Chapter: TOWN OF FRANKLINVILLE

Page 638.

GENERAL JOSEPH McCLUER - 1775-1833

General Joseph McCluer (or McLure/McClure), the first settler in the town of Franklinville, was born in Belchertown, Worcester county, Mass. May 14, 1775, and at about the age of twenty married Betsey Grice. He came to this town and located on the site of the village in March 1806, with his wife and five children. He was an agent and surveyor of the Holland Land Company. He served as captain on the Niagara frontier in the War of 1812 and was the soldier who rescued the bugler Burns after he had deserted from the British and swam the Niagara river to reach the American lines. Mr. McCluer represented the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara (Note by Laura...much of the county of Niagara became Erie County) in the Assembly of 1814-15, the three counties forming one district. He was county clerk in 1821 and was a general in the State militia. After an active and eventful life, he died of heart disease September 11, 1833. His wife survived him eleven years, and was buried by his side in the family burying ground a few rods south of their former habitation. The remains of both were subsequently removed to the present cemetery. The family of Joseph and Betsey McCluer consisted of five sons and three daughters:

SAMUEL McCLUER - 1795-1829

Samuel married Lucy Carpenter and settled on the hill road on Lot 30. He kept a hotel until his death. He was born Dec. 4, 1795 and died in July, 1829. He built the first frame barn between Franklinville and Ellicottville. He had nine children:

Frederick (only child listed)

Frederick,(Samuel's son) was born Aug. 5, 1825 - married Permelia Nichols, and occupies the old homestead. Of their six children, four are living:

Dell

James H.

John H.

MANLY McCLUER - 1800-1853

Manley married Emily Wightman and settled on the west part of Lot 30. He filled several town offices, one of which was justice of the peace for several years. He was born June 26, 1800, and died May 1, 1853.

JOSEPH McCLUER - 1802 - ?

Joseph occupied the west part of Lot 23 prior to 1827, and resided on it until he removed to Canada in 1830. He was born June 1, 1802. He gave a bushel of wheat for four pounds of nails, which were used in building his barn. He married Patty Long.

Emily married Roswell Warner, a farmer and a man of influence. One of their daughters married Jedediah Crosby and settled on Crosby hill.

Harriet married Pardon T. Jewell in 1825. Mr. Jewell was one of the early teachers and took a lively interest in our common schools. He was superintendent of schools for several years. He was elected justice of the peace in 1834 and again in 1840.

Caroline married John G. Mathewson in 1826 and settled upon the north part of Lot 4. After a few years, Mr. Mathewson removed to Michigan with his family, where his wife died several years ago.

Freeman McCluer first located on the south part of the old homestead and afterward on the south part of Lot 18. He was in the US service from Nov. 1861 to about 1863, when he was discharged on account of ill health. Returning to Franklinville, he was granted a pension, and soon disposed of his interests here and removed to Iowa.

David McCluer always resided within a few rods of the old log cabin in which he was reared. He lived in the town about 75 years. He received a fair education, studied law, and became an attorney of some note. In 1817, at the age of 10, he drove a team once a week to Ellicottville to supply Baker Leonard with provisions while he was building the first hotel erected in that place. He represented the town on the Board of Supervisors and fill other offices of trust. In Feb. 1825, he married the daughter of Thomas Morris. Of their children, Leonard D. McCluer enlisted in 1861 in the 21st NY Regiment and served until 1865. John, the youngest son, enlisted in Company I, 6th NY Calvary, and fell in battle in 1864.

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Page 659

BENJAMIN McCLUER - BROTHER OF GENERAL JOSEPH McCLUER

Benjamin McCluer, a brother of General Joseph McCluer, was born in Belchertown, Mass. in 1775. He married Elizabeth Barber in 1814, came to this town about 1821, and purchased a farm on lot 7, where he died in 1832. The farm was occupied by members of the family for many years afterward. Children:

Elizabeth (Mrs. James Mallory and later Mrs. William M.Older)

Mary J. (Mrs. Allen Briggs and afterward Mrs. Alanson Campbell)

Porter McCluer and Abner Hoyt owned parts of Lot 7

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DAVID McCLUER 1778 - 1848 - Cousin of General Joseph McCluer

(See Under Allegany Town for more information)

David McCluer, a cousin of Joseph McCluer, arrived in this town from Vermont in April 1806, and selected the north part of Lot 5, a few rods below the village of Cadiz, where (his son) Hiram Warner McCluer was born April 30, 1806, being the first child of Saxon origin born within the limits of Cattaraugus county. Mr. McCluer removed from Franklinville to Allegany (Catt. Co.) with his family about 1836 and resided there until his death. He was supervisor of Ischua in 1822. Hiram W. McCluer still resides in Allegany.

(Note: See below for more information on Hiram and his father David)

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Chapter: TOWN OF ALLEGANY, Cattaraugus County

Page 438

DAVID McCLUER - 1778 - 1848

Hiram W. McClure was the first white male child born in Cattaraugus County. His birth occurred at McClure settlement in the town of Franklinville on the 30th of April, 1806, and he was the eldest of nine children born to David and Orilla (Warner) McClure (see above for David McCluer, cousin to General Joseph McCluer). David McClure was born in Stafford, Connecticut June 29, 1778, and died in Allegany, January 20, 1848; his wife was born in the same place December 24, 1783 and died in Franklinville, February 19, 1849.

CHILDREN OF DAVID & ORILLA McCLURE:

Hiram W..

Antoinette, born January 5, 1808, died in Kansas August 1, 1888

Adaline , born March 15, 1810, died May 4, 1811

Sidney W., Born December 30, 1811 - of Wisconsin

Hannah, born October 5, 1813, died December 10, 1866

David, JR., born March 17, 1815, a physician of Indiana

Pennel, born January 2, 1817, a physician in Ohio, where he died October 6, 1842

Dexter, born February 9, 1819, a physician in Indiana, where he died Feb. 24, 1879

Lemira, born June 3, 1822 - of Minnesota

Hiram W. McClure on September 12, 1830 married Caroline Burlingame, who was born September 221, 1813, and who died January 6, 1887.

Dr. Sanford B.

Elizabeth L., born February 2, 1838, died 1839

Alice B., born August 5, 1840, married George S. Griffin

Rosebelle, born June 2, 1847

Francis C., born February 12, 1850

Agnes G., born November 12, 1851, married Dr. E.A. Chapman - of Jefferson County

Kate L., born September 22, 1856.

Hiram W. McClure located where he now resides in 1847. His first ballot was cast in 1828 for Andrew Jackson for president, and since then he has voted at every regular election except one. It is doubtful if another man in western New York can claim such an unbroken record. He has ever been prominent in town affairs and has held nearly every office of trust and responsibility. In 1838 and 1839 he represented Franklinville on the Board of Supervisors, and in 1851 and 1873 served in the same capacity for the town of Allegany. His son and his father were several times elected to the same office, the former from Allegany and the latter from Ischua and Franklinville. As a citizen Mr. McClure is greatly respected and esteemed. He has lived an active, honorable, upright life, and has always been foremost in promoting the general weal of the communities in which he has resided.

(page 114)

DR. SANFORD McCLURE (son of Hiram and Caroline)

Sanford B. McClure, son of Hiram W. and Caroline Burlingame McClure was born in Franklinville September 30, 1835, attended Mt. Morris Academy, and began reading medicine with John L. Eddy at Allegany. His studies were interrupted, however, in 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, 64th NY Vols. As a private, and served thirteen months. In consequence of a severe wound received at the battle of White Oak Swamp, Mr. McClure was in poor health for a number of years, but succeeded finally in acquiring a thorough knowledge of medicine and was graduated on June 17, 1874, from the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery. He at once entered upon his career in Allegany, which has since been his home. His first practice was in partnership with Zenas G. Bullock, which continued a year and a half. Dr. McClure has served three terms as supervisor, is the present incumbent of that office, has been school commissioner, and is a member of the county and Lake Erie Medical Societies, serving the former as censor. In June, 1864, he married Alice, daughter of Samuel Morgan, of Cuba, Allegany County. The great grandfather of Dr. McClure was a surgeon in the Revolutionary War, and three of his grandsons and three great-grandsons were physicians.