HENRY HARRISON McCLAIN

Sacramento County

Biographies

HENRY HARRISON McCLAIN

HENRY HARRISON McCLAIN.--Among the agriculturists who are helping to build up a permanent prosperity for Sacramento County, none is held in higher esteem, nor have any brighter prospects than Henry Harrison McClain, well-known as an orchardist and asparagus grower on Andrus Island. He is one of Sacramento County’s native sons, his birth having occurred near Franklin July 18, 1883, a son of Frank A. and Eliza (Bloom) McClain, both natives of Sacramento County. Grandfather McClain was a native of Scotland and was a pioneer trader in Sacramento. He made various trips via Cape Horn between New York and San Francisco and on one trip he died aboard and was buried at sea. Grandfather Bloom came to California in 1849 across the plains by ox team, and at first conducted a hotel at Diamond Springs, near Placerville; later he removed to Sacramento County and purchased land which later proved to be a grant and became involved in a suit, and he lost all he had invested. He then located in the vicinity of Franklin and bought a half section of land, where he passed away at the age of sixty-seven years. Frank A. McClain learned the blacksmith trade and for many years conducted a shop in Sacramento at Tenth Street, between K and L, the site of the Sacramento Hotel; later he engaged in farming in the vicinity of Franklin. In 1888 the mother passed away at the age of thirty-one years, leaving three children: Henry Harrison, the subject of this sketch; Donald, who was accidentally killed on his ranch on Andrus Island; and Andrew, who is a business man in Fresno.

Harry McClain, as he is familiarly known by his friends, attended the grammar school of the Richland district; then he spent two years in the Elk Grove high school and finished with a business course at the Atkinson Business College in Sacramento. From 1902 to 1916, Mr. McClain was in various cities in the employ of Wells Fargo Express Company; he then became a partner with his brother Donald and his aunt, Mrs. Sol Runyon, in farming the 440 acre ranch, known as the Point Ranch, on Andrus Island. One hundred sixty acres of this ranch is devoted to orchard and 100 acres to asparagus-growing, the balance being devoted to general farming.

In Sacramento, on October 5, 1913, Mr. McClain was married to Miss Myrtle Ross, born in Oakland, Cal., a daughter of Frank A. and Mollie T. (Campbell) Ross, both natives of Nevada County, California. Frank A. Ross, who passed away at the age of forty-five years, was manager of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and was later claim agent for the Northern Electric line. Mrs. McClain graduated from the Sacramento high school. The mother is living with our subject and his wife. In 1916 Mr. McClain built a fine residence on his Andrus Island ranch, where he and his wife make their home. In 1914 Mr. McClain was master of Tehama Lodge No. 3, F. & A. M., in Sacramento. He is a member of Sacramento Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and is also a thirty-second-degree Scottish Rite Mason and a charter member of Ben Ali Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of that city. Mr. And Mrs. McClain are members of Onisbo Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. McClain is a member of the Rotary Club of Sacramento. In politics he is a Republican.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 945. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.