John McClelland
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John B McClelland (abt. 1734 - 1782)

Lt. Col John B McClelland
Born about in Lancaster County, Pennsylvaniamap
Son of and
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 12 Nov 1759 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniamap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , , and
Died at about age 48 in Sandusky Expedition, Erie, Ohio, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 31 Dec 2012
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Contents

Biography

John McClelland was born in 1734[1] [2], Lancaster County, Province of Pennsylvania[3][2][4] or possibly 1740, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania [5][6][7]and was known as John McClelland of Westmoreland County[2][8]

Marriage and Land

John married Martha Dale, November 12, 1759; he took up land in Franklin Township before 1770.[2]which fell into Fayette Co., Pennsylvania on its ‘organization’ in 1783[9][10].

McClelland was killed by Indians, in 1782; leaving a widow Martha, and Nine children

  1. Hugh (eldest son)
  2. Johanna (Hannah)
  3. Jane
  4. Elizabeth
  5. Alexander
  6. John
  7. Samuel
  8. Charles
  9. Andrew

Apparently, John owned land in Monongalia County, known locally as Mon County in West Virginia; because we find his heirs in Deedbook Records 1784-1810: Deed Record OS 2:378 Dtd 28 Dec 1801; Hugh And Charlotte McClelland, Union Twp, Fayette Co., PA (Grantor) to Martha McClelland, Joshua and Hannah (Johanna), John and Jane Parr, Peter and Elizabeth Starky, Alexander and Catherine McClelland, John and Rachel McClelland, Samuel and Elenor McClelland, and Charles McClelland (Grantees) are all of Fayette Co., PA except the Reeds, who are of Shelby Co., KY. John McClelland, deceased, obtained 384 acres on waters of Dunkers Creek, adjoining Richard Achcraft, through a patent of 25 October 1786 on a certificated in right of settlement.[citation needed]

John also owned a tract at Redstone Creek, Fayette Co., PA, under the right of Richard Crooks and another tract adjacent. The Crooks tract is in possession of Martha McClelland, the widow and the adjoining tract held by Hugh McClelland, grantor. :: The remaining heirs (with the exception of Joshua and Johanna Reed) having made a quitclaim to Hugh regarding the tract upon which he lives, he now releases his claim to the Dunkers Creed tract and the Crooks tract. This release not to take effect until Joshua and Johanna have executed a quitclaim upon the land where Hugh lives. Consideration: None stated. Signed: Hugh McClelland, Charlotte (+) McClelland. Witnesses: David Sutton, John COurtney. Acknowledged: 26 Dec 1801 before Jonathan Roland and Robert Moore, JPs. Certificate of Ephraim Douglass, prothonotary. No delivery shown. Recorded: OS 2:378.[citation needed]


Civic and Military

John was either the founder or co-founder of McClellandtown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania[11][12]

John was a member of the commission for the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, and later represented Westmoreland County in the Pennsylvania General Assembly of 1778[2]The Convention met in Philadelphia, July 15, 1776, to form a constitution and frame a government for the state of Pennsylvania. A committee of prominent citizens met at Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, on June 15, 1776, in order to make arrangements for a convention anticipating the separation of the colonies from Great Britain. Attendants were asked by the committee "to choose such persons only to act for them in the ensuing convention as are distinguished for wisdom, integrity, and a firm attachment to the liberties of this province." In pursuance of this recommendation, delegates were chosen July 5, 1776, and the eight delegates to the convention elected for Westmoreland County were John Moore, Edward Cook, James Perry, James Barr, James Smith, John Carmichael, John McClelland, and Christopher Lobingier[13]

In 1776, McClelland's Fort, an early army outpost, was built on a cliff near Royal Spring Park, Georgetown, Kentucky. The fort was abandoned in 1777, however, after Indian attacks increased in frequency and severity. John B. McClelland may have been involved in surveying the land, or possibly building a nearby log cabin. Though, it's more likely that a cousin, by the name of John McClelland (1745–1776), was actually responsible. A monument to Scott County's fallen soldiers of the Revolution now marks the location.[14].[15]

Westmoreland Militia

At the outset of the Revolutionary War, McClelland was appointed to a citizen’s committee to procure arms and ammunition for the defense of the struggling new nation. He enlisted in the Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion, on January 28, 1776[16]which worked in conjunction with the Continental Army during the war. McClelland later became a Captain in the First Battalion of Westmoreland Militia, a unit which was prominent in the Siege of Yorktown.[17][18]. However, it was actually his son, John McClelland (1766–1849), who helped illustrate the unfair nature of the taxes imposed during the Whiskey Insurrection [19] Officers of the Westmoreland Militia met on June 18, 1781, at the home of Captain John McClelland, on Big Sewickley Creek, and by a majority, voted to give aid to General George Rogers Clark.

It was resolved to furnish 300 men out of the County Militia to join General Clark's army against the Ohio savages, for the immediate benefit of the Westmoreland frontier; despite the fact that Clark's real intention was to conquer the British post at Detroit.[20]

Although George Washington agreed to transfer a small group of regulars to assist Clark, the detachment was defeated in August 1781 before they could meet up with Clark, effectively putting an end to the campaign.

Crawford Expedition

By 1782, the Indians of the frontier allied themselves with the British and started attacking settlers. McClelland was commissioned a Major[21] and made third in command of an expedition, led by Colonel William Crawford, intended to put an end to Indian attacks on American settlers in that region.

In fact, John McClelland was one of four majors elected for the Crawford Expedition. The other Majors included David Williamson (Pennsylvania) of Washington County, Pennsylvania, Thomas Gaddis of Westmoreland (now Fayette),[22]and James Brenton also of Westmoreland County (now part of Washington County, Pennsylvania).[23]

By that time, McClelland was certainly no novice in military affairs, having been a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fourth Battalion of Militia of Westmoreland County, to which he was elected on January 3, 1778.[24]

He was a brave and efficient officer, and much respected as a citizen. His election as one of the general officers of the expedition, at Mingo Bottom (present Mingo Junction, Ohio), was evidence of the confidence reposed in him by the volunteers, with many of whom he was personally acquainted.[25]

Upon learning that a British detachment from Detroit was about to join forces with the Wyandot Indian forces, and that a large band of Shawnee warriors had also appeared to the south, Colonel Crawford commenced a retreat, with Major John McClelland leading the way. However, the volunteer army was soon attacked by the Shawnee and Delaware Indians, and suffered severely. McClelland was wounded and fell from his horse. Calling to John Orr, who was near, he told him to take his horse (Orr was on foot) and clear himself, which he did.[26]

Orr afterward related that he heard several of the men who were in the conflict say that the horsemen on the retreat rode over McClelland; and it was the general belief that he was killed where he fell. Such, however, was not the case.[27]

The remainder of the division became disorganized and panic-stricken and disregarding McClelland's orders to follow the advance in a solid column, did not follow the prescribed route, becoming entangled in the wetlands.[28]

Death

John McClelland; died 6-5-1782, during the Sandusky Expedition (also known as Crawford's Expedition), when taken prisoner by the Indians, and tortured and killed-Near Illinois Co., Virginia[5]; Illinois County, Virginia, was a political and geographic region, part of the British Province of Quebec, claimed during the American Revolutionary War on July 4, 1778 by George Rogers Clark of the Virginia Militia, during the Illinois Campaign. It was formally recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia later that year. The County was accorded official governmental existence, including legally defined boundaries and a formal governmental structure under the laws of the Commonwealth. The county's existence also has a defined end-point in 1784, when the Commonwealth of Virginia ceded the land to the new United States federal government. The area later became part of the Northwest Territory by an Act of Congress in 1787. The county was bordered to the southeast by the Ohio River at the time of its existence. It is not within the boundaries of the modern-day state of Virginia.[29]. John McClelland died in the state of Ohio

Ohio Map depicting Battle sites during the Revolution

John Slover, one of the guides on the Crawford Expedition, saw McClelland's body at Wapatomica. The Indians had painted his body black, cut him with their tomahawks, and burnt holes with loads of gunpowder into it. His body was cruelly mangled; the blood mixed with gunpowder and was rendered black. McClelland's body, along with the body of William Harrison, Colonel Crawford's son-in-law and the body of young William Crawford, the Colonel's nephew, was dragged approximately two hundred yards outside of the town. The corpses were given to the dogs, except their limbs and heads, which were mounted on poles.[30][31]

See: Estate of John B McClelland for a transcription of his probate.

Memorial and Foundation

The John B. McClelland Memorial Foundation was established to preserve the legacy of John B McClelland (1734 - 1782), Revolutionary War patriot and founding forefather of the United States of America.

Paying tribute to John B. McClelland’s service and sacrifice, by erecting a memorial in his remembrance and/or applying for a historical marker from the State of Ohio, to be located at Wapatomica (Logan County, Ohio, about halfway between West Liberty and Zanesfield), where Major McClelland was captured, tortured, and executed by the Shawnee Indians[32] The Foundation created the John B McClelland Memorial Foundation Badge.

John B McClelland Memorial Foundation Badge

A government-issued marker honoring Lt. Col. John B. McClelland has been installed where his wife, Martha Dale McClelland (1741–1822); son, John B McClelland (1766–1849); and daughter-in-law, Rachel Orr McClelland (1770–1843); are buried, at Tenth Presbyterian Church Cemetery (275 Tent Church Road, Uniontown, Pennsylvania).[33]



Sources

  1. ↑ Hist. of Co., of Westmoreland Pa; v. 1.;Pg 79; “Civil Affairs in Westmoreland on the eve of the Revolution” retrieved from Googlebooks-Searchable field on 11-17-2018; https://books.google.com/books?id=UKZWAAAAYAAJ&q=mcclelland#v=snippet&q=mcclelland&f=false; which reads “John McClelland of Westmoreland County, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1734
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pg 93; Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biographyl V.4; 1880; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniamag59penngoog/page/n106; which describes McClelland, John, of Westmoreland County, born in Lancaster Co., Pa., in 1734
  3. ↑ The John B McClelland Memorial Foundation; website; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://sites.google.com/site/johnbmcclellandmemfdn/home
  4. ↑ Hist. of Westmoreland Co., v 1; Chapt. IX “The Beginning of the Revolution” Pg 129; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://archive.org/details/historyofwestmor01bouc/page/129
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 DAR Ancestor: MCCLELLAN, JOHN; Ancestor #: A075029; Service: PENNSYLVANIA: Rank(s): LIEUTENANT COLONEL; Birth: CIRCA 1740, Philadelphia Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Death: 6-5-1782, Sandusky-Near Illinois Co., Virginia:Service Source: PA ARCH, 6TH SER, VOL 2, PP 285, 385: Service Description: 1) WESTMORELAND CO, MILITIA; 2) SANDUSKY EXPEDITION AGAINST INDIANS; Retrieved 11-18-2018 from: http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A075029
  6. ↑ SAR Patriot: John MC CLELLAND; SAR Patriot #: P-244025; Birth: 1740; Death: 1782; Sources: SAR Patriot Index Edition III (CD: PP2210, Progeny Publ., 2002) plus data to 2004; retrieved 11/17/2018 from: https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/244025
  7. ↑ SAR Patriot: John MCCLELLAND; SAR Patriot #: P-245596; Rank: Lieutenant Colonel; Birth: 1740; Death: 1782; Sources: 46th-55th Annual Reports DAR. Senate documents (United States Congress, Senate). Government Printing Office: Washington, DC; Cemetery: City: County/State Logan / OH; retrieved 11/17/2018 from: https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/245596
  8. ↑ Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File; Items Between McClelland, Jno. and McClewain, Robert; Pennsylvania State Archives; provides copies of Loan Certificates or Money draft certificates (Militia Loan of 1 April 1784 & 30 March 1785; Public Debt; Records of the Comptroller General of D.P.R.; issued to John McClelland of Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; or to his estate; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive.asp?view=ArchiveItems&ArchiveID=13&FL=M&FID=526919&LID=527018
  9. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 123; cited on Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John B. McClelland
  10. ↑ Boucher, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Chapter IX: "The Beginning of the Revolution." p. 129; cited on Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John B. McClelland
  11. ↑ Leckey, The Ten mile Country and Its Pioneer Families: A Genealogical History of the Upper Monongahela Valley. p. 31; retrieved 11-18-2018 from Google Books; searchable; https://books.google.com/books?id=UM7gBFLDzvkC&q=mcclelland#v=snippet&q=mcclelland&f=false; " John McClelland founder of McClellandtown, Fayette County, Pa"
  12. ↑ Jordan, Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania, "Vol. 3." p. 1174; retrieved 11-18-2018 from Googlebooks searchable; https://books.google.com/books?id=9MswAQAAMAAJ&q=Mcclelland#v=snippet&q=Mcclelland&f=false; McClellandtown , Fayette County, Pennsylvania, was founded by John Mcclelland, great-great-uncle of William McClelland born in Antrim Ireland in 1733 and died in Pennsylvania in 1815
  13. ↑ Boucher, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Chapter XXIII: "Bench and Bar." pp. 322–323; cited by Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  14. ↑ Gelbert, American Revolutionary War Sites, Memorials, Museums and Library Collections: A State-by-State Guidebook to Places Open to the Public, 42; cited on Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  15. ↑ Kleber, The Kentucky Encyclopedia, 591; cited on Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  16. ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Archives, Volume X, Series II: "Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion, Col Anthony Wayne January 3, 1776 – January 24, 1777." p. 138.; cited by Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  17. ↑ Pennsylvania State Archives, Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File. Series #13.50; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  18. ↑ Boucher, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Chapter IX: "The Beginning of the Revolution." p. 129; cited from Wikipedia.org; retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  19. ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Archives, Volume IV, Series II: "Papers Relating to What is Known as the Whiskey Insurrection in Western Pennsylvania." p. 212-215, 233; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  20. ↑ Hassler, Old Westmoreland – A History of Western Pennsylvania During the Revolution, 134; ; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  21. ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Archives, Volume II, Series VI: "Battalions Not Stated Westmoreland County Militia." p. 385; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  22. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 77. cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  23. ↑ Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, 115. cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  24. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 123. cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  25. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 123. cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  26. ↑ Brown, The Battle of Sandusky: June 4–6, 1782. Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 65 (April 1982), 142; . cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  27. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 221–223. . cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  28. ↑ Ellis, History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Chapter XI: "The Revolution." p. 99; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  29. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_County,_Virginia
  30. ↑ Butterfield, An Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky Under Col. William Crawford in 1782, 345–347; cited from Wikipedia.org retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._McClelland
  31. ↑ Pg 108 Hist. of Fayette Co., retrieved 11-18-2018 from: https://archive.org/details/historyoffayette00elli/page/108
  32. ↑ https://sites.google.com/site/johnbmcclellandmemfdn/about-us
  33. ↑ A May 19, 2012 Marker Dedication Ceremony, Uniontown, Pennsylvania for Lt. Col. John B. McClelland & Ensign John McClelland; Presented by: General Arthur Saint Clair Chapter S.A.R. Greensburg, Pennsylvania & Northeastern Ohio Chapter S.A.R. Ashtabula, Ohio; https://sites.google.com/site/johnbmcclellandmemfdn/marker-dedication-ceremony-for-lt-col-john-b-mcclelland-ensign-john-mcclelland
  • Heitman, Francis Bernard (1914); Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution, April 1775, to December, 1783; Published by Rare Book Shop Publishing Company( pg 365) retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=tZALAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA365#v=onepage&q&f=false; “John McClelland (PA) lieutenant colonel Pennsylvania militia; killed in action against the Indians in ohio 11th june 1782”
  • The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography; V. IV., Pg 93; by Historical Society of Pennsylvania; The Constitutional Convention of 1776; Publication date 1880
  • Albert, George Dallas (1882) History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania: with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men; Volume 1; Published by: L.H. Everts & Company
  • Ellis, Franklin (1882) History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men; published by Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co.
  • (Information from Jerry Collins [jerryhcollins@@@@attbi.com] May 2002through Anita Miller [ham iller4627@@@@aol.com April 2002)[mcclellandancestors.ged]


Acknowledgements

  • Thank you to Cheryl McClelland for creating WikiTree profile McClelland-425 through the import of McClelland-Carey 2013 Tree.ged on Sep 21, 2013.
  • jhc-4cousins.FTW
  • mhovar.FTW
  • Baker2.ged
  • Ohioand.ged
  • IVAN MARTS Note: ABBR IVAN MARTS
  • marthamcanc.FTW
  • angelone.ged
  • appygrl.FTW
  • Title: 1921958.FTW
  • mcclellandancestors.ged
  • 154821.ged




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John B McClelland Death Information pg 1
John B McClelland Death Information pg 1
John B McClelland Death Information pg 2
John B McClelland Death Information pg 2
John McClelland and Martha Dale family data collection
John McClelland and Martha Dale family data collection
John Mclelland and Martha Dale Marriage Record
John Mclelland and Martha Dale Marriage Record
John B McClelland Memorial Foundation
John B McClelland Memorial Foundation
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Pyle-388 Katie Pyle
McClelland-193 and McClelland-425 appear to represent the same person because: Same history in the revolutionary war with a discrepancy in birth year
posted by Katie Pyle

Rejected matches › John McClellan Sr. (abt.1700-) › John F. McClelland (1832-1905) › John McClelland (-aft.1773) › John McClelland (1770-) › John R McClelland

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Categories: Tent Presbyterian Cemetery, Fairchance, Pennsylvania | Lancaster County, Pennsylvania | NSSAR Patriot Ancestors | Pennsylvania Militia, American Revolution | American Revolution Army Officers | Crawford's Defeat