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- Re: McCLAINs of MADISON CO KY
By Sandra Gorin December 02, 1999 at 08:04:06
In reply to: Re: McCLAINs of MADISON CO KY
10/10/99
Hi - as a Gorin descendant and historian here in the area of Mammoth Cave- no McClains are ever shown to have owned the cave. I know the author of the Longest Cave book, and have done extensive research into the cave ... name just doesn't appear! Sandi
http://www.genealogy.coaker.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mcclain/1045/
HISTORY OF THE MAMMOTH CAVE.
As told to me by Mrs. Nancy Maria Barnhill Whitson my Mother in law. (by Marie T Jentzech Whitson; wife of Edward Whitson, son of James Edward Whitson and Nancy Maria Barnhill) Healdsburg, California. April 18, 1922.
"Sometime before the Southern war, just exactly when I can not tell, There were two Brothers by the name of McClane. They came from Europe some where and setteled in Kentuckey, and became very wealthy in real-estate, and I have heard from one of there Granddaughters, that they owned nearly one half of the State of Kentucky. This might have been exagurated, never the less they owned much very much.
As the snake were rather plentiful and dangerious in Kentuckey it was in the Winter time when men dug for Saltpeter, and on one of these ocasions these two McClane Bros. punched a hole into the side of a Hill. When they discovered that it was a large cavity, they made investigations and by letting themselves down in the cave by a rope, they discovered that it was a very large Cave, and found many curiosities on there first visit into the Cave, among which was an Indian woman who sat in a stone arm chair - or a stone that was shaped thus. With her knitting basket on her arm and her needle work in her hands, On close inspection they found that she was dead and petrefide, the two brothers were so amaised over it, that they desided to take the Indian woman out of the Cave and put her on Exebition, and in doing so they were much disapointed when they saw this woman fall to pieces as soon as she got into the open fresh air. As time went on many investigating parties were taken into the Cave, as it was on the land owned by the McClane Bros. They found so many Indian relics and curiosities, that they were assured that at some time the Cave must have been the home of a prominent Indian Chief - There was a large apartment like a dineing room in the center of which was a large stone table, around it were stone chairs just like the one the woman had died in, at the head of the table was a chair somewhat larger than the rest, as though it was a Chief! Chair, from the ceiling hung earth shaped like icidles and various ornaments adorned the walls. There was a river in the Cave with very clear water and in it were fishes without eyes, and many other things I have now forgotten as time rolled on. They found the Cave to be about five miles long and had several enterences. On one accasion while a party of explorers were in the Cave, One of the McClane Bros. Strayed away from the rest of the party and got lost. It tuck them three days to find him, he was almost dead from exposure and hunger when they found him perfectly nude haveing burned up one piece of clothing after another after his torch had burned out. Now all this happened and much more up to fifty years before the Southern war broke out- when the McClane Bros decided to leave Kentuckey I can not remember the given of either of the McClane Bros. But they bothe liberated there negro slaves they hac many and sold all there land - the Cave was sold to two men - who?s names I do not remember althou I have been told, these men were pardners in the agreement of buying the Cave. The deed of the Cave was made out to these two men, by the McClane Bros. And all that was paid down at that time was $25.00. These men were to make regular payments, but never did so. The McClane Bros. Had so much of this worlds goods they did not bother them about it and the full amount is still due. They settled again in Illinois these McClane Bros. One of them had eight children. He was my husbands Great- great grandfather, in some way he received the news that one of the men to whom they sold the Cave was dead - Now comes a case of curcumstancial evidence. It seams that one of these two men was a mean sort who wanter to get the Cave in his own name but could not persuade his pardner to sell - so one day the two men were seen going into the cave - only one came out again and that was the mean one - a week went by - and neighbors began to asked where the other pardner was (the good man) but could find out nothing. Thus a searching party went forth, and found him down in a gulch where they believed the mean pardner had thrown him from the Bank above. And it killed him, as the good man had no relatives there was nothing done about it and the mean man got the cave in his own posesion. I understand that the presant owners of the Cave are his decendents- One of the Daughters of my husbands Great Great Grandfather McClane who setteled in Illinois, who?s name was Elizibeth maried an enterpriseing young man after whom the Town of Barnhill, Ill. was named he built homes and induced people to come there and live - his daughter the oldest married James Whitson - that marrage tuck place in Fairfield or Springfield - Mrs. Nancy Maria Barnhill Whitson brought her husband and one child to Cal. Just about the end of the war 1853 - of that family there are four children liveing - Mrs. Murphy in Oregon. Frank Whitson in Sunsmure Cal. Geo. Whitson Alameda Cal. And Ed Whitson of Healdsburt Cal - who is my husband -
This is about all I can tell you about the Mammouth Cave. Mrs. Marie T. Jentzech Whitson, 426 Nort St Healdsburg Cal.
The births as I know them - McClane came from Europe - Elizibeth McClane his daughter - married Barnhill. Nancy Maria Barnhill his daughter was born in Barnhill Ill - married either in Springfield or Fairfield Ill. I can?t tell the place was not far from Barnhill - to James Whitson who was born in Monrow Co. Kentuckey. About 40 years ago Grandma Whitson recieved a letter from a Lawyer in Fairfield of Springfield Ill. asking her to sign a paper - but I could not induce her to do so - The Lawyer was doing some recearch work and came across the unpaid deed of the Cave - said if she would sign - he would fight the case for half - but she was not interested and distroied the letter. I do not know what year Henry went back- he married into the Turney family- Mrs. Ed. Whitson."
Darrah3591
Darrah3591 originally shared this to Hopkins Rashall Family History
19 Nov 2013 story
Story of the Mammoth Caves, Kentucky with some genealogy of the McClanes and Barnhills and Whitsons
18 April 1922 Healdsburg, California
keith_m_andrews
keith_m_andrews added this to Keith Andrews family tree
10 Dec 2013
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/48457769/person/20202690678/media/1?pgnum=1&pg=0&pgpl=pid|pgNum
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