Henderson County, Kentucky Biography

William P McClain 

William P. McCLAIN, a leading attorney of Henderson and native of that place, is the son of William McCLAIN, who was also a native of Henderson and an extensive and wealthy farmer of Henderson County. He had large possessions in land and other property, including one hundred and eighty-five slaves, whom he set free of his own volition. His tobacco crop alone for one year sold for seventy-five thousand dollars. He married Virginia POLLITT of Henderson, daughter of James POLLITT, one of the first merchants in Henderson, who died of cholera in 1832. William McCLAIN (father) died in 1885, aged sixty-one years. 

James McCLAIN (grandfather) was a native of Kentucky and his father was from Maryland. Colonel Jackson McCLAIN (uncle), brother of James McCLAIN, a colonel on Governor POWELL's staff, died in 1891. 

Virginia Cabell McCLAIN (grandmother) was a member of the noted CABELL family of Virginia who were descended from POCAHONTAS. She was left a widow and married Governor DIXON of Kentucky. 

W. P. McCLAIN, after his primary schooling in Henderson, attended Notre Dame College, in Indiana, graduating with the degree of A.B. in 1869. He then attended the University of Virginia and graduated from the law department of that institution in 1872; remained there two years longer; was licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Missouri; subsequently began the practice of law in Henderson. He was elected city attorney in 1880, and resigned that office in 1881 to accept the office of county attorney, which he held for fourteen years consecutively, at the same time attending to a growing general practice in all the courts. 

He was a candidate before the Democratic Convention for the nomination for congressman in 1894 and made a brilliant campaign, but was defeated in the convention by a small vote. He received 9 1/2 of the 11 votes of the Henderson County delegation, which Mr. VANCE, his local opponent, received 1/2 votes, throwing the nomination to John D. CLARDY of Christian County. His friends will urge him to become the congressional candidate of his party in 1896. 

Mr. McCLAIN is one of the foremost men at the Henderson bar; a leader in the Democratic party and one of the prominent citizens of Henderson. 

He married Mary GARLAND, daughter of Dr. Richard GARLAND of Henderson.

Kentucky Biographies, John W. Gresham, 1896 

WILLIAM P. McCLAIN REFERENCES 


MARRIAGES IN HENDERSON COUNTY, 1806 - 1858

Jackson McClain - Maria L. Watson, 25 Feb 1841, Book 001, Page 076 
James McClain - Ann Butler, 17 Aug 1815, Book 001, Page 012 
Levi McClain - Elizabeth Johnson, 17 May 1832, Book 001, Page 047 
William McClain - Virginia Pollitt, 27 Feb 1849, Book 001, Page 077 
Catherine McClain - Richard Atkinson, 17 Feb 1848, Book 001, Page 100 
Huldah McClain - Benjamin Clark, 24 Jun 1812, Book 001, Page 005 
Martha A. McClain - Francis E. Walker, 27 Feb 1854, Book 002, Page 177 
Mary McClain - William Wood, 04 Jun 1815, Book 001, Page 011 
Mary E. McClain - Robert S. Eastin, 17 May 1849, Book 001, Page 108 


MARRIAGES IN HENDERSON COUNTY, 1858 - 1900

Noah McClain - Sarah Ann Lewis, 02 Dec 1858, Book 004, Page 079 
W. P. McClain - Mary M. Garland, 01 Jun 1882, Book 017, Page 463 
Jackson McClain - Hellen Trafton, 09 Oct 1883, Book 018, Page 149 
Jackson McClain, Jr. - Myra S. Hart, 09 Apr 1891, Book 023, Page 047 
Andrew McClain - Ella Bailey, 19 May 1900, Book 029, Page 180 
Annie K. McClain - A. H. Major, 25 Feb 1863, Book 005, Page 451 
Bessie C. McClain - R. Lee Suter, 27 Jun 1889, Book 021, Page 521 
Katie A. McClain - C. H. LeSueur, 24 Dec 1889, Book 022, Page 111 
M. F. McClain - Henderson Barnett, 03 Dec 1873, Book 013, Page 170 
Sophie McClain - William Knight, 01 Mar 1873, Book 012, Page 183 
Virginia McClain - Leicester Sehan, 29 Aug 1884, Book 018, Page 495 


INTERMENT RECORDS

James McClain, 16 Apr 1843, Fernwood, Age unknown, 557, 7 
Maria Louisa McClain, 1867, Fernwood, Age unknown, 557, 8 
Wm. McClain, 38 Mar 1885, Fernwood, Age unknown, 567, 9 
Virginia Pollett McClain, 12 Mar 1893, Fernwood, Age unknown, 567, 10 
Noah McClain, 19 Mar 1895, Fernwood, Age unknown, 51, 9 
Jackson McClain, 27 Jul 1896, Fernwood, Age unknown, 557, 11 
Helen McClain, 20 Mar 1915, Fernwood, Age unknown, 60-E1/2, 11 
Floyd McClain, 18 Aug 1919, Fernwood, Age unknown, 1623, 7 
George McClain, 10 Mar 1923, Fernwood, Age unknown, 51, __ 
Sarah McClain, 28 Sep 1923, Fernwood, Age unknown, 51, 10 
William P. McClain, 10 Jul 1933, Fernwood, Age unknown, 234, 4 
Mary McClain, 09 Jul 1935, Fernwood, Age unknown, 234, 3 
Mattie McClain, 02 Jun 1947, Fernwood, Age unknown, CPG, 483 
W. J. McClain (crematory), 05 Apr 1948, Fernwood, Age unknown, 567, 1/12 


BACK
Contributed by Netta Mullin, HCH&GS

Copyright 2002 HCH&GS