Biographical/historical information

The McCluer family originated from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania, with some of them traveling to Southwest Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Carolinas. John McClure (d. Aug 30, 1769) had five children, William (174-1783), Samuel (1743-1815), John (1745-1785), Rachel (1746-1813), and Rev. David McClure (1748-1769. John McClure (1745-1785), was a major in the Revolutionary War, Ga regiment. He was married first to a Davis of Savannah, Ga., and later remarried Sarah Davis of New Bern, N.C. They had one son, James Davis McClure. James married a Smith of Cape Cod, Mass and died at sea in 1808. Together they had two sons, Jesse McClure and James Henry McClure. James H. lived in the first house built in Washington, N.C. in 1808 and married Louise Ellis who was born near Greenville, N.C. Together they had ten children, three died during infancy.

Scope and arrangement

This collection consists of correspondence, land records, legal papers, and miscellaneous items on the McCluer family of Pitt County, N.C. The bulk of this collection consists of family correspondence (1814-1888). Of particular interest are comments concerning the conditions of the poor in New York City (1838) California gold rush "mania" (1849), and the price of produce in Mississippi (1857). Also included in this collection are land records for Greenville and Washington, N.C. (1798-1844); marriage contracts between James H. McCluer and Louisa Ellis, and John Doughty and Mary Thomas Matthews; stock shares of the Greenville and Raleigh Plank Road (1844); a deed for enslaved persons (1830); and family Bible records. Other miscellaneous items include a cartoon for the 1892 presidential election and an opera house advertisement (1895).

Administrative information

Custodial History

June 27, 1973, 23 items; Papers (1764-1895) of Pitt County family including correspondence, land records, legal papers, and miscellaneous items. Loaned for copying by Mrs. Katherine Bennett, Greenville, N.C.

Source of acquisition

Loaned by Mrs. Katherine Bennett

Processing information

Processed by L. Hofler, May 1974

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Descriptions updated by Ashlyn Racine, May 2023

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms

Family Names

McCluer family

Corporate Names

Greenville and Raleigh Plank Road Company

Topical

Agricultural prices--Mississippi
Marriage records--North Carolina
Real property--North Carolina--Greenville
Real property--North Carolina--Washington
Slave bills of sale--North Carolina

Places

California--Gold discoveries--Social aspects
New York (N.Y.)--Social life and customs
Pitt County (N.C.)--Genealogy

Container list