The McClure Family Story
Our branch of the McClure family is almost certainly Scottish in origin, but you would have to travel back to a time predating modern records to see one of our McClure kin in Scotland. Sometime (probably) back in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century, one of our long-ago forgotten ancestors voyaged to the New World and settled in what was considered Virginia during the days of the American Revolution. Sometime shortly after the redcoats were routed, a big piece of Virginia was transformed into the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and our relations were farming on the Kentucky side of the divide. Kentucky-born they may have been, they did not stay in the south for long, and instead became part of a line of Michigan McClures...via Ontario, Canada. I guess we're drifters at heart.
Andrew McClure: Oil Man and Farmer
The furthest back we have been able to confidently trace our McClure lineage leads us to the birth of Andrew McClure on October 25, 1828 in Kentucky to parents John McClure and mother unknown. Andrew was raised as a farmer, which usually does not herald a life of migration. But nevertheless, by the age of 33 Andrew had packed up and left his Kentucky farm for Ontario, Canada. It is fair to speculate, based on the timing of his move, that he headed north for the opportunity of working in a brand-new oil industry. Well, that, and probably to avoid the violent Civil War that was threatening to erupt in his homeland.
In the aptly named town of Oil Springs, Ontario, a man named James Williams struck the first North American oil well in mid-1858. It hardly seems a coincidence that Andrew arrived and settled near this town around 1860. In Oil Springs or the nearby town (also aptly named) Petrolia, he met and wed a younger woman named Esther Sykes (b. 1842), who was 17 or 18 at the time of their marriage. The couple settled in Petrolia and had a family of at least five children. The first born was son James McClure (b. 10 Oct, 1861), followed by another son, John Thomas McClure (b. 13 Aug, 1863). Next came two daughters: Elizabeth "Lizzie" McClure (b. 19 Sep, 1865) and Jane McClure (b. Sep, 1867). Their fifth child, my great-great grandfather, was Edward McClure (b. 7 Nov, 1869).
Then, when little Edward was little more than two years old, mother Esther perished at the age of 30 on February 18, 1872. Based on the timing, it is entirely possible that she perished in childbirth along with the new baby. But this is pure speculation, as to date we have found no records of her death (nor the rest of her life, for that matter). All we know is what we have found on her gravestone in Trinity Cemetery in Perth County, Ontario.
The McClures Move to Michigan
In about 1881-1882, widow Andrew McClure made the decision to move with his five children to Long Rapids, Michigan. By that time, his eldest sons were 22 and 19, respectively. Based on historical acknowledgements, I find it likely that second son, John McClure may have actually been the first to set up farm in Long Rapids, and the rest of his family came to join him after he was successfully settled. If you visit the official website of Long Rapids Township here, you can see that they even list our John McClure as a new settler in the 1880s. This was big news back then. By 1885, including our McClure clan, the population of Long Rapids was 160 people.
The first decade in Michigan was a fairly peaceful and successful time for the McClures, as far as we know. Lizzie McClure married Wellington Sanborn of the prominent Sanborn family (see: Sanborn Township) on April 8, 1885. Younger sister, Jane McClure was married the following year, in 1886, to Charles Jones. Brother John McClure also wed in 1886, tying the knot with Eppsy Monroe on March 31 of that year. Immediately, all of the newlyweds started making babies and had more than seven apiece by the time all was said and done.
A Decade of Hardship: 1890s
By the 1890s, the McClures' luck started to turn sour. First, in March, 1892, John and Eppsy McClure lost a 6 day-old baby, their fourth child.
Then on October 3, 1892, eldest child James McClure, whom I believe was still unmarried, was shot and killed in a hunting accident near Alpena, MI (probably in his hometown). The Saline Observer published this blurb about the accident ten days after the fact, on October 13:
Yes, McClure did die. The 31 year-old was buried in Long Rapids Cemetery near their home.
Just shy of a year later, the family lost its patriarch when father Andrew McClure died of a bowel inflammation on September 7, 1893. He was buried near his son. He was 64.
And while the next years were mostly peaceful, save for the loss of a few unnamed babies in the family, 1898 brought the next major tragedy. Sister Jane (McClure) Jones died on May 15, 1898 at age 30 of blood poisoning after her confinement with baby number seven. The woman was bred to death. The baby also perished in the course of the crisis. This left her widower, Charles with six children under the age 12 to look after.
Edward and Maggie McClure
My great-great grandfather, Edward McClure, the youngest of Andrew and Esther's children generally had much more favorable luck than his siblings. He met and married Margaret F. "Maggie" Howard near Alpena, Michigan on February 19, 1896--an event neither of his parents, and only three of his siblings lived to see. About one year after their wedding, Maggie and Edward welcomed their first child, Nina M. McClure.
When Edward's sister, Jane Jones, died of excessive procreation in May of 1898, this must have been exceedingly frightful for Edward and Maggie, for she was five months pregnant with their second child. They welcomed Ailene Ruby "Babe" McClure on September 14, 1898 in Long Rapids, Michigan.
By that time, Edward and Maggie agreed to take in one niece and one nephew whom had just lost their mother, Jane. Lettie M. Jones and James E. Jones were about 11 and 13 years old when they went to live with their aunt and uncle not far from their home. Surely they were a help around the farm, and particularly with the two baby girls, Nina and Babe, to look after. And another baby was soon on his way. Louis Arthur "Louie" McClure was born April 7, 1901 in Long Rapids, Michigan.
Then the family decided to make a big change. By the end of 1905, Edward moved his family up north to Onaway, Michigan--a mighty trek from his hometown of Long Rapids. Lettie and James Jones did not join them on this move. Edward likely moved for work and found a position as a city drayman by 1910, then later a road contractor by 1920. While living in Onaway, Maggie delivered their final child, my great grandfather, James Edward McClure (b. 31 Mar, 1906), who very well may have been named for Edward's recently deceased older brother, having only lost him 8 years prior.
Edward's career shifted dramatically with the times. In the 1900s he was working with horses and carts. Then he was working on roads by 1920. His boys were just a bit too young to serve in WWI, and so the biggest upheaval for the family at the time (that we know of) is that the automobile changed their work industries dramatically. By 1924, when automobiles were becoming much more common, Edward got into the trucking and hauling trade. By then, his two sons, Louie and James were old enough to join him. In order to secure work for the three McClure men, the family moved south between 1920 and 1924 to settle in Royal Oak, Michigan.
The McClure Ladies and Two Men Named Schurr
Only eldest daughter Nina McClure may not have joined the family's move, as she was married to Frederick Silberman, a house painter, by that point. The newlyweds had been living with parents Edward and Maggie in 1920, but whether or not they moved along with them remains unknown. We know that she had a son named Robert Silberman on October 8, 1922. He was the only issue from the union, and by March 11, 1927, Nina filed for divorce from Fred on the basis of "extreme and repeated cruelty and non-support".
Nina's sister, Ailene, didn't have much better luck in the marital arena. She wed Clarence A. Adair on September 6, 1921 and the two had a son and daughter in quick succession: Edward John (b. 1923) and Margy Jean (b. 1925). But then things fell apart. On July 2, 1929, Ailene filed for divorce from Clarence on the grounds of "extreme cruelty and non-support".
It appears that Ailene had another fella in mind when she filed for that divorce, though--a man named Frederick Clair Schurr. At the same time Ailene was filing for her divorce, Frederick was doing the same thing from his wife (on the grounds of "desertion"). The two got married very soon afterward, and about nine months after the divorces (huh!), they welcomed a baby girl into the world named Betty Lou Schurr (b. 11 Apr, 1930). Frederick and Ailene changed Edward and Margy's names so they also went by the surname "Schurr", and the new family was complete.
And speaking of family matters, Ailene wasn't the only one with her eye on a Schurr man. Divorcee Nina had met Frederick's brother, George D. Schurr and was taken with him enough for the two to wed, also by 1930 (date unknown). The two had no children together, but lived a long and mostly happy life together.
Louis McClure's Life Cut Short
Edward and Maggie's eldest son, 24 year-old Louis McClure was busy working on roads, just like his dad and younger brother, when he met a young widow named Geraldine Elizabeth Jansen. She had one young daughter, Dorothy Porter, tugging at her apron strings. That must not have dissuaded Louis, for the pair married on 14 Sept, 1925. Almost immediately Geraldine and Louis started what would become a large family that included James McClure (b. 1927), Harold Thomas McClure (b.1929), Helen McClure (b. 1936), George McClure (b. 1937), and Donald McClure (b. 1939).
By 1939, Louis was working as a crane operator and began experiencing chest pains that sent him to the doctor. The diagnosis: Stable angina. For two years he continued working and carrying on with life until a crisis began with his heart. On 20 July, 1941, Louis began having chest pains again, and something more. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for coronary thrombosis. After five days in the hospital, Louis McClure passed away on 24 July, 1941 at the age of 40, leaving behind his wife and six children.
James Edward McClure Starts a Family
About the time that older sisters Nina and Ailene were experiencing very difficult marital problems, 21 year-old James Edward McClure had met and gotten close with 19 year-old Mary Margaret Magura. The two lived in the neighboring communities of Royal Oak and Clawson, Michigan. By June, 1927 the young unmarried couple discovered that Mary was pregnant. The two eloped to Bowling Green, Ohio, where they were married on June 29, 1927. The bride was four months pregnant. The two settled in Royal Oak, Michigan and welcomed baby son Edward James McClure on 7 December, 1927. Their second son, and only other child, Jack Joseph McClure was born on 30 May, 1929 at the family's small home at 1614 Etowah, Royal Oak, Michigan. The home was likely torn down in the early 1960s when the brand-new I-696 plowed through the family's former neighborhood.
Almost immediately after the birth of Jack, the family moved to Somonauk, Illinois and ultimately resided there from about 1930 to 1934.
Mary McClure with sons Eddie (L) and Jack (R), c. 1942
1st Lieutenant Robert E. Silberman in World War II
Then came World War II.
Nina Schurr's son, Robert E. Silberman was 20 years old when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 30, 1942 to fight in the war. He became a member of the 451st Bomb Squadron (322nd Bomb Group), 9th Company, and was trained as a navigator and bombardier. By mid-1944, he was flying with the crew of a B-26 bomber called the "Pickled-Dilly" and was stationed out of Andrews Airbase in England.
On the night of July 7, 1944, 32 B-26 bombers from the 322nd bomb group departed on a night mission to bomb German HQ at Chateau de Ribeacourt, France. They were set upon by 9 enemy fighters and flares were used to illuminate them as targets. Our boys were able to take down at least 2 of the enemy fighters, but ultimately 9 of the B-26s were shot down. The "Pickled-Dilly" was one of the unfortunate planes. All aboard were lost. The crew included:
Pilot: 1st Lt. Claude B. Jones, KIA Normandy Cemetery D-3-34
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt Wilfred L. Allen
Navigator-Bombardier: 1st Lt. Robert E. Silberman
Engineer-Gunner: S/Sgt Ramond M. Close, KIA Normandy Cemetery B-6-23
Radio Operator: T/Sgt George R. Moon, KIA Normandy Cemetery D-1-34
Tail Gunner: S/Sgt Jack W. Tolbert
Unfortunately for Robert's mother, it wasn't immediately clear what the fate was of Robert's crew. They knew that the bomber had failed to return, but some of the B-26 crews that had been shot down survived--some of them were captured and held as prisoners of war, and others escaped safely. Sadly, the crew of the "Pickled-Dilly" was not so lucky. But in the interim while the government tried to sort out who was where, they were all classified as missing for at least six months after they perished. We know this because Nina Schurr had to file a "Missing" inquiry card with the National Jewish Welfare Board, Bureau of War Records on January 19, 1945.
The Crew of the "Pickled-Dilly" c. 1944.
(We do not know if our Robert is one of these men.)
Other McClures in the Military
Not long after Nina's son was shot down over Europe, James's eldest son, Edward McClure, enlisted in the Navy on December 3, 1945, just four days before he turned 18. It is pretty easy to guess that he was eager to join the war effort, and was determined still to join even though the war had ended in September, 1945. Eddie served until October, 1947.
Eddie's younger brother, Jack, was most certainly too young for service in WWII, but did join the U.S. military by 1951. After joining the Air Force, Jack was assigned to and trained in communications as part of the 2nd Communications Squadron. His service during the Korean War took him overseas to France to work on telephone and radio communications.
Jack J. McClure, 1951
Jack McClure's wife, Edith's, War Department Identification Card, 1953
Jack McClure in his military work clothes providing beverage to a thirsty sign, c.1950s
Jack's Young Family
Jack's time in the Air Force was part of his plan to care for his new young family. While in high school, Jack had a sweetheart named Edith Boylan (read the Boylan story). They were both only 18 years old when they decided to get married quite suddenly on October 14, 1947, with Edith dropping out of high school just one semester shy of graduation. It is easy to speculate that they had a particular motivation to get married recklessly early, but if that is the case, any pregnancy must have failed. The young couple went on to have two children, the first of whom was Joan L. McClure, born in Michigan in 1953. By 1953, Jack was transferred to Paris, France in the course of military service, and his wife and baby daughter went with him.
Edith and Jack McClure, 1951
Edith and baby Joan McClure, France c.1954
This wasn't known as a particularly happy time for Jack and Edith, as Edith truly detested life in Paris. However, one souvenir returned back to Michigan with them by their return in the beginning of 1955. Edith was expecting their second (and last) child, Bobbi Lu McClure (b. 1955).
Jack and Eddie McClure: Brothers
Sons Jack and Edward settled with their families in Royal Oak, not far from mother Mary and father James Edward. Edward had become a firefighter in Royal Oak, and married Hazel Maxine LaRoux. They welcomed two children, James "Jimmy" McClure and Janet Marie McClure.
After Jack left the Air Force, he was able to use his communications training to land a good-paying job for the phone company, Michigan Bell, as a "pole man" who would climb the poles to make repairs or installations. He bought a house in Royal Oak for his wife and two baby girls.
The two young families remained very close, as brothers Jack and Eddie were each other's best friends and spent copious amounts of time causing trouble and having fun together. Often the two would go out drinking and carousing together, and my grandpa, Jack, would tell me how they would intentionally start brawls just for fun. Apparently the brothers would raucously dance together keeping one thumb extended down low, so as to poke people in their rears. This, of course, launched quite a few fights. And more than once, the car was parked on the front lawn the next morning.
Aside from their wild tales, Jack and Eddie were first and foremost best friends.
McClure Men: (L to R) Eddie McClure, father James Edward McClure, and Jack McClure, 1951
More Family Photos
Mary M. McClure and husband James Edward McClure sit with little granddaughter Bobbi Lu McClure, c.April, 1956
James Edward McClure (L) and brother-in-law Clair Schurr with a couple of kids they probably knew, c. 1960
James Edward McClure with his granddaughters, Joanie and Bobbi Lu on Christmas, c.1961