HISTORY OF THE McCLELLAN FAMILY
The following compilation of family historical data and facts has been
accumulated over a period of years by your historian and members of each branch of the
family working cooperatively. The only way this history can be of any benefit to the
members of the family is by placing it within their reach. Therefore, we are attempting
to do just that by compiling and publishing it. Of necessity, only the first four
generations, so far as we know them, can be considered in this brief treatise. The hope of
the compilers is that some of the younger members of each branch will catch the spirit of
this movement and carry on from where we leave off, and that the reading of these
scattered rambling events may give them a true picture, background or foundation on
which to build a family history.
The surname McClellan is one of great antiquity, having been one of importance
in the south of Scotland, where McClellan's were sheriffs of Galloway and were leaders
in their clan. The office of sheriff in ancient days carried with it more prestige and
consequence than in more modern times, so it was a distinctive honor to hold this
position. The ancestral seat of the family was Kirkcudbright, in a southwest county of
Scotland. Sir Robert McClellan, son of Thomas of Bombie, was in the service of King
James VI and continued in the reign of King Charles II who created him a peer by the
title of Kirkcudbright. It was from the Irish offshoot of the parent stem, however, that the
family in Virginia was founded. William McClellan, born in 1748 in Ireland, emigrated
to Virginia and settled in Loudaun County. In 1931, his descendants were living in North
Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and many other states. According to Crawford, there were
no fewer than 12 knights bearing the name of McClellan. It is thought that all the
families in the United States bearing the names McClellan, McLellan, McClelland, and
MacLellan are derived from one original stock having its home in the southwestern part
of Scotland. About 1646 during the religious war, many families of the name removed
from Scotland to Ireland. The migration being known in Ireland as the "Ulster
Plantation, " the settlements being made near Belfast and Dunganoon. About 1760 -
1770 numerous families both from Scotland and Ireland emigrated to America settling in
Nova Scotia, New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas. The earliest,
authentic information we have concerning the branch of the family through which we
came is found in the wills of Elizabeth Lusk, mother-in-law of Hugh McClellan and also
that of her son-in-law, Hugh.
WILL OF ELIZABETH LUSK ** STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. In the name
of God, Amen. The Seventh day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and seventy. I, Elizabeth Lusk, of the county of tryon, widow, being very sick
and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, Therefore
calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men
once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principly
and first of all I give and recomend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my
body I recomend it to the earth to be intered in a Christian like and decent manner at the
descretion of my Executors and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath
pleased God to bless me in this life I give and bequeath and dispose of the same in the
following manner and form ... . Imprise I give and bequeath to my beloved son Robert
Lusk one young gray horse... Item I give and bequeath to my beloved son Samuel Lusk
twenty bushels of corn now in the hand of Hugh McClellan.
Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Elizabeth McCleland a black gown
and a mantle. Item - I give and bequeath to my son-in-law Hugh Whiteside a roan colt.
Item - I give and bequeath unto my beloved son daughter Margret Whiteside one
woman's saddle. Item - I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James Lusk all and
singular the remainder of my estate real and personal. My son Robert Lusk and son-in-
law Hugh Whiteside before mentioned I consitute and appoint my Executors of this my
last will and testament and do hereby utterly disalow, revoke, and disannul all and every
other former testaments and wills and Executors by me in any wise before this named.
Signed, sealed an delivered in presence of us -- Samuel Neely - Dorcas Wharey
Marha Workman ---- (Elizabeth Lusk).
The articles bequeathed in this will . would indicate that these people were farmers
and ranchers -- pioneers.
In the name of God, Amen. -- I Hugh McCleland of the State of South Carolina
and York County Taylor, Being in perfect health of body and of perfect mind and
memory, thanks be given unto God; but calling unto mind the mortality of my body and
knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will
and testament, that is to say, principally and first of all I recommend my soul into the
hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be interred
in a decent and Christian manner at the discretion of my executors; Nothing doubting but
at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God.
And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life,
I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: First: I give and
bequeath unto Elizabeth, my well beloved wife, the third part of my estate both real and
personal; secondly, I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James McCleland, the one
half of the plantation I now live on, including the improvements, this not to take place
during his mother's life time, but after her decease to be by him freely enjoyed for the
term of the lease. 3rd, I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Robert McCleland the
other half of the premises above mentioned and likewise after his mother's decease. 4th, I
give and bequeath unto each of my two beloved sons Hugh McCleland and William
McCleland a horse creature and saddle to the value of seventeen pounds sterling and
likewise each one a fourth part of my personal property of whatsoever kind after my
beloved wife's part is taken off. Lastly, I do hereby constitute ordain and appoint my
friend Samuel Lusk senior and my son James McCleland sole executors of this my last
will and testament -- And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every
other former testaments, wills, legacies, bequests, and executors by me in anywise before
named willed and bequeathed; Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last
will and testament --- In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this
nineteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety
five. Signed, sealed, and published and declared by the said Hugh McCleland as his last
will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each
other have hereunto subscribed our names... Hugh Whiteside -- Abram Whiteside --
Samuel Whiteside-- (Hugh McCleland) ------- State of South Carolina, County of York -
In the Probate Court: I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of the
last will and testament as now on file in this, the office of probate judge for York County,
South Carolina. X (E. Getty Nunn).
Be it known to all men by these presents that I Hugh McCleland of the state of
South Carolina, York County Taylor having made and declared my last will and
testament in writting bearing date the 19th day of August A. D. 1795 I the said Hugh
McCleland by this present Codicil do ratify and confirm my said last will and testament
so far as it is not contrary to this present Codicil, but as my well beloved wife is since
deceased I do farther give and bequeath unto my three beloved daughters viz. Jane,
Agness, and Elizabeth, to each one an eight part and I do hereby further impower
authorize and appoint my two executors of my last will and testament to sign, seal, and
deliver unto William Pots (Potts, P. J. ) of the state of North Carolina a good and
sufficient title to three hundred and fifty acres of land which he bargained with me for, he
complying with our agreement: And my will and meaning is that this Codicil be adjudged
to be a part and parcel of my last will and testament and that all things there in mentioned
and contained be faithfully and truly performed and as fully and as amply in every
respect as if the same were so declared and set down in my last will and testament.
Witness my hand this thirtieth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and ninety- six, Signed in the presence of me (Hugh McCleland) Hugh
Whiteside - Margret Neal. State of South Carolina, County of York, In the Probate Court
- I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of the Codicil written on
the back of the last will and testament of Hugh McCleland as now on file in this, the
office of Probate Judge for York County, South Carolina signed
E.Gettys Nunn. Judge of Probate for York County, S. C.
Now this son Hugh to whom the horse and saddle was bequeathed is the same one
who became our heir, speaking in terms genealogical as pertains to the Kingdom of God,
because be was the first male member of the family to receive baptism and the Holy
Endowment in person in this dispensation. Hugh the 2nd was born in York district South
Carolina, February 13, 1773, the sixth child in a family of seven. His wife, Mary (Polly)
McCall was born at the same place December 20, 1776, daughter of Thomas McCall and
Rebecca Kelly. Hugh and Polly were the parents of eight children - five sons and three
daughters, the first two of whom were born in Camden, York County, South Carolina -
the others in Bedford County, Tennessee. We have as yet found no account of this move
from South Carolina to Tennessee. This is about all we have concerning the lives of
Hugh and Mary (Polly) McClellan, except that in William C. McClellan's sketch, he
states, "I got home (to Council Bluffs) from the Battalion in the latter part of October
(1847) and found that both of my grandparents had died during my absence. " The
family of Hugh and Polly, as is the custom of most families, eventually scattered from
Nauvoo to various parts. Some few years before James McClellan and his family left
Nauvoo and came to Utah, his two brothers, Hugh the third child and Samuel Kelly the
sixth,, left Nauvoo and went into the Republic (now the state of Texas). In 1933, through
the correspondence with the law firm of Oliver J. Todd in Beaumont, Texas, which was
handling the estate of these two boys, we learned that they had become wealthy before
Hugh died in August, 1843, leaving Samuel Kelly the sole heir to the property by a
mutual verbal agreement. Hugh was married but had no children. According to Todd,
Samuel Kelly, who has also passed away, left quite a posterity, the most of whom are in
Texas and Louisiana. Further than this we have no record of the whereabouts of the
members of this family except James the second child, whose life and labors as a pioneer
we shall now follow into the ten branches of his family.
James was born on August 8, 1804 in Camden, York District. South Carolina. We know
little or nothing of his boyhood days, but on January 18,1826, at the age of 22, he married
Cynthia the 16 year old daughter of Samuel and Ann Wallace Stewart. She was born at
Duck River, (Polk ?) County, Tennessee on April 28, 1810. In the Spring of 1833, he
with his wife and three children, left Bedford County, Tennessee and moved to Shelby
County, Illinois, where they squatted, on a quarter section (160 acres) of land, but made
no effort to prove up on it. In 1834 or 1835 they bought out a man named Siler, who
wanted to move on. -- Description of the land -- This tract of 600 acres of farm and
timber land with 100 acres of it fences and part of it under cultivation lies in a bend of
the Okaw or Kaskaskie River. Their nearest neighbor was 3/4 of a mile away. Next
nearest was 2 1/2 miles. By industry and economy, James was rapidly surrounded with
the comforts of life. Hogs and cattle did well on the range quite a large portion of the
year. Chicago and St. Louis furnished a fairly good market for all surplus, including
coonskins, dressed turkeys, venison, and hams. This was their condition when the elders
of the L. D. S. Church came to their door. The parents embraced the Gospel and were
baptized May 13, 1839. Soon after, James went to Nauvoo, bought some property,
returned home and set about selling out. It was not an easy undertaking as the farm was
one of the largest and best in the county. He finally disposed of it for part cash and part
stock, and in the fall of 1841, the family, consisting of father, mother, and seven children
moved into Nauvoo. The parents went to the Nauvoo Temple and received their
endowments January 7, 1846, but they were not, sealed until April 2, 1847. The boys
were away at work on brickyards, teaming, boating, rafting, etc. Returning home they
found their parents busily preparing for the move west. They were soon prepared and on
their way. Reaching the Mississippi River, they decided to cross at Nashville as they
could get better terms on ferriage. They crossed the State of Iowa and arrived at Mosquito Creek (or Council Bluffs) July 14
or 15, 1846. When they reached the camp at Council Bluffs there was the recruiting
officer there, getting men for service in the Mexican War. James prepared to go with his
two brothers-in-law and enlist, but if he did so the responsibility of four families would
be shifted to the shoulders of his 18 year old son William C. The boy protested. He said
he would prefer to go with the Battalion. Having just passed his 18th birthday he was
eligible so he enlisted, and James got the job of looking after the families. Let us now
follow him through the pages of history just as we will find them recorded. "July 17,
1846, President Brigham Young went to meeting and proposed that brethren be selected
to take care of the families of the Battalion men. " Among the 88 men chosen to act as
Bishops in this capacity, we recognize the following: James McClellan, Jonathan C.
Wright, Edison Whipple, and Abraham Hoagland, who are all related to our family by
marriage. No doubt there are others, if we but knew them. . (Journal History) October 6,
1849, General Conference of the church was held at Kanesville, Iowa, at which time
Jonathan C. Wright was appointed as Marshal to maintain order on the conference
grounds. James McClellan was sustained as a member of the high council. (Journal
History) June 15, 1850, An emigrating company of one hundred saints was organized on
the Missouri River near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Joseph Young. was appointed President
and Winslow Farr, counselor. William Snow was captain of the hundred, James
McClellan captain of one fifty and Gardner Snow captain of the other fifty. (Journal
History) In June they left their homes, crossed the Missouri River below the mouth of the
Platte and traveled up the south side to Ash Hollow. From using the stagnant spring
water, because of wet weather, between the Missouri and the Platte, the cholera broke
out in their company. During the latter part of June or the first part of July there were
several deaths, including James and Cynthia's little son, James Travers (Jimmy), age two.
William the eldest son had a severe attack but pulled through in fairly good shape.
Louisa Ann, age nine, was so very ill that they sent word to the company ahead to dig two
graves. But our kind Heavenly Father saw fit to spare her life that she might reach
maturity and with her husband (Eli Bell) rear a family in honor and integrity. On August
22, 1850, in the Black Hills, near Fort Laramie, Wyoming, a little girl, the eleventh child,
Cynthia Selena, was born to Cynthia and James. With the strain of that journey, sickness
and death weighing so heavily upon her, small wonder that Cynthia could not nurse her
babe. Almeda, their son's wife, had a six weeks old babe when they commenced that
journey and she drank lots of weak tea, walked part of the way, yet fed two babies at the
breast. The company arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley early in October of 1850.
December 19, 1850, in a letter to President Brigham Young, George A. Smith asked to
have James McClellan sent to Peteetnet (or Payson) as a blacksmith for that locality.
Joseph Young's company, the sixth company of pioneers to reach the Salt Lake Valley,
pulled in on October 1. 1850, after spending 107 days on the road from Council Bluffs.
When they arrived in camp,. the McClellan family went at once to Grandma Rigby's, in
or near what is now Pioneer Park, at 4th south and 2nd west. There they made their first
camp, unloaded their wagons, removed the box from the running gears and set it on two
pieces of log, so it would be off the ground. The women folks then rearranged things in
it for living quarters while the men took the running gears and went to the mountains for
wood timber for building, fencing, burning charcoal, and etc. They did everything they
could to prepare for winter. Thus they passed the first winter in Salt Lake City. James
decided to go south in the spring, and was ready to go about the first of March 1851. It
took them eight days-hard work to reach Payson (1 1/2 hours by car), where they decided
to stop, but with some misgivings on the water question, as there were ten or eleven
families ahead of them. He made a home down on what was known as the herd grounds,
northwest of Payson proper now. There for the next 13 years, until 1864, he was active
in civic and church affairs. September 1, 1851. On this date an official report to
headquarters of the church showed there were 116 baptized members in the Payson
Branch. James Pace was president, with James McClellan and Elias Gardner as
counselors. In the spring of 1852, President James Pace and James Elias Gardner his
counselor were called on missions to Europe and James McClellan succeeded to the
Presidency of the colony. (Journal History) - August 11, 1852, their 12th child, another
daughter Arminta Zerada, was born. On March 6, 1854 the branch organization at
Payson was discontinued and a ward organized with Charles B. Hancock as Bishop and
James McClellan and K. Fairbanks as counselors. October 13, 1854, George A. Smith,
going to settlements in Southern Utah got fresh horses at Payson and James McClellan,
Jos. Curtis, William Head, and Brother Colvin to go with them for protection from the
Indians. December 31, 1854, Report to general authorities of the death of Bishop Cross
of Payson, signed by James McClellan, President. In December 1855, Joseph G. Hovey
visited Payson as a special missionary. He arrived December 9th and under his
supervision the so-called Hovey Reformation took place, during which many of the
people renewed their covenants by baptism, among them was the Bishop and his
counselors. During the meetings held at this time, James McClellan was dropped as a
counselor from the Bishopric. January 3, 1858, James McClellan, one of a committee of
9 appointed to draft resolutions supporting President Brigham Young as Govenor of
Utah. May 25, 1858, at Provo, President Young requested Albert Carrington to write a
letter to James McClellan in regard to herding horses. On the 29th of April 1862, a little
less than 12 years after the family came into the Salt Lake Valley, Cynthia the wife of
James McClellan was taken by death at the age of 52, leaving three unmarried children:
Sarah Amanda, age 17; Cynthia Selena, age 12; and Arrninta Zerada, age 10. With this
setup they managed home affairs very well for the next two years, but in February 1863,
Sarah, now being 19 years of age, married James Booker Manwill. This left her father,
James, with the two girls. 12 and 14 years of age. Hardly old enough, James thought, to
take the full responsibility of the home. So in the Spring of 1864 he married Lydia
Knight the widow of Newel Knight who had died while they were crossing the plains.
September 26, 1862, the molasses exhibited by Brother James McClellan was a very
superior quality, resembled honey in color, mild and plesant to taste. April 1863, left his
home to meet the incoming emigration. Had a private team going for goods, driven by
Jesse Knight. They left Florence on the Missouri about the 4th of July on their return
home, about one hundred wagons and three or four hundred emigrants. In 1864 he
received and answered a call to settle on the Muddy, The results of that pioneering are
known -- as fast as a dam was built in the river, the beavers would tear it out. They
moved to Beaver Dam and then to Santa Clara. October 27, 1871, He received a call
from the First Presidency to fill a mission in the United States to preach the gospel, and
administer in all the ordinances thereof pertaining to his office. April 5, 1872, Elder
James McClellan of Santa, Clara, Utah arrived in Salt Lake City on his return from a
mission to the states. He traveled chiefly in Texas and was treated kindly by the people
among whom he visited. The lower part of the St. Georgie Temple was dedicated
Monday, January 1, 1877 and the first ordinances performed in it Tuesday, January 9,
1877. James McClellan was baptized for the dead on March 13, 1877 and did
endowment work on the 14th, just two months and four days after the work began.
Between this date and April 22, 1880, when he did his last sealing for others, he was
baptized for 83 people, endowed for 90, and sealed for 42 besides having seven women
sealed to him. On June 10, he stood proxy for the adoption of 8 of the McCall sons to
their parents. 1874 -- on his 70th birthday, a celebration was held in Payson honoring
him. Dinner in the orchard in the afternoon for the family. Dance at night in the ward.
Payson, Utah
August 10,
1874
Editor of The Deseret News
On the 8th inst. I attended a family reunion at the residence of Wm. C. McClellan, in
this place, which was to me one of the most pleasant occasions of my life. It was Father
James McClellan's 70th birthday and he had come from far off Santa Clara, away in
Utah's sunny Dixie to meet with his posterity from different parts of the territory to enjoy
with them a happy reunion. A bounteous repast was spread at noon under an awning in
the orchard and the aged veteran sat down to it with his four sons and six daughters with
their numerous progengy, numbering in all 77 souls. There were also seated at the table,
his wife, formerly Sister Newel Knight, and a number of her children and grandchildren.
Also a few friends of the family who had been invited to participate in the festivities of
the day. After the dinner had been eaten and discussed and the tables cleared the
assemblage was seated under the delightful shade of the canopy and waving trees, and
were addressed by Elders J. B. Fairbanks, Bishop J.S. Tanner, Father McClellan, Brothers
I. M. Coombs, John Loveless, Wm. C. McClellan, Samuel W. McClellan, James
Loveless, Hugh J. McClellan, and J. Jasper McClellan. Father McClellan emigrated to
this territory in the year 1850 and settled in this town, where he lived an honored and
respected citizen until the year 1864 when he was sent on a mission south to assist in
building up that portion of the territory, He located himself at Beaver Dam, but that place
being destroyed by, floods he removed to Santa Clara where he has resided and labored
ever since. Himself and wife, in addition to other industries, have given considerable
attention to silk (sericulture) at that place, and have met with encouraging success. I was
pleased to notice on the shoulders of sister McClellan a most beautiful silk mantle, made
of silk spun by worms which had been fed by her own hands. It is a garment that might
grace a queen. Father McClellan and wife return to their home this week.
October 27, 1880, had six of his 12 children sealed to their parents. One of these
however, Arminta Z. Bunker was born under the covenant and it. should not have been
necessary. So far as the record shows, this was the last temple work he did before he
died. During that winter his health failed very rapidly. He felt the end was near and
expressed a desire to return to Payson, asking someone to come and assist him home.
James B. Manwill, a son-in-law and Jas. McClellan took a team and wagon and went to
Santa Clara. Grandfather James had a light rig white top -- and Brother Manwill started
out with him. Young Jas. came along slowly with the wagon and grandfather's
belongings. It seemed the nearer they got, the weaker grandfather got, until when they
reached Milford, Brother Manwill put him on the train in care of the conductor and wired
ahead to the folks at Payson to meet the train. The children had gone to Sunday School,
when the train arrived. Grandfather was taken to the home of his son Sam and those of
his children who lived in Payson gathered around him. A doctor was called in, but he
stated that there was nothing he could do. James McClellan passed away Monday
morning, February 10, 1881, and the journal entry in the Deseret News states that the
cause of his death was pneumonia. Funeral services were held in the old 2nd ward and
he was buried by the side of his wife Cynthia in the Payson Cemetary.
Return to History Index
RETURN TO MANWILL FAMILY HOME PAGE
