The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-06

Capt. John Mcclure, whose serious i'll.
ness was chronicled in the IxrELLGEN.
GER on Saturday, survived until few
minutes before noon yesterday, when
his strong constitution and tenacity OF
lie succumbed to the painful and tedi-
Gus illness from which he had suffered
for some time past, and he peacefully
passed away Mt his home on South
Front Street, Island, surrounded by the
members OF his family.
Capt. McLure's death means distinct
loss to this community. Possessed OF
abundant means, he contributed to
many projects and improvements which
have advanced the city's interests. Lib.
eral to the church in which he was an
active worker. genial, approachable
man, he had made friends OF all who
knew him well, and his high character
no less than his prominence in the al
fairs OF the community makes his death
unusually widely felt us personal sor-
row.
Capt. McLure was the son OF Andrew
Mcclure, and n grandson OF John Nc
Lure, sr., years ago prominent citizen
OF Wheeling, aud the builder OF the
Mcclure house. Captain Mcclure was
born in Butler county, Pa, January %,
1916, and was therefore nearly seventy
eight years old at his death. He came
to Wheeling with his parents when but
four months old, and lived here con-
tinuaily all his life. When sixteen
years old no was apprenticed to Capt.
Robert Clark, who was then building
the steamer Chief Justice Marshall.
Before this, however, the boy had made
an eventiul trip on the steamer Magno-
La TO Louisville and return. In the fall
OF the same year he became second en-
gineer OF the Juniata, also built by
Capt. Clark. The following year he left
the river and learned the trade OF en-
CINE building with A. NJ Phillips, at
Steubenville. He remained there for
ten years, aud then became second en-
gineer OF the steamer Wacousta. In
1884 he became first engineer OF the
Roanoke, OF which Capt. Sam Mason
was master and Capt. Richard Craw-
ford clerk. lie was afterward on the
fremont as first engineer for q year,
and also on the Reporter, then OF her
successor, the Naragansett.
BECOMES A MASTER.
In 1912 the Amazon was built, and he
was a stakeholder and he became the
master afterward, he, Capt. John Fink
and Capt Hiram Martin then being the
owners. He had obtained a pilots Ii
cense, and often acted as both master
and pilot. In 1874 both he and Capt
Thomas c. Wilson built the Senate, q
low-water boat of light draught. In
1915 this boat, after two years success
full operation, was sold ut handsome
profit
In 1916 Captain Mcclure built tho
Senator. Her first trip was to New
Orleans, and on her return she carried
| u regiment OF soldiers returning from
the Mexican war up the Cumberland
river to Nashville.
In lS47 he sold this boaG and she was
transferred to the Upper Mississippi
trade. He then built and operated the
Doctor Franklin and the Doctor Frank
lin No. .. AS a member OF the firm OF
Mcclure & Dunlevy he was at the same
time engaged in the business OF boat
building.
In 1858 he organized company and
purchased the City OF Wheeling and
put it into tho Grand Union Line
intended to run daily packet from the
Baltimore 4 Ohio terminus here to
Louisville. This line did not pay, re-
curing too large an Investment for the
| business. OF the stockholders OF that
company only Hon. Daniel Lamb sur
wives.
In 1858 Captain McLure sold his boat
building business to Wilson 4 Dunlevy,
and he and Captain John List bought
the Eunice, which was run in the Lou
isville trade until the war broke out
When Virginia seeded Captain Nc
Lure left Louisville with the United
States flag flying, in spite OF remon-
strances Of friends. When he arrived
ut Guyandolte crowd OF secession
sympathizers boarded the boat and or
| dered the flag down, but the captain re-
fused and pulled out, and reached
Wheeling with his colors still flying.
In 1861 Captain Mcclure aud Captain
List rendered their boats to General
Mcclellan, agreeing il the rebellion was
successful to ask no pay. Captain Nc.
Lure commanded the Eunico as flagship
OF fleet OF twelve steamers laden with
soldiers and supplies for raid on tho
rebels in the Kanawha valley, and on
| this voyage brisk battle occurred six
teen miles from Charleston between
General Cox and General Wise, the
former winning the day, when the fleet
went on to Charleston. Captain Nc
Lure then remained in charge OF tho
Kanawha river boats as commodore till
the summer OF 1862, when with three
boats he was transferred to Tennessee.
IN LATER YEARS.
The war over, Captain Mcclure again
entered the steamboat business, and
continued it for several years, when he
retired. Hohas not since been engaged