b. November 1789, d. 11 April 1866
| Birth | Nov 1789 | James McClure was born the 1st or 4th of Nov 1789 in Augusta County, Virginia.3,4 |
| Marriage | 28 Nov 1815 | He married Susanna Montgomery, daughter of Richard Montgomery and Elizabeth McCall, on 28 Nov 1815.1 |
| Migration | 1816 | James and Susanna spent the first year or two following their marriage living in Ashe County, North Carolina.2 |
| | However they did not choose to settle there permanently. In the early summer of 1816 James contemplated moving to the "west country" but did not do so. Susanna gave birth to twin daughters in July 1817 whom they named Mary and Eliza, no doubt in honor of their mothers. However Eliza died in December. By 1819 the couple was back in Virginia where they settled in Russell County. Susanna gave birth in Virginia to her next child, a daughter they named Elizabeth. The other twin, Mary, died in 1826. James and Susanna named their next born daughter Mary Ann in her memory.5 |
| Migration | | James found that times were difficult in Russell County. He had trouble selling the leather goods he produced and land values were weak. In 1828 his brother Thomas moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee. In June 1830 Susanna gave birth to a daughter the couple named Virginia. A few months later they joined Thomas in Hawkins County.5 |
| | There James and Susanna settled on a 500 acre farm a few miles west of Rogersville on the old Knoxville to Bristol stage road. James kept a tavern, ran a tanyard and farmed the land. His efforts were succesful and about 1847 he built a large brick home on his land.6 |
| | As trains replaced stage coaches, James focused on developing his farmland. In 1850 it was valued at $6,000. By 1860 it had increased in worth to $12,000. James also reported that he held $10,000 in personal property that year [suggesting slaves helped run the farm].7,8 |
| Will | 7 Jun 1865 | James wrote his will on 7 Jun 1865 in Hawkins County. He left Susannah the farm on which they resided and which he described as on the road between 2 and 3 miles west of Rogersville along with all the household, kitchen and farming utensils. At Susannah's death the land was to pass to James's 4 daughters: Nancy Jane, Mary Ann, Virginia and Martha. He noted that his daughter Elizabeth Doak had already received her share and therefore left her $1. Daughter Margaret White received a portion of the family farm adjoining J. H. Vance and son Mitchell was devised the farm on which he lived which contained 182 acres and sat about 4 miles west of Rogersville on the main road. And son Montgomery received a tract of land situated about 8 miles west of Rogersville, also on the main road. The two sons, Mitchell and Montgomery were charged with paying their father's debts. James appointed Susannah as his executrix; she was not to be required to qualify or provide a bond.9 |
| Death | 11 Apr 1866 | James died at his home near Rogersville on 11 Apr 1866 at age 76.2 |
| Burial | | He was buried at the McClure Cemetery near the family home in Hawkins County.10 |
| | James was remembered in a 1914 McClure family history as a man of great intelligence, an avid reader, with an independent streak. He was said to be large and muscular and was totally deaf the last years of his life. This apparently contributed to his death, as despite his deafness he insisted on walking in the middle of the road. Not able to hear them coming, he was struck by a company of Union Cavalry and suffered injuries from which he never fully recovered.6 |
