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Elijah J. McClure is a son of Elijah and Rhoda (Pauley) McClure, and he was
born in Boone county, (now) West Virginia, July 12, 1848. His father, who came from Kentucky to Kanawha county
in 1828, was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, April 7, 1800, and his mother was born in Kanawha county,
July 12, 1812. In Lincoln county, October 14, 1868, the Rev. G. W. Griffith joined in marriage Elijah J. McClure
and Susan Elizabeth Clark, and to them six children have been born: Wilburn Watson, July 26, 1869; Louisa
Hester Ann, June 1, 1871; James C. Foster, August 30, 1873; Julia A. H., June 5, 1876; Parker J., January 17,
1880; Effie M., June 14, 1882. Mrs. McClure was born in Kanawha county, August 20, 1851, and she is a daughter
of Levi and Elizabeth (Lacy) Clark, who reside in Kanawha county. Four brothers of Elijah J. McClure were
prompted to serve in the Federal army by an act of the Southern army. The Confederate soldiers went to the
home of Elijah McClure, Sr., and took him by force from the house, giving him his choice as to being shot or
hanged. Mr. McClure told them he had no choice, but if there was any honor in treating an old man in such a
manner, they could choose their own method. This reproof was enough, and they let him go. The subject of this
sketch came to Lincoln county when it was yet a part of Kanawha, and now owns 40 acres of land at the head of
Fuquas creek. The land is rich, very productive, for fruit as well as grain, and abounds with lime and iron ore.
There is upon the farm a good dwelling house, large barn and grainary, and splendid out-buildings of all
descriptions. Address, St. Albans, Kanawha county. West Virginia.
Extracted from West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, a reprint of Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia Lincoln County, WV, Biographies List, 1884.