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Below is a family biography included in The History of Laclede County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Hon. J. W. McClurg, ex-governor of the State of Missouri, is a native of St. Louis County, Mo., born February 22, 1818, and is the son of Joseph and Mary (Brotherton) McClurg, and grandson of Joseph McClurg, who came to America during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He came over concealed in the bottom of the vessel, and his family followed shortly afterward. He located in Pittsburg, built the first iron foundry in that city, and here and near Pittsburg passed the remainder of his life. He had a farm near the city, and ran a foundry there for many years. His sons continued the business after he had retired. The father of ex-Gov. McClurg was born in Northern Ireland, and came to America when about twelve years of age. He was also a foundryman, as were his brothers, Alexander and William, and they carried on the business there for a number of years. He died in Ohio while yet engaged in the iron business. The mother died in St. Louis. They were the parents of but two children: James B. (deceased) and J. W. McClurg. The last named was reared in Pennsylvania, whither he had been taken at the age of seven years, but received the principal part of his education in Ohio, where he remained until about nineteen years of age. He then returned to Missouri and made his home with his uncles, James and Marshall Brotherton, both of whom filled the office of sheriff of St. Louis County. J. W. served as deputy sheriff under both of them for about two years. In the spring of 1839 he went to Texas, and remained there for some two years, and was admitted to the practice of law at Columbus, Texas. In 1841 he married, in Washington County, Mo., Miss Mary C. Johnson, a native of Virginia, and this union resulted in the birth of eight children, six now living: Mary E., wife of Col. M. W. Johnson, now at Lebanon; Fannie, wife of C. C. Draper, also at Lebanon; Joseph E., in Dakota engaged in farming; Sarah, wife of Thomas Monroe, resides in Lebanon; Dr. James A., dentist, at Lebanon, and Dr. Marshall J., also a dentist, at Carthage, Mo. After marriage Mr. McClurg turned his attention to merchandising, which he carried on at Hazelwood and Linn Creek, Mo., until the breaking out of the late war, when he was at Linn Creek. In 1861 he enlisted in the Home Guards; was chosen colonel of his regiment, and in 1862 he became colonel of the Eighth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia. He was in this service until after his election to Congress, which was in 1862, from the Fifth District. He then resigned his position in the army to take his seat, and was reelected in 1864 and 1866. Before the expiration of his last term of office he was elected by the Republican party as governor of the State of Missouri, in 1868, and served one term of two years. He then turned his attention to merchandising, lead mining and steam-boating, which he carried on until 1885, at which date he came to Laclede County, and has since been retired from business. He is now in his seventieth year, but still quite well preserved. He has been a very prominent man of the State of Missouri, and has been a strong adherent of the Republican party. He is a member of the G. A. R., and he and Mrs. McClurg were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. McClurg departed this life in December, 1861, at Jefferson City. He remained single. He is now a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were the grandparents of twenty-six children, twenty-four now living. Their son, James A., studied dentistry at St. Louis, and has since been practicing at Lebanon and Marshfield seven or eight years. He was married to Miss Mattie Williams in 1877, and is the father of four children. He is a promising young man, and has built up a good practice. Their son Marshall J. studied dentistry in Philadelphia, Penn., and has now a good practice. He married Miss Effie DeVore, of Carthage.

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This family biography is one of 104 biographies included in The History of Laclede County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Laclede County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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