McDonough ILGenWeb

McCLELLAN, William G., prominent as a pension attorney and Justice of the Peace of Macomb, Ill., was born in Washington County. Pa., December 29, 1837, a son of James McClellan, who was a native of York County, Pa., and Abigail (Cornwell) McClellan, born in Washington County, that State. His paternal grandparents, Robert and Nancy (O'Connor) McClellan, were born, the former in Edinburgh. Scotland, and the latter in North of Ireland. His grandfather and grandmother on the maternal side were Price and Annie (Price) Cornwell, the former of whom was a native of Boston, Mass., and the latter of Pennsylvania. Mr. McClellan attended the common schools of his neighborhood, and at the age of seventeen years worked on a farm in McDonough County, Ill., for a year, after which he was employed as a carpenter for a year and a half. Subsequently he taught school until 1862, when he enlisted in Company I, Seventy-eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was sent to Quincy, Ill., and Louisville, Ky. His regiment was attached to the Second Brigade, Second Division. Fourteenth Army Corps. On December 1, 1864, he was promoted and transferred to Company E, U. S. C. T., under the command of Colonel Shaffer. He was mustered out May 28, 1866, at Nashville, Tenn. On returning to Macomb Mr. McClellan engaged in the grocery business, shipped hay and built railroads. He has been a member of the Business Men's Club of the city since its organization, and a pension attorney since 18S0.

Mr. McClellan was married March 6. 1860, to Elizabeth E. Nunn, who was born and schooled in Cumberland County, Ky. The children resulting from this union are: Charles L., Frank G., Dorothy B. (Mrs. C. D. Laughlin), and Donald S. Politically, the subject of this sketch is a Republican, and has exercised a strong influence in the local councils of his party. From 1879 until 1905 he served on the Republican Central Committee; for two years was Alderman from the Fourth Ward of Macomb, and has also been a member of the Library Board and the School Board. In 1896 he was elected Justice of the Peace and still holds that office. Fraternally, Mr. McClellan is a member of the G. A. R. and M. W. A. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 949, extracted 12 Sep 2019 by Norma Hass.