Alexander Kelly McClure (January 9, 1828 – June 6, 1909) was an American politician, newspaper editor, and writer from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. He served as a Republican member of the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

from 1858 to 1859 and 1865 to 1866 as well as a member of the

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, stagger ...

for the 18th district in 1861 and the 4th district from 1873 to 1874. He was a prominent supporter, correspondent, and biographer of President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

. He was the editor of the ''Franklin Repository'' newspaper in

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County, in the South Central Pennsylvania, South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Gre ...

and of the '' Philadelphia Times''. The

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

of McClure, Pennsylvania, and the Alexander K. McClure School in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, are named in his honor.

Early life and education

McClure was born on January 9, 1828, in Sherman's Valley, Perry County, Pennsylvania, to Alexander and Isabella Anderson McClure. He grew up on a farm and received little formal education. At the age of fourteen, he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and apprenticed as a tanner. He traveled west as far as

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

but returned to Pennsylvania after failing in the tannery business. He worked as a printer at the ''Perry County Freeman'' and the ''Juniata Sentinel'' in

Mifflintown, Pennsylvania Mifflintown is a borough in and the county seat of Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 840 at the 2020 census. Geography Mifflintown is located at (40.570728, -77.395488). According to the United States Census ...

. He became editor and publisher of the ''Sentinel'' in 1846, and became known for his Whig political views. McClure was appointed to the staff of the first Whig governor of Pennsylvania, William F. Johnston, with the honorary rank of colonel. In 1850,

Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853. He was the last president to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House, and the last to be neither a De ...

appointed McClure deputy

United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...

for Juniata County. He moved to

Chambersburg Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley, and north of Maryland and the Ma ...

in 1852 and purchased the ''Franklin Repository'' newspaper. He studied law and was admitted to the

Franklin County, Pennsylvania Franklin County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 155,932. Its county seat is Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Cha ...

, bar in 1856.

Career

McClure became active in the newly formed Republican Party and was an outspoken

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

. In 1857, he was elected to the

and re-elected in 1858 and 1859. At the

1860 Republican National Convention The 1860 Republican National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention that met May 16–18 in Chicago, Illinois. It was held to nominate the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

McClure became a well-known political figure, opposing fellow Pennsylvanian

Simon Cameron Simon Cameron (March 8, 1799June 26, 1889) was an American businessman and politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate and served as United States Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln at the start of the Ameri ...

's bid for the Republican nomination for the presidency. McClure and Andrew G. Curtin helped swing the state's vote away from Cameron and

William Seward William Henry Seward (; May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872) was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States senator. A determined opp ...

to Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln's election, McClure became chairman of the Republican state committee and helped to elect Curtin governor of Pennsylvania. He served in the

Pennsylvania Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mi ...

for the 18th district in 1861 and for the 4th district in 1873. When the Civil War began, McClure rallied support for the war as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Military Affairs. He assisted Governor Curtin in planning a meeting of fourteen Northern state governors known as the "Loyal War Governors of the North", in

Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona ( ) is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan area, w ...

, in order to secure their continued support of the war. McClure was commissioned by President Lincoln as an assistant adjutant general with the rank of major on September 6, 1862. He was tasked with raising seventeen Pennsylvania regiments for induction into the U.S. Army and served until he resigned his commission on February 27, 1863. During the U.S. Civil War, Confederate forces threatened McClure's home in Chambersburg several times. McClure was captured but released when General J.E.B. Stuart entered Chambersburg on his raid around McClellan's army in October 1862. The following July, Confederates under then Colonel Eppa Hunton crossed the Potomac River and destroyed railroad property in Chambersburg en route to the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, but noted McClure's hospitality. Days before the

battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, Confederate General Albert Jenkins was a guest at McClure's house. McClure personally met with

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

during the second occupancy of Chambersburg by the Confederate army. In 1864, during the Confederacy's third occupation of Chambersburg, when the town was unable to pay ransom demanded by General

Jubal Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was an American lawyer, politician and military officer who served in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early resigned his ...

, Confederates burned McClure's home, ''Norland'' along with much of the rest of the town, The home was rebuilt and sold to Wilson College. The building that housed the Franklin Repository newspaper operations was also destroyed in the blaze. In 1864, McClure moved to Philadelphia, opened a law office and helped Lincoln carry Pennsylvania again in the general election. In 1865, McClure was elected again to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Union Party member. After the war, McClure traveled extensively in the Western United States to recoup personal wealth lost during the war. He became an investor and officer of the Philadelphia-based Montana Gold and Silver Mining Company and was superintendent of one of the company's mills at the Oro Cache vein in the

Montana Territory The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana. Original boundaries ...

. He also collaborated with former Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin as an incorporator of the McClure-Curtin Oil Company in

Venango County, Pennsylvania Venango County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 50,454. Its county seat is Franklin, Pennsylvania, Franklin ...

. He returned to Philadelphia in 1868 after supporting

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

at the Republican National Convention. By the time of Grant's reelection bid, McClure had left the Republican Party and threw his support to

Horace Greeley Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and newspaper editor, editor of the ''New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congres ...

and the Liberal Republican Party. In 1867, McClure published ''Three Thousand Miles Through the Rocky Mountains'' and it became a resource by many interested in traveling in the West. In 1873, McClure was elected to the

for the 4th district. In 1874, he ran for mayor of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

but lost by only 900 votes. McClure returned to newspaper editing by founding the '' Philadelphia Times'' in 1875. He continued as ''The Philadelphia Times editor until 1901, when he sold the newspaper to

Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (March 12, 1858 – April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of ''The New York Times'' and ''The Chattanooga Times'', which is now the ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Through his only child, Iphigene ...

. He lost much of his fortune in the stock market but was able to obtain an appointment as

prothonotary A prothonotary is the "principal clerk of a court," from Late Latin, L.L. ''prothonotarius'' (Wiktionary:circa, c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the Byzantine E ...

of the

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Judiciary of Pennsylvania, Unified Judicial System. It began in 1684 as the Provincial Court, and casual references to it as ...

. He also worked to heal sectional divisions between Union and former Confederate forces, including participating at the unveiling of the monument to Confederate General George Pickett at the Hollywood Cemetery in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

. In 1886 McClure wrote ''The South: Its Industrial, Financial, and Political Condition'', which included material on race relations in the South. McClure recognized that integration was necessary.

Personal life

McClure married Cora M. Gratz in 1879 after his first wife's apparent death. Together they had at least one son.

Death and legacy

McClure died on June 6, 1909, in

Wallingford, Pennsylvania Wallingford is an unincorporated community in Nether Providence Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1687, it is named for Wallingford, England. In 2007, Wallingford was named by ''Money Magazine'' as the ninth b ...

and was buried at

Laurel Hill Cemetery Laurel Hill Cemetery, also called Laurel Hill East to distinguish it from the affiliated West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, Bala Cynwyd, is a historic rural cemetery in the East Falls, Philadelphia, East Falls neighborhood ...

in Philadelphia. The town of McClure, Pennsylvania, and the Alexander K. McClure School in Philadelphia are named in his honor. File:McClure PA Library.jpg, Library in McClure, Pennsylvania File:McClure School Philly.JPG, McClure School Philadelphia

Published works

*''Three Thousand Miles Through the Rocky Mountains''. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co, 1869. *''The Annals of the Civil War''. 1878. New York: Da Capo Press, 1994. *
The South: Its Industrial, Financial, and Political Condition
'. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1886. *
Abraham Lincoln and Men of War Times: Some Personal Recollections of War and Politics during the Lincoln Administration
'' Philadelphia, The Times Publishing Company 1892 *
The Life and Services of Andrew G. Curtin
'. Harrisburg: Clarence M. Busch, 1895. *
Addresses, Literary, Political, Legal & Miscellaneous, Volume 2
'. Philadelphia: The Times Publishing Company, 1895. *
Lincoln's Yarns and Stories: A Complete Collection of the Funny and Witty Anecdotes That Made Abraham Lincoln Famous as America's Greatest Story Teller
'. Philadelphia: The J.C. Winston Company, 1900. *''The Authentic Life of William McKinley Our Third Martyr President: Together with a Life Sketch of Theodore Roosevelt''. Washington, DC: W.E. Scull, 1901. *
To the Pacific & Mexico
'. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1901. *
Famous American Statesmen & Orators, Past and Present: With Biographical Sketches and Their Famous Orations
'. New York: F.F. Lovell, 1902. *
Our Presidents and How We Make Them
'. New York: Harper, 1902. *
Colonel Alexander K. McClure's Recollections of Half a Century
', The Salem Press Company, 1902. His recollections regarding the Harpers Ferry raid appeared first in a newspaper. *
Old Time Notes of Pennsylvania
'. Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1905.

References

Citations Sources *

External links

* ttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/BiosHistory/MemBio.cfm?ID=5159&body=S Pennsylvania State Senate- Alexander Kelly McClure
The Valley of the Shadow - Alexander K. McClure's letters
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:McClure, Alexander Kelly 1828 births 1909 deaths 19th-century American newspaper editors American abolitionists Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia) Editors of Pennsylvania newspapers Law enforcement officials from Pennsylvania Pennsylvania lawyers Pennsylvania Liberal Republicans Pennsylvania prothonotaries Pennsylvania Republicans Pennsylvania state senators Pennsylvania Whigs People from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania People from Perry County, Pennsylvania People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War United States Marshals 19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly