I have 3 most wanted ancestors, but will start with William Henry McClain. He was born abt 1813, either in Kentucky or North Carolina, and died in 1873 in Chaplin, Madison, Arkansas (the town of Chaplin no longer exists). He married Martha Ledbetter (born 12 Jan 1830, Overton, Tennesee, died 11 Dec 1931 in Chaplin, Madison, Arkansas). Martha is the daughter of Washington Ledbetter and Martha Chesser. Martha and William were married on 11 Sept 1853 in Stone County, Missouri. They have the following children:
Sarah McClain (m John Hawkins)
Nancy Ellen McClain (b 1854, m John Nunnley Hawkins)
William Abner McClain (b 1856, m Matilda Jane Holman)
Joseph McClain (b abt 1858)
(the family is listed in Arkansas on the 1860 and 1870 census; the above children are shown being born in Stone County, Missouri)
George Lafayette McClain (b 1861, m Cynthia Crow)
Benjamin Simpson McClain (b 1865, m Effie Applegate)
Martha Leann McClain (b 1866, m Enoch Spradlin (D), m 2nd Thomas Ransom Keen)
Parton Packwood McClain (b 1870, m Minnie Milissa Hawkins)
I would like to find William Henry's parents and siblings. I would also like to find land records. The next step I'm going to take (suggested by a friend on Genealogy Wise) is to look on the 1820 census records and find McClain families with a child under age 10 and trace where they go. Perhaps by doing that I can find William. If anyone has info or other ideas, I am open for suggestions.
Thank you so much,
Sheila Peterson