Biography of Wllliam A. McLain

William A. McLain, born on October 20, 1845, in Hillsboro Township, Illinois, was the son of Addison McLain, an early settler from North Carolina. Addison moved westward, establishing a productive farm in Montgomery County. After residing in Illinois until 1883, William purchased land in Sumner County, Kansas, and developed it into an exemplary farm with his wife, Olive Finefrock, whom he married in 1887. Together, they had one child, Charles Sumner. William was active in his community and political affairs before his passing.

WILLIAM A. McLAIN, one of the progressive farmers of Jackson Township, was born in Hillsboro Township, Montgomery County, Ill., October 20, 1845. His father, Addison McLain, was a native of Greensborough, N. C., where he was reared and married. In 1835 he left his native State to find his home in the then far Northwest. He journeyed with teams across the mountains, traversed the States of Tennessee and Kentucky and entered the State of Indiana, where he remained one year. At the expiration of that time he again started westward, and reached Illinois, where, being pleased with the country, he located in Montgomery County of which he was one of the first settlers. He bought a tract of land which was covered with timber and had a log house upon it, the one in which our subject was born. The region in which he fixed his abiding place was sparsely settled at that time and deer and other wild game abounded. St. Louis, sixty-five miles distant, was their nearest market and they were obliged to draw their grain and pork there and back with teams.

Addison McLain improved his place and made it into a fine productive farm which yielded him a good income in the latter years of his life, and which was his residence until his death, which occurred in 1873. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Catherine Lewy. She is a native of North Carolina and now resides in the homestead in Hillsboro, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. A. McLain were the parents of eight children of whom two are deceased.

The subject of this notice was reared and educated in his native county and made that his home until 1883. In 1876 he visited Texas and bought land in Hunt and Kaufman Counties but did not settle there. He returned to Illinois and in 1878 made a trip to Sumner County, Kansas, traveling by rail as far as Hutchinson, then finishing the journey in a wagon. The nearest railroad point at that time was at Wichita and the country was but sparingly settled in that portion of the State. When Mr. McLain examined Sumner County’s advantages, present and prospective, he was so pleased with the outlook that he bought the southwest quarter of section 10, Jackson Township. Following his purchase of land in Sumner County, our subject returned to Illinois where he continued to reside until 1883. In that year he removed to Kansas and located on the land which he had previously purchased.

As soon as possible after the arrival of Mr. McLain in his new home he erected good, substantial frame buildings, enclosed his farm with a strong fence, planted fruit and shade trees and in every respect brought it up to a high standard of excellence. June 30, 1887, our subject and Miss Olive Finefrock were united in the holy bonds of matrimony and began housekeeping on the farm which was then in a high state of development and productiveness. Mrs. McLain is a native of Ohio. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Rome, and a refined, cultivated, Christian lady, whom it is a pleasure to know. Mr. McLain is a Republican in politics and takes a moderate share in the active work of his party. They are the parents of one child, named—Charles Sumner.