Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

James McClendon

James McClendon, cotton planter, Lisbon. Louisiana The history of every community is made up, so far as its more interesting features are concerned, of the events and transactions of the lives of its prominent, representative citizens. In any worthy history of Claiborne Parish, an outline of the life of the subject of this sketch should by all means be given. Mr. McClendon was born in Georgia in January, 1816, and was the eldest of fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters, six of whom are now living, three sons and three daughters: Abram (is a cotton planter of Alabama), Thomas H. (is a minister in the Methodist Church in Louisiana Conference, and resides at Sicily Island, Louisiana), Frances (married a Mr. White, a cotton planter, and resides in Texas), Sarah Antoinette (is a widow and resides in Texas, where her husband was a cotton planter), and Sophronia C. (married a Mr. White and resides in Texas). The parents of these children were natives of Georgia, and the father was a cotton planter. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Both are now deceased, and their remains are interred near Lisbon, Louisiana.

James McClendon received his education in the old log-cabin schoolhouse of former times, and has since improved very materially by observation and study. He is a friend and supporter of all good schools. He commenced active business life for himself at the age of twenty-two years, and was married in Heard County, Georgia, in 1838, to Miss Louisa Ann Tait, a native of Georgia, born in 1820.

They moved to this parish in 1848. Of their union have been born twelve children seven sons and five daughters, five of whom are deceased. They are named as follows: Charles W. (died at the age of forty-seven years), Abram S. (was killed in a skirmish in Virginia during the Rebellion), Mary M. (married a cotton planter and resides in Claiborne Parish), Elizabeth N. (married a cotton planter and resides in the Lone Star State), James S. (died at the age of twenty-five years), Enos H. (is an attorney at law at Homer, Louisiana), Robert T. (resides in Claiborne Parish), Isophena (deceased), Sarah A. (married Mr. McCasland, a cotton planter, and resides in Claiborne Parish), Nettie (resides with her parents on the old homestead), Thomas (died in childhood), and Isaac H.

Mr. McClendon was a member of the Home Militia for three months during the war, being too old to serve in the regular army. In his early political days he was an old-line, Whig, but after the Democratic Party was organized he joined that. He has never been an active politician, and has ever aimed to support men of principle, rather than strict party measures. He served as justice of the peace in Alabama six years, and filled the same position in Louisiana for four years. He lost his dear companion in life after a pilgrimage of life's journey for many years, her death occurring on March 8, 1878. Her remains are interred in Lisbon Cemetery, where at her head stands a monument erected by her loving and devoted husband. She was for many years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, find was an active worker in the Sunday school. Mr. McClendon is also a member of that church, and is deeply interested in Sunday-school work. They always contributed to all religious purposes which were worthy of their consideration.

Mr. McClendon is the owner of about 1,100 acres of land, and makes cotton and corn his staple commodity. He has all that life calls for, and he and his daughter, Miss Nettie, and his son, Isaac H, reside near Lisbon, enjoying all the comforts of a temperate life and the respect of their many friends and neighbors.

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890