Mary Elizabeth Wise

Notes:

The Malone Farmer, Adirondacks, New York
Wednesday September 11, 1918

Mrs. Mary E. McClelland, who died at her home in Saranac Lake last week was a noble woman who, for more than 60 years was an influential factor in all phases of community uplift and benefit in that village. When she settled there it was little more than a logging camp and contained but seven families. She was the second teacher in the schools of the place and laid the groundwork for splendid citizenship in her pupils. In the Methodist church and W.C.T.U. she was among the foremost acting as president of the latter for many years. Before Saranac Lake had newspapers of it’s own she acted as a special correspondent from time to time for other papers entering the community and was for some time on the Farmer’s staff of correspondents. The farm left by her husband who died 21 years ago extended over what is now a large part of the thrifty Adirondack village. Her five surviving children are widely scattered, only one, Miss Lena McClelland, being left at Saranac Lake.


August 30, 1918

Community Loses Pioneer Resident
Mrs. Mary E. McClelland passes away at age of 81
Here over 60 Years
Only seven houses in Village When She Took Up Her Residence 66 Years Ago
Was Able to Teach School Where Others Had Failed
Wrote Interesting Articles Before Newspapers Were Established Here and
During Her Long Life Was A Factor in All Phases of Community Uplift.

In the death of Mrs. Mary E. McClelland, aged 81, which occurred at her home No. 172 Broadway, Friday night, at 7:30 o’clock, Saranac Lake lost another of its pioneer citizens and a resident who for more than sixty years was a powerful factor in all phases of community uplift and betterment.
Mrs. McClelland was born at Elizabethtown, Sept. 13, 1836, the daughter of the late Roswell and Mary Demon Wise. At the age of 15 she was married to James McClelland, who died here 21 years ago. Shortly after her marriage, Mrs. McClelland came to Saranac Lake, and with the exception of four or five years during which she resided in Canada, she had lived here until her death.
When Mrs. McClelland came to Saranac Lake the village was then a very small hamlet. It was little more than a logging camp. Seven families comprised its entire population. The inhabitants led the rough woods life. Mrs. McClelland, who was the second teacher in the community, brought with her a kindliness and a keen insight into human nature that won the respect and the friendship of the youths and she was able to teach the rudiments of education and to lay the groundwork for the fine community spirit that quickly developed. Many of her pupils became prominent citizens and accumulated considerable wealth. She taught two years in the red schoolhouse on Lake Street. She was successful because of her remarkable patience and her unfailing good nature which characterized her through life and won for her the endearment of hundreds of friends. This kindliness of spirit which made her a loving wife and mother, was omnipresent and through it was wielded a powerful influence for good in religious and community movements.
Mrs. McClelland was naturally of a literary turn of mind and during her life she contributed many interesting articles to the press. When she came here there were no newspapers, but papers from other parts of the Northern New York circulated here and Mrs. McClelland was the local correspondent. She wasn’t a correspondent in the sense of writing day to day news but devoted most of her time to articles of splendid literary merit and carrying always an inspiring note. During the Civil War she wrote many poems and clippings of what she had written were voluminous. These were destroyed in a fire a few years ago. Mrs. McClelland retained a remarkable grasp of her mental faculties until her death and was able to recite from memory 90 poems.
Mrs. McClelland was active in church circles, being deeply religious but without fanaticism. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was always at the forefront in Sunday School activities and the organization of other church societies. She was for many years the president of W.T.C.U. attended in a drinking fountain erected near the St. Regis Hotel on Bloomingdale avenue, but it is said the fountain was destroyed by saloonkeepers whom she opposed.
Mrs. McClelland’s property extended over a large part of the village.
There were 13 children in the family, of whom the following survive; Mrs. Frank S. Barton and Mrs. George W. Walton of Salem, Oregon, Fred S. McClelland of Whitinsville, Mass., Mrs. Herbert Hazelwood of Mattawa, Ontario and Miss Lena C. McClelland of Saranac Lake, besides one brother, George W. Wise of Saranac Lake.
The funeral was held from the Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Rev. Alexander McKinley, pastor of the church officiating. There was a profusion of beautiful flowers. Members of the Women’s Relief Corp attended in a body. A special program of music was given, two hymns, “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere” and “Abide With Me” being beautifully sung by a mixed quartet. The pall bearers were her grandsons, Thomas, Charles, and Gaylord McClelland, Paul Walton, Frank Washburn and George Quick. Burial was in Pine Ridge Cemetery.

—Transcribed by Michele Tucker of the William Chapman White Room, Saranac Lake Free Library, 4/11/2006, from Alfred L. Donaldson's Scrapbook 8.

Mary married James D. McClelland in 1851. James (son of Dark Gordon McClelland and Islaye ?) was born on 16 Jun 1831 in Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; died on 20 Oct 1897 in Saranac Lake, New York, USA; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Roswell W. McClelland was born in Mar 1852 in New York, USA; died on 8 Nov 1853 in New York, USA; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States.
2. William McClelland was born in Feb 1854 in New York, USA; died before 1918.
3. Mary J. McClelland was born in May 1856 in Canada; died in 1913 in Illinois, USA; was buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Zion, Lake County, Illinois, United States.
4. Susan Ellis McClelland was born in Feb 1857 in Canada; died on 12 Mar 1924 in Portland, Oregon, USA; was buried in Lee Mission Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, United States.
5. Roswell W. McClelland was born in Jun 1864; died in May 1866 in New York, USA; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States.
6. Martha Ellen McClelland was born in Jan 1867 in New York, USA; died on 31 Jan 1956 in Miami, Florida, USA.
7. James D. McClelland was born in Sep 1868 in New York, USA; died on 3 Oct 1890 in Saranac Lake, New York, USA; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States.
8. Fred S. McClelland was born in Sep 1869 in New York, USA; died in 1931; was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Northbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States.
9. Eliza L. McClelland was born in Jul 1872 in New York, USA; died in 1917 in Tupper Lake, New York, USA; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States.
10. Agnes Rosamond McClelland was born on 4 Oct 1874 in Saranac Lake, New York, USA; died on 25 Dec 1931 in Papineau-Cameron Township, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Pinehill Union Cemetery, Mattawa, Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada.
11. Sanford McClelland was born in Dec 1877; died in Jan 1878; was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Saranac Lake, Essex County, New York, United States.
12. Clara Virginia McClelland was born on 6 Apr 1879 in Saranac Lake, New York, USA; died on 21 Dec 1928 in Lewiston, Idaho, USA; was buried in Salem Pioneer Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, United States.
13. Lena C. McClelland was born in Dec 1881 in New York, USA; died about Apr 1932.

Roswell married Mary De Mon in 1835. Mary (daughter of Brouwer De Mon and Delnaya ?) was born in 1814; died on 6 Jan 1849; was buried in Simonds Hill Cemetery, Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Daniel married Mahalla Fuller on 19 Aug 1802 in Grafton, Vermont, USA. Mahalla (daughter of Thomas Fuller and Hopestill Lethbridge) was born on 15 Apr 1774 in Wrentham, Massachusetts, USA; died in 1834. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Brouwer married Delnaya ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Daniel married Mary Wise on 23 Apr 1778 in Grafton, Vermont, USA. Mary was born on 26 May 1755 in Grafton, Vermont, USA; died on 28 Dec 1831 in Grafton, Vermont, USA; was buried in Middletown Cemetery, Grafton, Windham County, Vermont, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Hopestill Lethbridge on 9 Nov 1769 in Wrentham, Massachusetts, USA. Hopestill (daughter of Samuel Lethbridge and Hepzibah Sabin) was born in 1743; died on 20 Dec 1790 in Wrentham, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]