Origin Of The Name

Efforts to ascertain the origin of the name McClung, have been futile. The subject still remains a matter of conjecture. If, as some suppose, it has the same origin as the name McClean, then the McClung's can trace their linage back to Gillean or Macgilean, who dwelt in Lorn and fought at the battle of Largs in 1263, and whose name signifies a servant of St. John; Mac, the Celtic prefix meaning son of' Gille, meaning servant; "an" a contraction of "iohan" meaning John the Saint; hence a son of the servant of St. John. Another theory of the origin of the name is; The McClung name originated in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. The McClung name was adopted by a group of highlanders who were defeated in battle. In the early 1600's in Scotland it was common that the defeated were required to disband and select a new identification. By the late 1600's the McClung name had become established in the Protestant circles of the Grampian Mountains around Loch Lamond. Religious strife and tyranny had swept the land, and it was in about 1690 that a band of McClung's moved with other Scots across the Atlantic narrows to Ireland. The term Scotch-Irish implies the temporary residence of a Scotsman in the Emerald Isle. The true Scotch-Irish have not a drop of Irish blood flowing in their veins. They are pure unadulterated Scotch. This is the race from whence our fathers sprung.

Emigration

Tradition states that three McClung brothers, John, James, and Robert left Scotland in 1690 and settled in Ulster, Ireland. The first to emigrate to America, so far as known, was Thomas McClung, who came from Moate in County West Meath, Ireland. Thomas settles near Christana, Pa. in 1729. In 1731 John McClung landed in Boston, with an aunt, and settled in Brookfield, Mass. In 1734 he left Brookfield and went to Lancaster County, Pa. He was joined there by his father and the rest of his family about 1740. The reunited family consisted of his father, James, the mother whose name is unknown, and their eight children some of whom were married and had families of their own. The names of the eight children follows; James, William, Hugh, Charles, Matthew, Mary, Isabel, and John, In 1742 James, William, and Hugh emigrated to the "Borden Grant" in Augusta { now Rockbridge } County, Virginia. About the time James, William, and Hugh emigrated to Virginia, there also came John McClung a cousin of James, William, and Hugh. This John starts my direct line of ancestors, he was my fifth great grandfather. His father John, one of the three original brothers who fled Scotland was my sixth great grandfather.

The Greenbrier McClung's: My direct line

The Greenbrier McClung's

John McClung, born in Scotland, 1670. Wife unknown at this time. My sixth great grandfather and the father:

John McClung, my fifth great grandfather. Born in Scotland, 1706. Died 1787.  Emigrated to Ireland, Pennsylvania, and Rockbridge County, Virginia. John was had two of three wives, and ten children. The first wife is unknown and was the mother of his children. The second was Janett Thompson, and the third was Rebecca Stuart. Rebecca was also born in Scotland in 1710. She was related to the Hon. Alexander Hugh Holmes Stuart, of Staunton, Va., who was Secretary of State in President Franklin Pierce's cabinet. John was a farmer and owned 278 acres of land in Rockbridge Co., Va. In what was known as the "Forks". John is supposedly buried in Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, Lexington, Va. On a recent trip to Lexington I visited the cemetery. There are no records of his burial there, however their earliest records were destroyed by fire. Seven of his sons settled in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Their descendants are very numerous in that county, therefore this branch of the family is designated as the "Greenbrier McClung's. During the Civil War, two companies, The Greenbrier Swifts and the Nicholas Grays contained thirty two McClung's. It is said they rode the finest horses in General Robert E. Lee's army. View Jefferson Davis document. This branch of the family is so numerous and the names are so similar it is necessary to make use of a sobriquet in order to distinguish between them.

One of John's seven sons to emigrate from Rockbridge County, Va. to Greenbrier County, WV.  was my fourth great grandfather, Capt. Samuel McClung, b. 1744, d. April, 1806. Samuel came to Greenbrier County prior to the Revolutionary War. He lived on Muddy Creek, near the Blue Sulpher Spring. He was the last man wounded by the Indians in West Virginia. They shot him wounding him slightly across the loin. They also shot the queue off his wig. One Indian pursued him until they came to a creek. This creek, it seemed, would prevent his escape. It was now a matter of life and death. Summoning all his power as he neared the creek he made a desperate leap, bounded clear over the stream and continued running. The Indian disheartened by this prodigious leap abandoned the chase. Capt. Samuel married, in Augusta Co., Va. to Rebecca Bourland, b. 1749, d. Oct. 8, 1825. Capt. Samuel was appointed Justice of the Peace for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Greenbrier Co. Va., in 1786 by Patrick Henry. He was in an issue of Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Samuel and Rebecca had ten children. One of his son's, Col. Samuel McClung was the builder of Morlunda, which is four miles west of Lewisburg, WV., on route 60. Morlunda was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both Samuel and Rebecca are buried one mile west of Smoot, WV. View Samuel's headstone. View Rebecca's headstone. Another of his son's Joseph, joe bush, was my third great grandfather.

Joseph McClung, joe bush, b. July 12, 1776; d. Jan. 7, 1850. Married Oct. 15, 1800 to Elizabeth Ellis, b. Feb. 25, 1777; d. Dec. 30, 1861. They lived in Greenbrier Co., WV. Joseph and Elizabeth had nine children. One of which was my second great grandfather, Madison, mat bush, McClung, and Samuel, devil sam, McClung. "Devil Sam", Madison's brother, was my second great grand uncle. Joseph and Elizabeth are buried in the Blue Sulpher area of Greenbrier Co., WV. View Joseph's headstone. View Elizabeth's headstone.

Madison McClung, mat bush, McClung, b. June 20, 1809; d. June 12, 1874. Married Feb. 8, 1838 to Margaret Lamb Hanna, d. Dec. 21, 1861. Madison and Margaret lived in the Blue Sulpher area of West Virginia. He raised horses and cattle. The farm next to his was owned by Mr. Andrew Johnston, with whom the family had a cordial relationship. On the Johnston farm, General Robert E. Lee's horse "Traveller" was born and bred. The McClung boys rode Traveller before he was sold; in fact Madison is said to have broken Traveller to the saddle. I had a Certificate of Death made for Madison and copies of the 1874 Register of Death Index, page one, page two. Also copies of the 1861 Register of Death Index for his wife Margaret, page one, page two. Madison and Margaret had ten children one which was my great grandfather Joseph Allen McClung, whistling bob. Both are buried in Blue Sulpher, WV. In the same cemetery as his  father Joseph and his mother Margaret. View Madison's headstone. View Margaret's headstone. 

Samuel McClung, devil sam, b. June 6, 1799, d. July 27, 1888. The following is taken from the McClung Genealogy: He was a large man with broad shoulders, and a massive chest and lungs. He always wore a large, loose hunting shirt and moccasins. He was undoubtedly the greatest practical joker in Greenbrier County; hence the soubriquet "Devil Sam." Just after the Civil War, when Dr. William H. McClung began the practice of medicine, Devil Sam sent a servant for the young doctor at breakneck speed. The doctor returned with the servant in great haste. Dismounting from his horse he hastened to the bedside of the patient and found him tossing upon his bed, moaning and groaning , apparently suffering the agonies of death. The doctor hurriedly examined the pulse, tongue, heart, and lungs. Failing to locate the cause of the pain, he again made a more careful and thorough examination. Finally he addressed the patient somewhat as follows: Mr. McClung, I have made quite a careful and thorough diagnosis. The tongue looks all right, the pulse and temperature are normal, and I must confess I fail to discover any indications of an abnormal state of health. Devil Sam then confessed that there was nothing whatever the matter wrong with him. He said: " I only wanted to see if you had sense enough to tell a well man from a sick one when you saw him." Dr. McClung played his part of the joke by charging him fifteen dollars for the visit and collecting the bill. One another occasion Devil Sam was seen going toward his home on horseback as fast as his horse would carry him. He carried in his hand a large hat box which he held at arm's length. A neighbor, wishing to converse with him, called to him to stop. He replied: "No time now, can't stop," and spurred his horse on with all horse might. "What's the matter; is someone sick or dying?" asked the neighbor. "No said Devil Sam, I've got a new hat for my wife and I've got to get it home to her before the fashion changes." Once while on a hunting expedition, he camped in the mountains at night, in the company with several other men, among others, the Rev. Adam Given. They made their beds on the ground. Devil Sam had the best bed of the lot. A wave of generosity swept over his soul, and he offered to exchange beds with the parson. His generosity was accepted and the exchange was made. About an hour later, Devil Sam, apparently uneasy and discontented, got up, and going over to the parson demanded his own bed back. When asked for and explanation of his discontent he said: "Parson, I'm afraid to sleep in your bed, because if old Satan should come after you tonight and find me in your bed, I'm afraid he would make a mistake and take the  wrong man." On another occasion Devil Sam was hunting all alone in the mountains. He lodged at night in an deserted cabin far from any human habitation. During the night he was seized with a severe attack of the colic. Thinking he would surly die before morning, and fearing his family would never know the cause of his death, he crawled to the fireplace and taking a piece of charcoal from the ashes, he wrote on the wall of the cabin this fateful epitaph: " I died of the colic-Devil Sam." Although he survived, this epitaph remained on the wall for months, and was read by many a hunter who passed that way. When Devil Sam was lying in his death-bed at his home some many years later, a minister of the gospel visited him. After a few introductory words, the minister said: "Well brother McClung, have you made preparation for your death?" Sam replied: "Yes, I had the boys repair the road to the graveyard just the other day." I  have been on the road the boys repaired several times. Samuel married Jane Kincade, b. June 1798, d. Aug. 10, 1847. Both are buried one mile west of Smoot, West Virginia. In the same cemetery as Capt. Samuel and Rebecca McClung. View Samuel's 1888 Register of Death Index  page one, page two. View Samuel's headstone. View Jane's headstone.

  Joseph Allen McClung, whistling bob, McClung, b. Dec. 27, 1840, d. Feb. 12, 1909. Married Caroline Louise Doyle, b. Sept. 16, 1842, d. Feb. 2, 1920. Joseph enlisted in the Confederate States Army in Lewisburg in 1863 and served until the end of the war. He was called "Whistling Bob" or "Joe Bob." He was present at the Battle of Droop Mountain .  He was a private in Company K, 14th Virginia Cavalry. He was engaged to Caroline Louise Doyle of Malden, WV. while he was in the Civil War, they were married in 1869. After the war, and prior to marriage, he went to Iowa to visit his cousin, James Madison McClung and his family. When one went visiting in those days they usually stayed  for weeks or even months. I have a two page letter Caroline wrote to him, in 1866, while he was in Iowa. Joseph was very impressed with the level lands, the fertile black soil and the tall corn of Iowa. He might have stayed there if Caroline would have moved there. Being a city girl she did not want to move to Iowa as it was so far from her family in Malden. Had he stayed in Iowa a good many of my direct line would not be here today. I got a headstone for Joseph, through the Veterans Administration Marker Program,  in October of 2002. I also got a headstone for his wife, Caroline in January of 2003. Both are buried in Springhill Cemetery, Charleston, WV. Joseph and Caroline had five children; Joseph Allen McClung, my grandfather, Samuel Doyle McClung, married Emma Fox, William Madison McClung, married Mary Houge, James Albert McClung, Harriet Louise McClung. Harriet Louise was killed at sixteen by a falling tree limb. One of her legs were crushed. She contracted tetanus and died. Samuel D. McClung and his wife Emma are also buried in Springhill Cemetery. Along with, I'm guessing, their children.

Joseph Allen McClung, b. Dec. 27, 1876, d. Oct. 13, 1938. Joseph married Margaret Veturia Oakes, b. Aug. 3, 1882, d. March 7, 1965. They lived in South Charleston, WV. Joseph and Margaret had three children; My father, Allen Oakes McClung, b. Aug. 18, 1916, d. Jan. 24, 1985, and  Josephine Margaret McClung, b. Oct. 27, 1918, d. Nov. 12, 1993, and Thomas Oakes McClung, b. Nov. 21, 1922, d. April 12, 1964. Both Allen and Thomas were veterans of World War II, both served in the Army as Staff Sergeants, in England. Both came home from England on the Queen Mary. Thomas was married in England but divorced prior to coming home. Thomas was killed in an auto accident in Charleston, WV. I have a copy of his death certificate, signed by my father. Joseph, Margaret, Thomas, and Josephine are buried in Springhill Cemetery, Charleston, WV. View Oakes line.

My father Allen Oakes McClung married Louise Collins Scherer, b. May 28, 1915 in Covington, Va. d. May 7, 2002 in Columbus, Oh. They had three children; Allen Scherer McClung, b. Jan. 8, 1942, South Charleston, WV. Nancy Jane McClung, b. March 31, 1947, South Charleston, WV. and myself, Thomas Clifton McClung, b. Feb. 12, 1957, South Charleston, WV. My father and mother are buried in Washington C.H., Ohio. View their headstone. View Scherer line.

Allen Scherer McClung married Rebecca Carlson. He has two daughters by a previous marriage, Megan Allen McClung and Erin Lane McClung. Also a son, Scott Groeniger, by a previous marriage. Nancy Jane McClung  married Ricklan Sharp, they have one son, Matthew Allen Sharp. I married Leah Jo Nash. We have one son, Joseph Allen-Oakes McClung. Joseph is the tenth generation of my direct line, he is also the last of my direct line.

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