By Spessard Stone
Marion B. McClellan, of Calhoun County, Florida, was a Confederate soldier and farmer.
Marion Bonus McClellan was born September 21, 1834, Irwin County, Georgia. He was a son of John and Elizabeth (Alexander) McClelland. Marion's surname, however, in all contemporary records, spelled his name "McClellan." In Berrien County, Georgia on January 7, 1858, he married Nancy McCranie, born April 18, 1839, Lowndes County, Georgia, daughter of William and Melvina (Beasley) McCranie. Family researcher Michael Durrence lists his parents as cited, but his death certificate, the informant being Guss McClellan, has his father as John McClellan and mother's maiden name as Hendrie, with no given name stated.
During the Civil War, Marion McClellan enlisted at Worth County, Georgia on May 13, 1862 as a private in Company B, 10th Battalion Georgia Infantry, Confederate States Army. Three weeks before the surrender of the 10th at Appomattox, Virginia in April 1865, he had been detailed for horses back to Georgia where he was at the time. On August 22, 1907, Marion B. McClellan (no "d" in CSA pension application) applied for a pension from military service in the Confederate States. He stated he'd been a resident of Florida ever since 1884. W. R. McClellan of Sneads, Jackson County and A. Newell of Henderson, Calhoun County gave a joint affidavit that they had served with Marion in Co. B, 10th Ga. Battalion which had surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Va. Marion wasn't present, however, as "he was sent back to Ga., he was detailed & sent after horses about 3 weeks before the surrender, to get horses." On September 2, 1907, the county commissioners of Calhoun County recommended a pension be granted. On December 28, 1907, the claim for pension of Marion B. McClellan of Frink, Fla. was approved at the rate of $120 per annum.
Under the Act of 1909, Marion B. McClellan [no "d"] reapplied on September 25, 1909. He stated he'd continuously resided in Florida since April 1, 1884. He listed his property as: real estate, located at Frink, Fla., Calhoun Co., $2,000; cattle, horses and other livestock, $1,000; personal property, $50.00; mortgages, notes and other securities, $250.00; total $3,300.00. He gave his postoffice address as Frink, Calhoun County, State of Florida. His claim was approved March 1, 1910, with pay from July 1, 1909 at the rate of $120 per annum.
Nancy McCranie McClellan died September 12, 1912. Marion married (2) on June 9, 1917 in Calhoun County, Florida Elia C. Vason. Marion McClellan died January 31, 1918 in Calhoun County, Florida. Bonus and Nancy are buried at Frink, about 12 miles from Blountstown in Calhoun County, Florida.
On April 8, 1929, Mrs. Elia C. McClellan [no "d"] applied for a widow's pension as the widow of Marion B. McClellan. She stated she was a resident of Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida [no age given] and had resided in Florida all her life. On April 8, 1929, the county commissioners of Leon County recommended that a pension should be granted the applicant. On April 12, 1929, the Pension Committee of the Senate Chamber, Capitol [Tallahassee] was advised that Mrs. Elia C. McClellan was "not eligible to pension under the General Law on account of her marriage being June 9, 1917, and the law requires a widow to have been married prior to June 1, 1917...Mrs. McClellan stated that she and Mr. McClellan were to have been married two or three months prior to June 9, 1917, but owing to her illness that the wedding had to be postponed until the above mentioned date, which was just eight days too late to be entitled to pension under the General Pension Law." In an accompanying letter to the Pension Committee, Elia C. Vason [as she signed] wrote in part, "This is to certify that the delay of my marriage was due to severe illness from Flue and nervous collapse, later underwent a major operation which has left me an invalid unable to work and dependant." A private bill to direct the State Board of Pensions to place Mrs. Elia C. McClellan on the pension roll of the State of Florida to be paid a Confederate pension was introduced and, subsequently, enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida. It became a law without the Governor's approval. Elia's date of death has not been learned.
Issue of Marion Bonus and Nancy (McCranie) McClellan:
1. Samantha McClellan, born Nov. 28, 1858; died Jan. 3, 1923; married Jack Gordon.
2. Sophronia McClellan, born Nov. 4, 1859; died June 18, 1938, Quincy, Fla.; married Thomas Franklin Williams.
3. William McClellan, born ca. 1861; married Eletha Watson.
4. Eliza Melvina McClellan, born Jan. 21, 1863; died Jan. 21, 1936.
5. John J. McClellan, born Oct. 29, 1865; died March 2, 1930, Pomona Park, Putnam Co., Fla.; married on Aug. 14, 1884 Kate Amelia Byrd.
6. Mary McClellan, born Jan. 6, 1867, Colquitt, GA; died Nov. 28, 1948, Fla.; married Lorenza Tucker.
7. Elizabeth Ann McClellan, born Jan. 15, 1868, Berrien Co.
8. Fannie Jane McClellan, born Feb. 5, 1869; married on July 10, 1884 Frank McFarland.
9. Lovie Viola McClellan, born Dec. 22, 1873; married on Jan. 6, 1895 W. H. Hornsby.
10. Gus T. McClellan, born Sept. 28, 1876; married Victoria Fowler.
11. Eula Elva McClellan, born Sept. 3, 1879; married July 2, 1893 James J. Mixon.
12. Hilton Hammond McClellan, born July 24, 1881; died May 16, 1961, Fla.
References: Anthony McCranie, McCranie Isle of Jura Argyleshire, Scotland McCranie Families North Carolina and Georgia, 1987, pages 255, 335, 336, 337, 338, 341; U. S. Original Census Schedules Seventh Census 1850 Lowndes County, Georgia; pension applications of Marion Bonus McClellan and Mrs. Elia C. McClellan, Florida Archives, Tallahassee, Florida; Michael Durrence.
This profile is adapted from the author’s Lineage of John Stone, Blockmaker.
February 13, 2001 & September 30, 2002