him became the mother of five children.
When our subject attained his twentieth year, he began working on the Ohio Canal, and after spending two years thus employed worked for two years on the National Road. At the time of his marriage he had saved about $600, and from that nucleus built up a handsome fortune.
The lady whom lie married in June, 1837, was Miss Nancy Errenbaugh, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Kalloe) Errenbaugh.
In September, 1839, Mr. and Mrs. McClelland started overland with a team for this state, bringing with them all their earthly effects in a wagon. In October of that year they landed in Marion County, where our subject entered a quarter-section of timber and eighty acres of prairie land from the Government, which property is still their home. Their first house consisted of a log cabin 12x14 feet in dimensions, with puncheon floor, and a cloth tacked over a hole in the wall served as their only window. Mr. McClelland lost no time in clearing and improving his property, and as before stated, now has a fine tract of nearly five hundred acres.
To Mr. and Mrs. McClelland has been born a family of nine children, namely:
Our subject cast his first vote in 1832 for Andrew Jackson, and up to the outbreak of the late war was a strong Democrat. Since that time, however, he has not identified himself with any particular party, but votes for the man whom he considers will best fill the office.
He has always been greatly interested in school affairs, and for many years served as a member of the Board. He was elected Constable, but preferring to devote his entire time to his private interests, refused to qualify.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois"
Chapman Publishing Co, Chicago, 1894
Pages 575
Submitted by Sandy (Whalen) Bauer