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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pike County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Judge W. N. McClure, Murfreesboro, Ark. Not without justice, Judge W. N. McClure is conceded to hold a representative position among the prominent and successful men of Pike County, for he has rendered valuable service in many different capacities, some of which are referred to in the present sketch. On November 1, 1842, he was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., and was the elder of two children, the result of the union of Thomas W. and Mary M. (Dickson) McClure, natives of Tennessee. The parents moved to Arkansas in 1849, settled in Pike County, and there they still reside. The father is not active in politics, but he and wife are worthy and much respected members of the Methodist Protestant Church. Judge W. N. McClure attained his growth in this county, and received a limited English education in the common country schools. At the age of twenty-four he started out for himself as a farmer, and this he has continued to follow. He is the owner of 315 acres of land, with seventy acres under cultivation, and this yields on an average thirty-five bushels of corn, or one-half bale of cotton to the acre. Judge McClure enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, as second sergeant in Company C, Nineteenth Arkansas Regiment, and served in this until 1864. He was engaged in the battle of Arkansas Post, and was taken prisoner by Gen. McClernand. After being retained for three months, he was exchanged and was consolidated with the Twenty-fourth Arkansas, in which regiment he continued until after the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. He was then united with the Eighth Arkansas, and was in the battle of Resaca, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Ga., Jonesboro, and was also in numerous skirmishes. He was twice slightly wounded, and after the war he returned to his home, where he engaged in his former occupation. He has been twice married; first, on July 12, 1866, to Miss E. J. Hale, a native of Tennessee, though principally reared in Arkansas, and the daughter of William C. and Lucy A. (Parker) Hale, who resided for some time in Tennessee, but finally moved to Arkansas. To Mr. and Mrs. McClure were born six sons, all of whom are living: Thomas W., James R., John W., Henry B., Robert O. and Philip L. Thomas W. was married in December, 1886, to Miss Nancy A. Crawford, a native of North Carolina. James R. is at present attending the Nazereth University at Corinth, Ark. John W. is attending school at Murfreesboro. Mrs. McClure died on January 28, 1877, and in September, 1881, Judge McClure took for his second wife Miss Mary E. Strawn, a native of Pike County, Ark., and the daughter of Thomas J. and Sarah A. (White) Strawn. To this union were born two children: Samuel W. (who died in 1887) and Randall D. In politics Judge McClure is a Republican, and takes a deep interest in political affairs. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1867, served four years, and was then elected to the same position and served four years more. He was then elected to the assessor’s office, served two years, and in 1880 was elected sheriff of Pike County, which position he filled in a creditable and satisfactory manner for six years. While serving in that capacity he made quite a number of arrests, among the most important of which was the arrest of C. W. Wynn, in 1883, who was wanted in Texas for murder. He also made the arrest of one McDaniel, who was wanted in Louisiana for the same offense. While filling this position he had some noted criminals in his jail, which was twice burned during his administration, and two men (criminals) lost their lives in the conflagration. In 1888 Mr. McClure was elected county judge, and this position he holds at the present time. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined Pike Lodge No. 91, in 1881, and is at present junior warden. He also belongs to the Laborer’s Union. He and wife are members of the Hope Hill Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a liberal supporter of all laudable public enterprises, and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

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This family biography is one of 71 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pike County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Pike County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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