Euphema Viola (Shay) McClain (1879 - 1961)

Born 16 Sep 1879 in Neodesha, Wilson, Kansas, United States

Ancestors

Daughter of Joshua B. Shay and Susannah (Cummings) Shay

Wife of James Albert McClain — married 30 Sep 1900 in Alva Township, Woods, Oklahoma, United States

Descendants

Died 17 Dec 1961 at age 82 in Alva Township, Woods, Oklahoma, United States

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

Biography

Euphema Viola Shay (also known as "Fee") was born in Wilson County, Kansas, on September 16, 1879. She was the daughter of Joshua Shay and Susannah Cummings.^{[1] [2]} She grew up in Neodesha and her FindaGrave memorial indicates Neodesha as the place of birth,^[2] but in the 1880 census her family appears in Newark township, a rural area immediately adjacent to the town of Neodesha.^[1]

The Shay family departed from Kansas on a nine month journey by covered wagon to Oregon in May 1881, when Euphema was just 18 months old, and her younger sister Mabel was a newborn infant.^[3] One often-repeated family story was that during this trek to Oregon, friendly Indians offered to trade ponies for baby Mabel along the way. The family politely declined this offer.^[4]

The family settled in Umatilla County, Oregon, where Euphema's father Joshua owned and operated a cattle ranch.^[3] Two of her siblings died there, including an infant brother Albert in 1883,^[5] and a six year old brother who died, possibly of diptheria, in 1892.^[6]

After 10 years in Oregon, the family returned back to Kansas and Euphema's father Joshua participated in the Oklahoma land rush which began on began at noon on September 16, 1893.^[3] Her father obtained a claim in Woods county, about four miles east of Alva. Euphema and the rest of the family joined him there the following Spring, when Euphema was 13 years old.^[3]

On September 30, 1900, Euphema married James Albert McClain, in Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma Territory.^[7][8] They raised a family of six boys in Alva.^[9][10][11] They also had two children that died as infants.^[12][13]

Later in life, Euphema was estranged from her younger sister Mabel for reasons that remain a mystery, but are rumored to have involved a very serious family quarrel. They never spoke. Despite that, when Euphema passed away, Mabel was there at her side.^[4]

Euphema died in 1961.^[2] According to her FindaGrave memorial, the exact day was December 17, 1961.^[2]

Children

Children of James Albert and Euphema Viola McClain include:^{[9][10][12][13]}

1. Halbert Merle McClain, b. 1901, d. 1953.
2. Clifford Carlyle McClain, b. 1903, d. 1962.
3. Kenneth Warren McClain, b. 1904, d. 1962.
4. Gailen McClain, b. 1905, d. 1905.
5. Everett Albert McClain, b. 1907, d. 1986.
6. James Harold McClain, b. 1909, d. 1983.
7. Ronald McClain, b. 1913, d. 1914.
8. Floyd Austin McClain, b. 1917, d. 1988.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1880 U.S. Census, Wilson County, Kansas, population schedule, Newark Township, p. 11 (penned), enumeration district (ED) 185, sheet 120C, dwelling 94, family 100, Euphemia Shay; image, FamilySearch.org, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBC-NSS : accessed 11 Aug 2019); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 0399.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82313162 : accessed 11 Aug 2019), memorial 82313162, Euphema Viola Shay McClain (1879-1961), Alva Municipal Cemetery, Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma; gravestone photograph by Bob Lawrence.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Obituary contained in funeral notice for Mabel Shay McFeeters, copy in possession of Scott McClain, and available on Ancestry.com, at [1].
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Family stories recounted to Scott McClain by Euphema's son Harold McClain and grandsons Michael and Mark McClain.
5. ↑ Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14732729 : accessed 11 Aug 2019), memorial 14732729, Albert Shay (1883-1883), Vinson Cemetery, Vinson, Umatilla County, Oregon; gravestone photograph by Carmen Mildenberger Adams.
6. ↑ Headstone, roadside cemetery near Vinson, Oregon; visited by Mark McClain in 1993 (no image available); and notes of Mark McClain.
7. ↑ Probate Court, Woods County, Oklahoma, Marriage Certificate, James Albert McClain & Euphema Shay, 30 Sep 1900; image, WikiTree.com, (https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/c/cf/McClain-3352.pdf : accessed 11 Aug 2020).
8. ↑ FamilySearch, “Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995,” database with images, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29M-7ZZV : accessed 11 Aug 2019), James A McClain and Euphemia Shay, 30 Sep 1900; citing Woods County Courthouse, Woods County, Oklahoma; FHL microfilm 1,403,285.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} 1910 U.S. census, Woods County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Alva, ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 267, sheet 3B, dwelling 63, family 63, Euphena L. McClain; image, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RK4-2KG : accessed 30 July 2019); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1276.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} 1920 U.S. census, Woods County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Alva City, ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 203, sheet 15B, dwelling 19, family 22, Euphema V. McClain; image, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRF3-XGL : accessed 30 July 2019); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1480.
11. ↑ 1930 U.S. census, Woods County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Alva City, ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 76-1, sheet 3B, dwelling 67, family 84, family of E.V. McClain; image, FamilySearch.org, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RCN-HVG : accessed 30 July 2019); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1927.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82577858 : accessed 29 July 2019), memorial 82577858, Ronald McClain (1913-1914), Alva Municipal Cemetery, Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma; gravestone photograph by Bob Lawrence.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82313138 : accessed 29 July 2019), memorial 82313138, Gailen McClain (1905-1905); gravestone photograph by Bob Lawrence.

DNA

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by AncestryDNA third cousin matches including :

• Michael McClain to "DR", great-granddaughter of Sarah (Shay) Lesco; 31 cM across 2 segments.
• Mark McClain to "ejbfamtreerhb", great-grandchild of Sarah (Shay) Lesco; 37 cM across 4 segments.
• Michael McClain to "SM", great-grandson of Jennie (Shay) Meyer; 33 cM across 3 segments.
• Michael McClain to "DSM," great-grandson of Jennie (Shay) Meyer; 31 cM across 2 segments.

In each case, the MRCAs are Joshua Leland Shay and Sarah Milledge.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Mark McClain for his foundational research on the Shay line during the 1980s and 1990s.