Alexander McClean and Sarah Holmes
Husband Alexander McClean 1 2
Born: 20 Nov 1746 - York Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 7 Jan 1834 - Uniontown, Fayette Co, PA 3 Buried:
Father: William McClean ( - ) 1 4 Mother: Elizabeth [Unk] ( - ) 4
Marriage: 1775 - Stony Creek Glades, near Stoystown, Somerset Co, PA 2
Wife Sarah Holmes 2
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
1 F Ann McClean 3
Born: 7 Sep 1776 3 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: John Ward ( - ) 3
2 M Joseph McClean 3
Born: 17 Nov 1777 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
3 F Elizabeth McClean 3
Born: 27 Mar 1779 3 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Thomas Hadden ( - ) 3
4 M William McClean 3
Born: 14 Mar 1780 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
5 M Alexander McClean 3
Born: 17 Sep 1782 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
6 M Ephraim McClean 3
Born: 23 Jul 1784 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
7 M Stephen McClean 3
Born: 23 Sep 1786 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
8 M John McClean 3
Born: 23 Feb 1788 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
9 M Richard McClean 3
Born: 17 May 1790 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
10 M Moses McClean 3
Born: 25 Jul 1793 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Alexander McClean
He and his brothers, William, Samuel, John and James, were all surveyors, and all at one time or another assistants to their eldest brother, Archibald, in the survey of what is now Mason and Dixon's line. Archibald and Moses became deputy surveyors of York County, Pennsylvania, Abraham in the east part of the county, and Moses in what is now Adams County. They laid out "Carroll's Delight," and Archibald, Moses and William, three brothers, secured fine farms in this tract. All the McCleans were early and distinguished defenders of their country in the days of the Revolution. [HAC 1886, 71]
He was the youngest of seven brothers, all of whom became surveyors, and Archibald (the eldest), Moses, Samuel, and Alexander were employed with the celebrated "London artists," Mason and Dixon, in running the historic line between Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, in 1766-67, Alexander being then less than twenty-one years of age, and acting as an assistant to his elder brothers, of whom Archibald was the chief in the business.
The opening of the Land Office, April 3, 1769, for the locating of lands in the then "New Purchase," gave employment to a great number of surveyors, and among them was Alexander McClean. It was for the prosecution of this business that he first moved across the mountains, making his location at the Stony Creek Glades, in the present county of Somerset; but being then unmarried he changed his temporary residence from time to time as required by the location of the work on which he was engaged. At first he was but an assistant to his brothers, who were deputy surveyors, but after a time he was himself appointed to that office, the first survey found recorded as executed by him in the capacity of deputy surveyor within the present boundaries of Fayette County being dated in the year 1772. In 1775 he was married at the Stony Creek Glades, near Stoystown, and in the following spring he moved with his wife to what was then Westmoreland County (afterwards Fayette), and located at or near where his brothers James and Samuel had previously settled, in what is now North Union township, some three miles from where Henry Beeson was then preparing to lay out the town which was the nucleus of the present borough of Uniontown. It was doubtless the knowledge which he obtained of this region while engaged in surveying that induced him to settle west of the Laurel Hill soon after his marriage. He remained at his first location in the present North Union township for about three years, and in 1779 removed to Uniontown, which from that time was his place of residence till his death.
In the first Assembly of the State of Pennsylvania, in 1776, Alexander McClean was one of the members from Westmoreland County. In September of the same year he was one of the justices of the peace for Westmoreland, appointed by the Revolutionary State Convention. He was also a member of Assembly for 1782-83, being elected for the purpose of procuring the passage of the act erecting Fayette County, which was accomplished in the latter year. He had early foreseen the probability of the erection of a new county from this part of Westmoreland, and had (it is said) urged Henry Beeson to lay out his town (now Uniontown), in the belief that it would be made the seat of justice of the new county, the erection of which he predicted.
In 1782 he was appointed sub-lieutenant of Westmoreland County, in place of Edward Cook, who had been promoted to lieutenant to succeed Col. Archibald Lochry, who was murdered by the Indians on the Ohio in the previous year. By his appointment as sub-lieutenant of the county Mr. McClean obtained the title of colonel, by which he was ever afterwards known.
During the Revolution, from 1776 to 1784, there were no entries of land made at the Land Office, and consequently there was no work for deputy surveyors. But in 1781 Col. McClean was appointed by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania chief surveyor for this State (to act in conjunction with a similar officer on behalf of Virginia) to run the temporary line between the two States, as agreed on in 1779. After many delays and vexatious disappointments in the execution of this work it was finally completed by Col. McClean and Joseph Neville, of Virginia, in the winter of 1782-83. The pay established by the Council at the commencement of the work was twenty shillings ($2.66) per day and expenses, but afterwards that body resolved that, "taking into consideration the trouble Mr. McClean has had in running said line, and the accuracy with which the same hath been done, he be allowed thirty-five shillings ($4.67) per day." This resolution of Council established the price which Col. McClean always afterwards charged for his services as surveyor.
Upon the erection of Fayette County in 1783, Col. McClean made application for the appointment of prothonotary and clerk of the courts of the county, but the office was secured by Ephraim Douglass. Col. McClean was, however, appointed (Oct. 31, 1783) by the Council to be presiding justice of the Court of Common Pleas and Orphans' Court. He filled that office until April, 1789, when he was succeeded by Col. Edward Cook. On the 6th of December, 1783, he was appointed to the offices of register and recorder of Fayette County, and held those offices continuously through all the political changes and vicissitudes of a period of more than half a century until his death.
Col. McClean was a quiet, unobtrusive man, devoted to the duties of his office, and caring for little else than to discharge them with diligence, accuracy, and fidelity. He held office longer-from 1772 to 1834-than any other man who has ever resided in western Pennsylvania. He was an expert and elegant penman, as will readily be admitted by any person who examines the multitudinous pages of his work, which may be seen in the courthouse at Uniontown, beautiful as copper-plate, and as clear and distinct as when they were written, so many years ago. As register, recorder, and surveyor for more than half a century he had been conversant with all the estates, titles, and lands of the county, with all their vacancies, defects, and modes of settlement; yet with all these opportunities of acquiring wealth he died in comparative poverty, a sad monument to his integrity. He wrote more deeds and wills at seven and sixpence each (one dollar) and dispensed more gratuitous counsel in ordinary legal affairs than at reasonable fees would enrich a modern scrivener or counselor. [HFC 1882, 362]
1 —, History of Adams County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886), Pg 71.
2 Franklin Ellis, History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 362.
3 Franklin Ellis, History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 363.
4
John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 968.
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