Charles Wylie McClure

[IRA]

Charles Wylie McClure

July 4, 1866 - January 23, 1943
By : Ira McClure ©

 

      Charles Wylie McCLURE was born July 4, 1866 in Washington County, Illinois to James Morton McCLURE and Sarah ( nee McKINLEY )   McCLURE.

      James McCLURE was born in Chester, South Carolia and moved to Illinois with his parents, Alexander and Jane McCLUE around 1830.

      Sarah McKINLEY was born in Northern Ireland and immigrated to Canada with her family around 1840 and a few years later Sarah and her family settled in Illinois.

      Charles Wylie McCLURE who became kown as C. W. McCLURE started selling tin ware in Southern Illinois at the age of 20. In 1896 at the age of 30, Charles left Illinois and settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where he opened "The McClure Ten Cent Company".

      In 1900 he married Cora B. RUTHERFORD of Baldwin, Illinois in Fulton County, Georgia on May 15, 1900. They had three children; one died early in life and their two surviving children were Sterling McCLURE and Helen McCLURE.

      During his time in Atlanta, C. W. made a mark on the city and on the Ten Cent merchants of the United States. the ten cent merchants organized an association in Cincinnati and in 1910, C. W. was elected its first president, and at the second annual meeting he was once again reelected president. C. W. also organized the McClure Realty, held a large interest in the Atlanta and Carolina Railroad Company, and was the director of the Colorado Mining Company of Mexico.

      In 1914 C. W. ran for U. S. Senate from Georgia on the Progressive Party ticket against Hoke Smith (Dem) but was defeated.

      Charles W. McClure died January 28, 1943, at the age of 76, in Dawson County, Georgia.