George Washington McClure

McCLURE, George W. – (from The Fayetteville Daily, Monday) George W. McClure died at his home in Evansville Saturday night at the age of 85 of neuralgia of the heart. He had been in the mercantile business in that section of the country for over fifty years and had accumulated a comfortable fortune. He was extensively acquainted and was highly esteemed for his noble qualities of head and heart. [The Springdale News 9/27/1907] [Fayetteville Democrat 3/14/1907]----George W. McClure, another successful merchant at Evansville, is the son
of John and Margaret (Kennedy) McClure. The father was probably born in
Tennessee, although his parents came from Ireland, and the mother was also
born in Tennessee. After marriage they remained in their native State uutil
1834, when they started for Arkansas, but the father died of cholera at Louisburg.
The mother and children came on to this county, but soon after she
moved to Barry County, Mo., where her de!tth occurred in 1855. The father
was a farmer by occupation, and a Democrat in politics, and the mother was a
member of the Old School Presbyterian Church. Nine children of their family
lived to be grown, and the youngest but one, Geo~ge W., was born in Ray
County, Mo., December 22, 1828. He was reared on a farm, and received a limited
education, owing to the deficiency of schools. After remaining with his
mvther until sixteen years of age he returned to Arkansas, and here worked for
a brother, but in 1849 went to California, where he mined for two years. In
1851 he opened a store in Evansville, where he remained until the breaking out
of the war. In 1856 he married Miss Sarah Ward, who was born in the Cherokee
Nation, and of Indian descent. Two children, Ruth and Alice, were born to
this union. In 1862 Mr.McClure enlisted in Waite's Cherokee brigade (Confederate
States army), and served until the close of the war. After returning from the war
he found his finances very low, and after farming a year hired out as a clerk in
a store, and there continued until 1874. Previous to this, in 1866, he had the misfortune
to lose his wife, and has remained single ever since. From 1874to1877 Mr.
McClure was in Flinn's mill, and from the latter date until 1886 he clerked in
the store of Flinn. He then opened his present store, and has had a successful
trade ever since. He began life a poor boy, but by industry and close attention
to business has made all his property. He is a Democrat in politics.