William Leonard McClain
W. L. McClain, who is engaged in the mercantile business at Lima, belongs to one of the pioneer families of Allen County. He was born in 1866 in Perry township, and ia a son of Isaac and Mary (Crumrine) McClain.
Isaac McClain was born in 1837 on the McClain homestead, one and a half miles north of Lima, and is a son of Andrew and Nancy McClain. The former was born near Lancaster Fairfield County, Ohio, and was a son of Thomas McClain, who came to Allen County in 1832 and located in Bath township, where few of his contemporaries still live. Not one tree on that land had yet fallen by the hand of man of the farm which he cleared and where he died in 1842. His wife survived him until 1873. They had nine children and Isaac was the seventh of the family.
Isaac McClain went first to school in a church in Lima, and then to a select school kept on the old farm in a little log building, which had been constructed for the purpose. After the death of his father, he remained at home with is mother until his marriage, and then moved to the McDonel place. Here he lived one year and then built a shanty on the site of his present comfortable residence. His wife owned 40 acres and Isaac McClain bought 40 east and 80 west, thus making a very fair-sized farm. In 1873 the present excellent home was built, which is supplied with gas from the wells flowing on the place.
In 1864 Isaac McClain married Mary Crumrine, who was born September 20, 1841, and is a daughter of Martin and Catherine (Brocies) Crumrine. The nine children born to this marriage were: Lucinda, wife of U. C. Apple, born September 21, 1864; William Leonard, born November 15, 1866; Charles Albert, born December 13, 1868; Henry Edward, born April 13, 1871; Florenc May, born September 10, 1873; John Timothy, born March 6, 1875; Roscoe Franklin, born March 31, 1877; George Webster, born May 23, 1879; and Minnie Rachel, born March 10, 1886.
The farm occupied by Mr. McClain is known as the "Central Ridge Farm," where great attention is paid to the breeding of fine sheep. Mr. McClain owns a very valuable full-bred Shropshire sheep, which was bred by Carpenter, of Toronto. Politically he is a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
William Leonard McClain, our immediate subject, was reared and prepared for college in Allen County, and spent two years at the Tri-State Normal School at Angola, Indiana. After completing his collegiate course, he went into business in the oil field of his native State and continued thus engaged for 14 years. In 1901 Mr. McClain came to Lima and embarked in the grocery business under the firm name of W. L. McClain & Company. He carries a complete stock of both staple and fancy groceries, at his location, NO. 720 South Main street.
In 1890 Mr. McClain was married to Florence A. Jamison, who is a daughter of A. W. Jamison, who has interest in the Ohio oil fields. Mr. and Mrs. McClain have two children, viz: Merlin Bonard, born March 22, 1902; and Mildred, born August 4, 1905. He is a member of the Odd Fellows. In political sentiment he is a Republican and at the present writing (1905) is the nominee of his party for the City Council as councilman-at-large.