Some Early Record of the Mcclearn Family in Nova Scotia
I had written to the Historical Centre in Queens County requesting information about the McClearn Family in early records. In December of 2002 I received a reply from a gal from the centre named Linda containing two different typed up packets of items that she gleened from three different sources. All typed accounts are only those dealing with the McClearn family. The first source is the original family bible of Robert McClearn (son of James and Isabella). The second source is from the Simon Perkins Diary and the third I've since lost the specific name, but it was stamped Archives of Nova Scotia, Halifax. Each entry has a page number and the year begins in 1761.
Here are some of the historical and factual items from within.
The following are notes that were taken from the original family bible of of Robert McCLEARN which in 1954 was in the possession of daughter Bethiah of Liverpool. I organized it a little better for reading as well as to save space. I believe Linda made a typo though in regard to 1954; Bethiah died in 1835 and it's possible she meant to type 1834.
McLEARN, Robert-born 14 June, 1755, married 06 Dec, 1780, died 02 May, 1828.
Spouse: Sarah (Sally) WEST, born New England (Plymouth) 22 Sept, 1760; daughter of Thomas and Sarah WEST.
Documented children:
Hugh, born 16 Jan, 1782 Liverpool, died 26 September, 1811 at Little Harbour Shelbourne. Married Easter MATTHEWS
Mary, born 29 March, 1784 at Liverpool, married William DUNLAP
Thomas, born 23 April, 1786 at Port Mouton
Sarah, born 01 July, 1788 at Port Mouton
Bethiah, born 20 November, 1790 at Port Mouton, married Daniel SMITH
Elizabeth, born 20 May, 1793 at Port Mouton
Robert, born 30 October, 1795 at Port Mouton
James, born 10 October, 1797 at Port Mouton
Abner West, born 04 February, 1900 at Port Mouton
Matthew, born 08 April, 1802 at Port Mouton
Some items taken from the Simon Perkins Diary. I am not copying all entries into this page, but here are a few:
Dec 6, 1780: Mr. Robert McLARN is married this evening to Miss Sally WEST. I and my wife are at the wedding.
July 18, 1781: Robert McLARN sails for Halifax this evening in his shallop.
July 11, 1790: My daughter Nabby goes with Isabella McLARN in Mr. Taylor's Dorchester to make a visit to Mrs. Robert McLARN.
May 03, 1793: Robert McClarren comes with boards from Mr. Taylor.
May 08, 1793: Capt. Snow PARKER has hired Robert McLARN and his shallop to go to Halifax. He carries some West India goods.
July 08, 1803: My daughters Lucy and Elizabeth go for Port Mutton on a visit in Robert McLEARN's boat with Mrs. McLARREN (notice the name spelled in two different ways in a single sentence)
These entries are taken from the third source containing about 7 pages of information:
1761
pg. 113.....
Simeon FREEMAN married Mehitable McCLEARN
Bartlett Bradford FREEMAN married Nancy McCLEARN
1780
pg. 200
Thomas and Sarah WEST had three children born in Plymouth-Bethiah, Thomas and Sarah and three born in Liverpool-Peter, Paul and Abner. Sarah married Robert McLEARN, Peter married Isabella McLEARN, daughter of James and Isabella, and had Thomas, Elizabeth, Sarah and Caldwell.
Included in this packet were some random records and it is typed exactly as it appears:
Page 117:
1780 Records,- Robert McClearn m. Sarah West; Jacob Brown m. Sarah McLearn (probably a sister of Robert); Bartlett Bradford Freeman m. Nancy McLearn; 1810 William Dunlap m. Mary McLearn; 1811, Hugh McLearn dies; 1820, Elisha Smith m. Isabella McLearn; Robert McLearn m. Sarah Leslie; 1825, Joseph McLearn m. Elisha Freeman; 1827, John McLearn m. Jemima Stewart; 1830, Matthew McLearn m. Sophia Darrow; 1839, Seth McLearn m. Mary McDonald; 1846, Mary wife of James McLearn dies; 1849, Mrs. Robert McLearn dies, aged 89; 1859, Jonathan DeWolf m. Esther D. McLearn; 1861, M. Lewis m. Peninah McLearn; Mary McLearn died; 1863, John D. McLearn m. Annie E. Spurr; 1865, Capt. Matthew McLearn dies, in Tobago, W. I.; 1869, Mrs. Sarah Collins (daughter of Robert McLearn) dies, aged 80, Mrs. Matthew McLearn dies. Henry McLearn of Port Matoun, was of this family.
same page:
McClearn-McLearn- Spelled both ways, but in recent years McClearn. In some old public documents it was McLarn, and an old member of the family says it was originally McLaren.