Lewis Calvin McCleary, p. 1408

LEWIS CALVIN McCLEARY, one of the most prosperous young farmers of East Finley township, was born June 6, 1855, in East Finley township, this county. William McCleary, his father, was born of Irish parentage, a son of Thomas and Mary (Linn) McCleary, who emigrated from Ireland and made a permanent home in Virginia, where they reared a large family of children, of whom William was born February 18, 1805, and passed his early life in Virginia.

In 1830 he moved to Washington county, Penn., and for eighteen years drove stage on the National pike, afterward served five years as constable of Donegal township. He then served as toll collector near West Alexander, and finally settled on the farm in East Finley township, which is now the property of his heirs. On January 17, 1836, he was united in marriage with Susan G. Wilkinson, of Fayette county, Penn., daughter of Thomas and Prudence (Lewis) Wilkinson, and she bore him the following children: Thomas J., born February 20, 1837 (married to Martha Russell); James C., born January 3, 1839 (married to Maggie Hair); John E., born June 24, 1841 (married to Cornelia Carter); Mary J., born December 17, 1843 (wife of Robert Bell); Sarah E., born January 16, 1846 (Mrs. Porter McCarrell); William L., born May 23, 1848 (married to Mary E. Brinton); Martha L. born August 16, 1850 (wife of John Donely); Francis M., born July 18, 1853 (married to Adelphia Mitchell); Lewis Calvin (subject of sketch); Martin L., born August 13, 1857 (married to Laura Stoy); and Caroline A., born December 6, 1860 (residing at home). William McCleary was an earnest member of the Baptist Church. In politics he was active in the Democratic party, and served three years as superintendent of the Cumberland road. On April 3, 1882, he passed from this life, leaving an honorable and enviable record.

Lewis Calvin McCleary was born on the farm of his father near the headwaters of the Templeton fork of Wheeling creek, and received his education at Pleasant Grove school, in West Finley township. He assisted his father on the farm until 1876, when he began working for Robert Bell, of Franklin township, this county, being in his employ for more than two years; then returned home and remained there until the death of his father. In May, 1882, he was married to Violet A. Porter, who was born December 10, 1857, a daughter of John Porter, of Donegal township, this county, and the following children were born to them: Beatrice Lenora, born April 17, 1883; Annie Myrtle, born November 2, 1884 (deceased May 10, 1886); Nellie May, born September 19, 1886; Bessie Eveline, born January 11, 1888; Herbert Raymond, born May 15, 1890.

After the death of his father Mr. McCleary purchased a one-third interest in the home farm, and has also an interest in 500 acres of farm land in Marshall county, W. Va. Since purchasing the home farm, Mr. McCleary has resided there, engaged in agriculture, and very prominently identified with stock raising. He has introduced some of the very finest breeds of cattle and sheep to be found in the county, and, with a brother, was the first to introduce, from direct importation, Dorset sheep in East Finley township. He is also much interested in breeding Holstein cattle, and owns some very fine imported specimens of that stock, and which he breeds for sale. Politically Mr. McCleary is a Democrat, and is always in demand during every political crisis; he has held several township offices. In religious faith he and his wife are both members of the Baptist Church at Pleasant Grove.

Text taken from page 1408 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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