McClure, John A.

The following data is extracted from Merrimack and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire Biographies.

John A. McClure, a successful farmer of Boscawen, was born here, October 22, 1822, son of John and Sallie (Potter) McClure, his father being from Exeter, N.H., and his mother from Pittsfield, N.H. His grandfather, James McClure, was an Adjutant-general in the Revolutionary War, but subsequently went to Dublin, Ireland, where he died. The father, a sea captain, sailed from East India and other places. Later he moved to Springfield, N.H., and then came to Boscawen. Here he settled on a farm, which was his place of residence, and lived there until his death in March, 1869, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife survived him until 1879, being ninety years of age at the time of her death. They had three children-Louisa L., John A., and Mary. Louisa, who married W. W. Kilbourne, died January 25, 1897. Mary is the widow of John L. Sargent, and resides in Gilmanton, N.H.

John A. McClure received only a common-school education. In 1877 he moved to his present estate of about one hundred acres, known as the old Flanders farm, which he has since made his home. Since then he has made several improvements on the place, including the erection of substantial buildings. He also owns the old homestead on High Street in Boscawen, where his son lives, containing about one hundred and fifty acres. An industrious man, he carries on general farming very successfully.

In 1849 Mr. McClure married Phœbe C. Stone, of Webster, daughter of Peter and Ruth (Call) Stone. Her parents, who resided in Webster on a farm, are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. McClure had four children, born as follows: Edwin P., in July, 1850; Addie V., August 18, 1853; Alice P., November 6, 1855; and Charles J., March 2, 1858. Edwin is now at home with his father; Addie V. is the wife of Richmond Simpson, and lives in Webster; Alice P. is the wife of John W. Ford, of Ford & Co., foundrymen at Concord, N.H.; and Charles J., who married Mary Esther Shepherd, now lives on the old McClure homestead in Boscawen, and is the father of two children-Lillian F. and Phœbe Stone. Mrs. Phœbe C. McClure died July 20, 1864.

Mr. McClure contracted a second marriage on March 5, 1871, with Susan W. Moore, of Canterbury, N.H. She was born January 22, 1837, daughter of John S. Moore, a farmer and lumber dealer of Canterbury, N.H. Her mother, Lucinda French Moore, also of Canterbury, died in 1849, after which Mr. Moore entered a second marriage with Hannah Dow, of Concord, who died in 1891. Mr. Moore died in 1870. His children by the first marriage were: Clara H., Charles H., Albert Ames, Sabrina C., Sylvester F., Susan W., Lucinda F., and Eliza T. Eliza T., the widow of Deacon Sewell, is now a teacher in Farmington, Me. With the exception of Mrs. McClure, Sabrina died at the age of twenty-two; Sylvester, aged fifty-three years; and Lucinda, aged twenty-eight. Born of the second marriage were two children-Hannah and John H. Hannah died in 1854, at the age of four years. John H., now a resident of Penacook, married Isabella B. Blackington, and is a travelling salesman for a firm in Dover, N.H.

Mr. McClure's only child by his second marriage, Sarah E., born September 28, 1875, having completed the course of the training school in Concord, is now a teacher in that city. The present Mrs. McClure and two of her stepsons are members of the Congregational church in Boscawen. The daughter residing in Concord is a member of the Methodist church in that city. In politics Mr. McClure is a Democrat, and has invariably voted with that party. He has been a hardworking man, and has been fairly successful in his business. He is well-known and highly regarded throughout the vicinity of Boscawen.

Source: Merrimack and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire Biographies

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