[The following was written by Cora Watts for presentation to the Dayton Cemetery Association]

On envelope:   This contains some information about my paternal grandparents, Albert Dunavan and his wife Nancy Green Dunavan. Also my great grand parents Colonel Samuel Dunavan and Elizabeth Lair Dunavan

March 1964                                                     Cora Belle Dunavan Watts

My father, son of a pioneer farmer of the “middle west” was born and grew up east of Wedron; his father was Albert Dunavan and his mother was Nancy Green Dunavan, a daughter of John Green and Barbara Grove who came from Licking County Ohio in 1829. They (Albert & Nancy) lived in Rutland before my father was born. It is surprising how little I know about my grandparents.

I was a little girl when they left this part of the country, and moved to a farm in Missouri near Hamilton, with their son, uncle Dave, and daughter, aunt Alice, who never married. Aunt Alice lived only a few years after they moved there.

They wrote that their neighbors were very friendly and always came to celebrate their birthdays. I remember a gold headed cane that my father had after his father Albert’s death, and he said it was presented to his father by his neighbors on a birthday and he was very proud of it. Other members of the Dunavan family moved to Hamilton Mo., too; Aunt Jane Dunavan married Aaron Howe and they moved to Hamilton, and uncle Lewis and aunt Jennie Dunavan moved to a farm near there, I don’t know who went first, or why, but suppose farm land was cheaper out there.

My grandparents’ home near Wedron was a large square white house, with green blinds or shutters, and it had a fireplace with andirons. Some stranger came one evening years ago, and claimed to be a relative, and the tenant farmer let him take the old andirons he asked for.

I remember hearing that my grandfather Albert Dunavan was a forty niner, but can not tell any thing about the trip to California at that time. Lately I have received from Hope Dunavan some information from a first cousin D_____ Dunavan in Clemson S. Carolina whom I have not seen since we both were little children, as his family, the Isaac Dunavans, left this part of the country then.  I don’t know where uncle Isaac went at that time, but his son writes that he died in 1914 in Crichton Saak, Canada.

The following is from his son’s research work –
“Joseph Albert Dunavan 1812 – 1892  Born Mar. 31 – 1812 about 8 miles from Newark, Licking County Ohio. His father Col. Samuel Dunavan and his wife (my great grandparents) Elizabeth Lair were natives of the famous and beautiful Shenandoah Valley Virginia. Joseph or Albert and his brothers William and George and their mother Elizabeth Lair were left when their father died in 1816 from effects of the war of 1812. The mother later married David Letts and in 1830 moved with him to Cedar Point Ill, a mile south of Peru, where Mr. Letts set up a saw mill. Joseph Albert is believed to have learned the cooper’s trade before he went to Illinois. He spent some time in volunteer militia, fighting indians at Fort Welburn. Went to Dayton Ill. where he met Nancy Green and married her January 26, 1834. His two brothers married sisters of Nancy Green. George married Katherine and William married Eliza.

In 1849 or about then, he went to California in the “gold rush”. While he was gone, it has come down to us that one of his children was born and another died. These I surmise were Cynthia Jane and John A. respectively.

He left Dayton Ill. in 1889 where he had owned a large farm and went to Sterling Colorado to farm, with his sons Dave and Lewis; returned from Colorado to Hamilton Missouri to live with son Dave, where both Joseph Albert and Nancy died and were buried.

[Typed on a card in the same envelope:]

Cora Dunavan Watts (Mrs. Harry), b June 20, 1879, d May 22, 1964
Lived in Leland and Ottawa, Illinois
Buried Earlville Precinct Cemetery

May Dunavan Humm (Mrs. Herbert, b December 22, 1877,  d Nov. 21, 1964
Lived in Glendale, Calif.

Both daughters of Samuel and Amanda Munson Dunavan, born near Baker, La Salle County, Ill.

The McClary house in Dayton, as it looks today

[the following was written in 1906]

Edward C. McClary is proprietor of a grocery store in the village of Dayton, which he has conducted for ten years, and is also grain buyer for the Neola Elevator Company of Chicago, which has an elevator in this village situated on the Aurora and Streator branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad. He was born in the village of Norway, La Salle county, on the 18th of August, 1874, and is therefore yet a young man, but has achieved a success which many an elder business man might well envy.

His father, Thomas McClary, a native of Ohio, was married to Miss Susan Ingals, who was born in Indiana. A carpenter by trade, he also engaged in connection  with building operations in the repair of wagons and farm tools. He came to this county about fifty years ago and was married after his arrival here. He first lived in the village of Norway until about thirty-one years ago, when he removed to Sheridan, his remaining days being passed there. He never sought to figure prominently in politics and for a number of years gave his political allegiance to the prohibition party, but became an advocate of the republican party at the time that James G. Blaine was its presidential candidate. Although he belonged to no church he lived an upright, honorable life, doing by others as he would have them do to him, was a strict temperate man and displayed in his daily conduct those sterling traits of character which everywhere command respect and confidence. He passed away in June, 1904, at the age of seventy-three years and his widow is still living in Sheridan at the age of sixty-five years.

In their family were six children, five of whom yet survive: Lizzie, the wife of H. M. Powers, a resident of Sheridan; Ella, who is a nurse in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Frank W., who married Rose Marco and is a stock buyer living in Sheridan; Rose, the wife of E. H. Peterson, of Sheridan, who has twice represented the district in the state legislature and is one of the prominent and influential residents of La Salle county; Edward C., of this review; and James, who died at the age of five years.

In his parents’ home Edward C. McClary spent his boyhood days and acquired his education in the public schools.Ten years ago he purchased the grocery store of C. W. Fredenburg and has since conducted the business, meeting with well merited success. He carries a carefully selected line of staple and fancy groceries and his neat and attractive store secures a liberal patronage.

In July, 1899, Mr. McClary was married to Miss Emma F. Barnes, who was born in this county, December 11, 1872, and is a daughter of Joseph Barnes, who is living in Dayton township. Mr. McClary has been influential in community affairs and has co-operated actively as well as effectively in many measures that have had direct bearing upon the welfare of the town. Since 1897 he has been postmaster of Dayton and is now serving his third term as township treasurer. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he is a member of the Modern Woodmen camp at Wedron. Investigation into his life record shows his fidelity to honorable, manly principles, and he is an intelligent, energetic young man, spoken of in favorable terms throughout the community.¹

1. U. J. Hoffman, Past and Present of La Salle County (Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1906), 485-486