McLean, William

MCLEAN

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 11/24/2008 at 14:07:43

William McLean

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.275, York Twp.)
William McLean, farmer, P. O. Oakland, was born in Fayette County, Penn., December 24, 1814. He is the son of William and Mary Anne (Burker) McLean. His father was born in Fayette County, Penn. He was a tanner by trade, but was generally engaged in farming. He died in Louisiana while on a visit to his two sons in that State. His (subject's) grandfather, Alexander McLean, was one of the early settlers in Western Pennsylvania. He was a surveyor, and assisted in running the "Mason and Dixon Line." He took the line at the western extremity of Maryland, and carried it through to the lakes. He held the offices of Register and Recorder of Fayette County, Penn., for over fifty years. he was also a Colonel in the Revolutionary war, and died in Fayette County in his eighty-eighth year. His (subject's) mother was born in Lancaster County, Penn., the daughter of George Burker, who was a native of Germany, and who came to America when he was a babe. Our subject's parents had eleven children - six sons and five daughters. Their circumstances during his boyhood prevented our subject from getting any education. He made a start in the world for himself at the age of seventeen. He teamed over the mountains to Pennsylvania, and worked at whatever he could get. he went to Muskingum County, Ohio, at the age of twenty-one. Here he was engaged in farming and teaming for about six years. In 1838, he made a trip to Jackson County, Iowa. He returned to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he worked on a farm about eighteen months. He went to Wheeling, W. Va., and came back again to Muskingum County. Here he lived until the fall of 1852. He was married, ten miles east of Zanesville, Ohio, on March 12, 1844, to Susanna Finfrock, born hear St. Clairsville, Ohio, July 4, 1818. She is the daughter of John and Rebecca (Haines) Finfrock, both of whom were natives of Lancaster County, Penn. They were of French descent, and moved to Ohio at an early day. After his marriage, our subject worked by the month most of the time that he stayed in Ohio. In 1853, he moved to Jackson County, Ohio, where he lvied for four and a half years. He came to Iowa in the spring of 1858. He was compelled by high water to stop in Montgomery County from July 17 till the March following, when he came to Mills County and moved onto S. D. Davis' farm. Shortly afterward, he bought land and went to farming for himself. He lived in Mills County till 1877, when he sold out and came of this county, near Lynn Grove, where he still resides, on a farm containing 160 acres. Mr. and Mrs. McLean are a pleasant old couple. They have had seven children, five of whom - three sons and two daughters - are living - Robert, Uriah, James, Samantha Jane (deceased), William (deceased), Margaret Susana and Sarah Elizabeth. James is the only child at home. He has charge of the whole farm business, and is industrious and energetic. The balance of the children are all married. In politics, Mr. McLean is a Democrat, and, with his wife, is a member of the Christian Church.