John Biller McClain (abt. 1818 - aft. 1890)

Born about 1818 in TN [uncertain]

Husband of Ellender (Nipper) McClain — married 8 Jan 1838 in Lawrence Co., TN

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Fielder) McClain — married 26 Oct 1879 in Houston County, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died after 1890 after about age 72 in TN [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kevin McClain [send private message]

Biography

Johnie B Mclain AKA McLane/McClain was born about 1816-18 most likely in TN (daughter's death cert gives birth as VA - believe that is an error).

Death record of his son Joseph has his name as "Johnie". His middle name on his marriage bond is recorded as "Biller".

THEORIES re: Middle Name "Biller"

• A nickname for 'William'
• a reference to a family name, perhaps mother's maiden name.
• Derived from Billingsley - There are McLean/McClains and Billingsley in Guildford Co., NC in late 1700s. There are also some Billingsley's in Lawrence Co.

Parentage is unknown. Candidates include:

• John McClain and Elizabeth McMillian --> John Biller names his son Joseph Newton. John and Elizabeth's son William names one of his sons Newton. Q: Is 'Newton' a family name?
• James MCLean and Kizziah Hardin
• Daniel McLean of Coffee Co. --> More likely a brother?
• William John McLean and Nancy Parchman --> NO
• Jesse McLain and Nancy Payton. --> NO
• William McLain b ~1784
• John McClain b ~1791 and Jane.
• the Cornelius McClane who lived in Franklin Co. in 1830 (along with a Clark Smith and a Sarah Flippo) // The Neal McClane who lived in Coffee Co. in 1840?
• the Coleman McLain born in Va around 1787 and living in Franklin Co., TN in 1820 and Hardin Co., TN in 1850?
• Either the Daniel or Andrew McClain listed in the 1820 Lawrence Co., TN census, age between 18-46. In both of these households there are males ages 0-5.

Possible siblings include Urias Smith McLean, Emmanuel M McClain/McLean, Samuel McClain and Hugh McClain William Joseph McClain. Note: Urias Smith reported married a Mary/Polly Nipper... maybe brothers married sisters?

According to Marriage records he married on 08 Jan 1838 Ellender (Ellen or Eleanor) Nipper/Nipier in Lawrence Co., TN. It is not clear where she was born, as in the 1860 census lists NC as her birth state, while the 1870 lists VA. Her daughter's Pheobe's death certificate says "Rich Valley, VA". It is also unclear whether Ellen's last name was Nipper, or if that is a transcription error. Son Urias has mother's last name as Flipps. It is theorized that this is a family-reporting error, but that the family may have some ties to the Flippo family. The bondsman was a Clark Smith. I theorize that Clark Smith was either an uncle or cousin.

RESEARCH: J.B. Mclains in the Confederacy

• 48th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Nixon's)? ---> No, that was James Blackburn McLean
• Seventh?

According to the 1870 census his occupation (as well as son Urias) was Teamster, which may help to explain why he moved about quite a bit.

While the Mclains appear to have been in Giles Co., in 1840 and in Lawrence Co. for the 1860 census, it is not known where they were in 1850. The fact that their son George Washington lists Missouri as his state of birth (about 1854) in the 1870 census, but not in the 1860 census, raises questions. Pheobe was born in 1857 and she give her birth place as Lawrence Co.

If the 1840 Giles Co household is this family, It would appear from the 1840 census that they had a newborn son. Assuming he was not conceived out of wedlock, this child would have been under the age of 2. This son would have been 19 or 20 in 1860. He is not present in the household in the 1860 census. It is not known if he survived or had, by that time, set out on his own.

1840: Giles Co., TN

• 1 Male 0-5
• 1 Male 20-30
• 1 Female 20-30

1850: ???

1860: The 15th Civil District, Lawrence Co. , TN

• Jno B Mc Clain M 42 Tennessee
• Eleanor Mc Clain F 42 North Carolina
• Uria Mc Clain M 18 Tennessee
• Geo W Mc Clain M 7 Tennessee
• Pherebe Mc Clain F 4 Tennessee
• Mary R Mc Clain F 1 Tennessee

John is listed a farmer with no real estate value, and a personal estate value of 100 (very low, compared to neighbors). John and Eleanore are enumerated as illiterate. The age of Uria is difficult to read; could be interpreted as 13, 15 or 18.

Son Joseph is born in 1862, His death certificate says he was born in Dickson Co.

1870: Wayne Co., TN

• John B Mclain M 53 Tennessee
• Ellender Mclain F 52 Virginia
• Uriah Mclain M 26 Tennessee
• Washington Mclain M 16 Missouri
• Ferabe Mclain F 11 Tennessee
• Mary R Mclain F 10 Tennessee
• Joseph N Mclain M 8 Tennessee

John and Ellendar are both NOT listed as illiterate - that is to say neither has the 'Cannot Read' nor 'Cannot Write' columns checked. Both John and sons Uriah and Washington have occupation listed as 'Teamster'. NOTE: Uriah sometimes transcribed as 'Isiah'.

It is speculated that Eleanor dies in the mid to late 1870s. Johnnie remarries in 1879. The 1880 census has John and Joseph living next door to each other in Houston County. Johnie is married to Mary and has a household of step-children with the last name Parrot. Joseph is newly married to a Louisa, whose maiden name is Parrot. Mary Parrot, Johnie's second wife, is the mother of Louisa Parrott, Joseph's first wife.

1880: District 4, Houston Co., TN

Household 84

• John Mc Lane Self M (55) Tennessee, United States
• Mary Mc Lane Wife F 44 Tennessee, United States
• Mary Parrott Stepdaughter F 15 Tennessee, United States
• G A Parrott Stepdaughter F 14 Tennessee, United States
• Tennie Parrott Stepdaughter F 11 Tennessee, United States
• Allen Parrott Stepson M 8 Tennessee, United States
• Nellie Parrott Stepdaughter F 6 Tennessee, United States

Household 85

• Joseph Mclane Self M 18 Tennessee, United States
• Louisa Mclane Wife F 19 Tennessee, United States

Note: The age of John - 55 - is off significantly. John is approximately 62 or 63. in 1880 However, in the census, the number is parenthesis --does this indicate a rough estimate by Mary, his new wife, or the census taker? Perhaps it indicates that the census taker forgot to ask age and later estimated an age based on memory?

RESEARCH: LATE MARRIAGE in Houston Co. ?

• Tennie E Parker 19 May 1889 or
• Mary Warfied (or Worfield) 27 Dec 1889?

It is not known when he died, but it is assumed it is between 1880 and 1900 in Houston Co., TN. In 1900, he is not in the households of any of his known children.

It is not known where he is buried.

Sources

• "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK41-SN6Z : 22 December 2016), John Biller McLain and Eleanor Nipier, 08 Jan 1838; citing Lawrence, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 976,304.

• "Tennessee, State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VNDN-HVP : accessed 26 Jun 2014), John Biller (Unknown) Mclain and Eleanor Nipper, 08 Jan 1838; citing "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," Ancestry.com; p. 11, Lawrence, Tennessee, United States, State Library and Archives, Nashville.

• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYL-XLT : accessed 8 July 2015), John Mclane, Not Stated, Giles, Tennessee; citing p. 144, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 523; FHL microfilm 24,545.

• "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8TN-KJX : accessed 16 Jul 2014), Geo W Mc Clain in household of Jno B Mc Clain, The 15th Civil District, Lawrence, Tennessee, United States; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 180, household ID 1134, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 805260.

• "Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZW7-7TP : accessed 28 January 2016), J B Mcclane, 1862; from "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing military unit Forty-eighth (Nixon's) Infantry, NARA microfilm publication M268 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1960), roll 313.

• "Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ76-6V9 : accessed 28 January 2016), John B Mcclain, 1863; from "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing military unit Seventh Infantry, NARA microfilm publication M268 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1960), roll 147.

• "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD8Z-PSV : accessed 16 Jul 2014), John B Mclain, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 34, family 271, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 000553068.

• "Tennessee, Marriages, 1796-1950," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDQZ-QLX : accessed 15 March 2015), John Mc Clane and Mary Parott, 24 Oct 1879; citing Houston,Tennessee, reference ; FHL microfilm 547,752.

• "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD7J-WD3 : accessed 16 Jul 2014), John Mc Lame, District 4, Houston, Tennessee, United States; citing sheet 16A, NARA microfilm publication T9.

• "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VND4-XJS : accessed 28 January 2016), J B Mcclane and Tennie E Parker, 19 May 1889; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 276, Houston, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.

• "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VND4-9PT : 4 December 2014), John Mcclain and Mary Warfied (Unknown), 27 Dec 1889; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 330, Houston, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.