BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 595-596.


WILLIAM J. McCLAIN, the leading contractor and builder, and a representative
citizen of Bellaire, was born July 12, 1849, in county Tyrone, Ireland.
Joseph and Jane (Ellison) McClain were his parents, they were natives of
the same county, the father having been born in the year 1801. After
obtaining as much of an education as was possible he went to work as a
stone-mason, afterward becoming a contractor, being engaged in this work
until his demise in 1867. Joseph was the father of nine children, six sons
and three daughters. Six of these children survive their parents, the
mother having followed her husband to the grave in the year 1882, dying
in her son's home at Bellaire. When fifteen years of age, up to which time
he had been engaged in acquiring an education, William McClain began work
with his father as a stone-mason, and was engaged in this pursuit in Ireland
until 1866, when he came to the United States, and located in Belmont county,
first working for John Duboise. After remaining with Mr. Duboise for some
time, Mr. McClain began contracting, his first contracts being in Bellaire.
His success was not very flattering at the outset, as he was unable to
collect the money for several different contracts which he had completed
in a satisfactory manner. Through the kindness of Messrs Houge & Cowan,
then engaged in banking in the city, Mr. McClain was enabled to continue
in his business, they having loaned him the the sum of $300 without security.
From this time he had a very prosperous season until 1873, when he invested
all of his capital in the Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Kentucky railroad, and the
property that had been accumulated during his residence in this country was
all lost in this railroad. Continuing in his business, he in time regained
his losses and in 1886 purchased a large tract or land near Bellaire, at
is what is now known as McClainsville, were he opened a stone quarry.  Mr.
McClain soon after founded a town known as McClainsville. This quarry has
proved a very wise investment, he having built some of the finest buildings
in Bellaire and surrounding towns, and is also the builder of the Belmont
county court house and jail, and the Orphans' Home, jail and sheriff's
residence of Monroe county. Mr. McClain's reputation as a builder gained
for him the building of the Broad Street Methodist Episcopal church of
Columbus. In 1870 he took Sarah J. Braiden to wife, and by her has had
eight children: James, William J., Samuel, Bessie, Lillie B., Sadie,
Richard and Ora M., all living but James and Lillie. Mr. and Mrs. McClain
are members of the First Presbyterian church, and the former is also a
Mason, and a member of the I. O. O. F. His political faith is founded
upon the principles of the republican party.