Santa
Clara County
Biographies
HENRY McCLEARY
Henry McCleary, by his manly
qualities of self-reliance and perseverance, accomplished a steady advance from
his youthful years on, until he occupied a recognized place in the vicinity of Mountainview, (sic) Cal., as one of its leading citizens.
He was born June 16, 1839, in Kosicusko county, Ind.,
a son of William and Sarah (Collier) McCleary, both of whom were natives of
Georgia. When a child Mr. McCleary was deprived of his father, who died in
Indiana, where he had lived for a number of years. His mother died in Kansas.
Educated in the common schools of Indiana he left that state at the age of
fourteen and for some time he worked on a farm in Cass county,
Mich.
It was in 1863 that Mr. McCleary
crossed the great plains with horse teams and located
in California near Mayfield for a few months. He then removed to the vicinity
of Mountainview, (sic) and here he again took up farm
work, which occupied his attention for the balance of his life. He died
November 23, 1903, and his widow and children still survive him, Mrs. McCleary
and her son, John C., residing on the home place at Mountainview.
(sic) In the spring of 1866 Mr. McCleary was joined in
marriage with Mrs. Rachel N. Muncey, born in Crawford
county, Ohio, September 25, 1828, who was several
years his senior. Her father, Aner Umberfield, was a native of Connecticut and while a young
man went to Ohio and located in Crawford county. He
subsequently moved to Michigan and located on a farm in Cass county,
where he afterward died. He wedded Miss Susan Scott, a native of Pennsylvania,
who also died in Michigan.
Mrs. McCleary was reared mainly in
the state of Michigan, where her marriage with William Muncey
took place, and three children were born to them. They are Harvey, a resident
of Crescent City, Cal.; Flora, of San Jose; and Aner,
who resides in the same city. In 1861, accompanied by her husband, the trip to
California was made with horse teams, five months being consumed by the
journey. The family located one-half mile west of Mountainview
(sic) and in the fall of 1862 the place upon which Mrs. McCleary still resides
was purchased. This place contains one hundred and sixty acres of fine land and
is located one mile north of Mountainview, (sic) on
the Sterling road, and here it was that Mr. McCleary died. Two children were
born of this union, one son, John, who assists on the farm, and one daughter,
Mrs. Ada Girard, who resides at Oakland, Cal. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South,
and stand well in social circles. The farm is devoted to raising hay,
principally, and Mrs. McCleary has shown true business ability in her
successful management of the ranch.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1348-1349. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.