McClenny Family Website

McClenny Family History

The McClenny family began a long time ago we know not where, but rumor has it we came from Ireland and/or Scotland.

The Biography of Benjamin Clenney written by Zelma O'Neal, Hermon F. Clenney and Karen Short states...

One account is that Clunie, Cluny or Clenney was taken from a place in Stormont, Scotland.  Another authority claims the
surname came from the Gallic "Mac Ciolla Choinnigh" which meant son of descendant of the followers of St Canice.  This
is not intended for any conclusive evidence, but it does seem to verify ... handed down by our great-grandfather,
Alvie Hark Clenney.  The Clenney's are a mixture of Scotch and Irish... if they are of any other nationality, I don't
know it.

Also from the same book,

A John de Cleny is found as early as 1296 in Scotland and again in 1684.  Both the name John and William is found among those early Clenneys in Scotland.

These and several other Clenneys lived in Wigtownshire just across the North channel from Ireland where King James had
induced thousands of Protestants from Scotland to settle.  This county in Northern Ireland was called Ulster.  Soon
oppressive taxation, interference in their religion and education, and restriction in woolen trade started an unheard of exodus to America.

The authors of Benjamin Clenney's biography adhered strictly to Clenny without the Mc before.  Their first record of the Benjamin of their book was in Anson County, NC.  As more records become available in printed form, more can be found. Those researchers apparently had not found records where he was in Johnston County, NC before moving to Anson.  He was not immediately close to our James McClenny of the 1793 will, but there are suggestions in the records that he may have been a McClenny and some slight hints of possible connections of some sort between the two.  The authors of that biography looked more toward a possible connection between Benjaman and the Clenny family found in Orange County, NC in late 1700's to early 1800's.  The Orange County record shows that Samuel and William Clenny (Revolutionary War Records exist) came from Delaware before North Carolina.

There was a Clenney in Delaware in 1674.  Apparently a descendant of this person moved to North Carolina.  There was an Abraham Clenny in Sussex County, DE in 1676.

Pauline McClenny Wolf reports a member of her family found an article in a book from a school in Little Rock, AR and copied it - she has been unable to find the book or any further info on it.  From that article:  "Known to the Irish Heads in Washington, D.C." we find the following:

Patrick McClenney (head of Agriculture & Husbandry) 1705-1754 s/o Kevin & Mary McClenney (former Mary Duncan of Wales)
m   Eileen Kelly of Dublin
Issue:
  1.  John
  2.  Mary
  3.  Wellman
  4.  adopted son Marcus Alton

Patrick was the eldest of 3 - brother Darby, sister Scarlet.  He was killed in 1754.  His grandsons were the first known of
his clan to come to America in the 1800's.  They settled in the Carolinas and then moved westward.

Some McClenny's were known to have traveled to California over the Goodnight Trail with a wagon train in 1800's.

On December 15, 1656, John MacLeny, was brought to the US as a headright by Nicolas Meriweather.  A headright was a person given transport by the one of whom he was called "headright."  It could be a wife, child, relative or someone who would promise a certain amount of labor to repay the individual, who pay their way to the new world.  For each person transported, the Virginia company would give 50 acres of land.  We do not know if he was a member of our family.  He lived in James City County, the same county in which Jamestown was located, which was located on both sides of the James River in Virginia.

In 1696, we believe William McClenny (name may have been MackClenny) came to Nansemond County, VA (now Suffolk
County) as an English soldier.  When the companies disbanded, he remained in Virginia.  By 1704 he owned 200 acres of land
in Nansemond County and it appears from the Vestry Book of the Upper Parish of Nansemond County, that he had two sons,
James and John.

The following information has been discovered in one place or another (most is referenced) but has not yet been assigned to
specific individuals described in the various family branch files as we have been unable thus far to positively identify the following persons:

From a family member note - no documentation.
1704    William Macklenny  Nansemond County 200 acres
            James Mulleny    Nansemond County 500 acres

1729    James McClenny was on the Perquiman, NC tax list

From a family member note - no documentation.
1744    Thomas McClenny, Isle of Wight County, VA sold land

The Nansemond County Vestry Book includes the following:

1747    William Clenny
        William MackClenny

From a family member note - no documentation.
1747    James McClenny of Edgecombe, NC sold land in Isle of Wight county, VA

1750    James McClenny of Edgecombe, NC sold land in Isle of Wight county, VA

The Nansemond County Vestry Book includes the following:

1752 William McClenny
        William McClenny

1755    William McClenny
        John McClenny

1759    William M.clenny

From a family member note - no documentation.
1767    Thomas McClenny, Isle of Wight County, VA sold land
He is suspected to be an ancestor of Michael McClenny, 1793 Isle of Wight.

From a family member note - no documentation.
1770    John McClenny sold land in Chowan County, NC (?)

The Nansemond County Vestry Book includes the following:
1772    William MacLeney
           John MacLeney

The First Census of the United States in 1783 on page 56 lists:
James McClenny, head of family, with 4 whites and 3 blacks
John McClenny, head of family, with 6 whites and 3 blacks
Thos McClenney, head of family, with 4 (whites and blacks)
Mial McClenney, head of family, with 6 whites and 0 blacks)
William McCleuney, head of family, with 10 whites and 8 blacks)

Mrs. D.C. McClenny of Richmond, VA reported in October, 1963 that Nansemond County Land Tax Records show:
1783 James McClenny      100 acres
        John McClenny         200 acres
        William McClenny     260 acres
       
The Heads of Families - Virginia, 1784, Nansemond County, page 73 lists:
McClenney, Mial  with 7 white souls, 1 dwelling, 2 other dwellings
McClenney, Thomas with 4 white souls, 1 dwelling
McClenney, John with 6 white souls, 1 dwelling, 4 other dwellings
McClenney, James with 5 white souls, 1 dwelling, 3 other dwellings
McClenney, James with 9 white souls, 1 dwelling, 4 other dwellings
McClenney, Zach   with 3 white souls
McClenney, William with 9 white souls

The Nansemond County Vestry Book includes the following:
1785 James McClenny

Mrs. D.C. McClenny of Richmond, VA reported in October, 1963 that Nansemond County Land Tax Records show:
1787    James McClenny 100 acres
John McClenny        200 acres
William McClenny    260 acres
Wm. McClenny, Jr.  400 acres
            from George Callis

1790    Census, pg 142          Johnston County, NC
        James McClenny

Mrs. D.C. McClenny of Richmond, VA reported in October, 1963 that Nansemond County Land Tax Records show:
1794    James McClenny  100 acres
John McClenny         200 acres
William McClenny     260 acres
Willia McClenny       400 acres
William McClenny     175 acres

From a family member note - no documentation.
1794    James McClenny of Southampton County, VA bought land from Bracey

Nansemond County Land Tax Records show:
1795    James McClenny   100 acres
           Alterations
           John McClenny, Sr to
           John McClenny, Jr.  100 acres
           John McClenny, Sr.  100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr.  100 acres
           William McClenny, Sr.   260 acres
           William McClenny    575 acres

1795    James McClenny     100 acres
           John McClenny, Sr. 100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr. 100 acres
           Wm. McClenny, Sr.  260 acres
           Wm. McClenny        400 acres and 175 acres

1796    James McClenny      100 acres
           John McClenny        100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr.  100 acres
           Wm. McClenny, Sr.  260 acres
           Wm. McClenny        400 acres and 175 acres

1797    James McClenny      100 acres
           John McClenny, Sr.  100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr.  100 acres
           Wm. McClenny, Sr.   260 acres
           Wm. McClenny sold to
                Wme. E. Moon of NC 400 acres
           Wm. McClenny 175 acres

1803    James McClenny Estate   100 acres
           John McClenny, Sr.      100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr.      100 acres
           William McClenny        260 acres
           William McClenny        175 acres

1804    James McClenny Estate   100 acres
           John McClenny, Jr.      200 acres
           John McClenny, Sr.      100 acres
           William McClenny, Sr.   260 acres
           William McClenny        175 acres

1805    Records remained the same
1806    Records remained the same
1807    Records remained the same

1809    James McClenny           130 acres
           John McClenny             270 acres
           William McClenny, Sr.   260 acres
           William McClenny          175 acres

1811    James McClenny             130 acres
          John McClenny, Jr.         130 acres
           William McClenny, Sr.    260 acres
           William McClenny           175 acres

1817    James McClenny          130 acres

1820    James McClenny          130 acres

1821    James McClenny          130 acres

1826    James McClenny Estate   130 acres
           James McClenny Estate
           as guardian to
           Wm. D. McClenny         130 acres

1828    Mary McClenny from
           James McClenny Estate   130 acres

1835    James M. McClenny from
           Miles Butler Estate     247 acres

1845    James McClenny          220 acres
           10 miles west of the court house
           Mary McClenny           130 acres

1850    James M. McClenny       208 acres
           Mary McClenny           130 acres

1851    James M. McClenny       208 acres
           James M. McClenny from
           Mary McClenny Estate    130 acres

The Nansemond County, VA Clerks Fee Book Index for
1789 - 1800 pgs 195 - 196 lists a number of McClennys.

Some of the following family members were found on
Family Tree Maker CDroms.  The reference numbers are
shown as FTMC (Family Tree Make CDrom) and the CDrom
number.

Some of the following family members were found on
GRS CDroms which were obtained from Automated Archives,
Inc.  The reference numbers are shown as GRSCD###.

McClenny, James     1790 NC Census, pg 142  FTMCD311
Johnston County, NC household ages range 01-04-03-00-00

McClenny, James     1790 NC Census, pg 31   FTMCD311
Perquimans County, NC
                    household ages range 01-00-01-00-00

McClenny, Capt. James Court appt. processioners of the
                    lands within the bounds of his company.
                    Clerks' Fee Books 1774 & 1789-1800
                    compiled by Hugh Watson, Jr.
                    Genealogical Society
                    Hampton, VA 1978
                    1796, pg 468

McClenny vs Saml Butler
                    Clerks' Fee Books 1774 & 1789-1800
                    compiled by Hugh Watson, Jr.
                    Genealogical Society
                    Hampton, VA 1978
                    1798, pg 619

McClenny & Deed to Mrs. Eliz King
                    Clerks' Fee Books 1774 & 1789-1800
                    compiled by Hugh Watson, Jr.
                    Genealogical Society
                    Hampton, VA 1978
                    1799, pg 677

McClenny, James vs. Johnson

McClenny, William   1800 Census, pg 775     FTMCD312
Johnson County, NC  household ages range 12100-00001-01

McClenney, Charity  married on 01/10/1804   GRSCD004
Hatcher, William    Guilford County, NC

McClenny, James         1810 Census - Nansemond County, VA
                        White Males over 16     1
                        Negros over 12          4
                        # of Mules/Horses       4
                        # of Cattle             8

McClenny, James         1810 Land Tax Records of Nansemond County, VA
                        130 (page or acres ?)

McClenny, John          1810 Census - Nansemond County, VA
                        White Males over 16     1
                        Negros over 12          2
                        # of Mules/Horses       3
                        # of Cattle             9

                        1 gigg valued at $ 50
                        1 chest of drawers w/wo desk
                          not of mahogany

McClenny, John          1810 Land Tax Records of Nansemond County, VA
                        270 (page or acres ?)

McClenny, Sr, John &    1810 Census - Nansemond County, VA
McClenny, Zacariah      White Males over 16     2
                        Negros over 12          3
                        # of Mules/Horses       3
                        # of Cattle            12

McClenny, Jonathan      1810 Census - Nansemond County, VA
                        White Males over 16     1
                        Negros over 12          0
                        # of Mules/Horses       1
                        # of Cattle             3

McClenny, Samuel        1810 Census - Nansemond County, VA
                        White Males of 16       1
                        Negros over 12          0
                        # of Mules/Horses       2
                        # of Cattle             4

McClenny, William       1810 Land Tax Records of Nansemond County, VA
                        260 (page or acres ?)

McClenny, William M.    1810 Land Tax Records of Nansemond County, VA
                        175 (page or acres ?)

McClenny, Charity   married on 10/19/1814   GRSCD004
Runnels, John       Chowan County, NC

McClenny, Stephen   1820 Census, pg 178     FTMCD314
                    Hertford County, NC

McClenny, William   1820 Census, pg 119     FTMCD314
                    New Port Parish
                    Isle of Wight County, VA

McClenny, James     1830 Census, pg 243     FTMCD315
                    McLansborough Precinct
Hamilton County, IL

McClenny, William   1830 Census, pg 267     FTMCD315
                    Isle of Wight County, VA

McClenny, Stephen   married on 07/16/1832   GRSCD229
(could this have been Stephen G. McClenny ?)
Woodfin, Sarah M.   Powhatan County, VA

McClenney, William D.
                    married on 02/27/1834   GRSCD229
Archer, Martha (Mrs.)
                    Powhatan, VA

------------------------------------------------------------

The following comes from the "NANSEMOND CHRONICLES 1606-1800
Virginia Colony" by Mrs. Evelyn Hurff Cross, copyright 1973

Fire of 1837

On June 3, 1837 a fire broke out at a Cabinet Shop of
Edward Arnold.  The wind blew very high from the
Southwest.  Before 6 o'clock the most valuable and
thickly populated portions of the town on both side of
the street were laid in ashes, including the Court House
and the Jail.  The new Clerk's office was fireproofed
and escaped the loss of its records.  One hundred and
thirty houses were burned.  Mr. David Jordan, in a
humane and generous manner, took many in his mansion.
Mr. and Mrs. McClenney took others in their home.

Western Branch Baptist Church was begun under the
guidance of Mr. Jesse McClenney in this decade.

The Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia advertised
this Society to those who wanted insurance against
fire.  The company prospered.

The Clerke's Office was being operated by a boy 16
years of age, John T. Kilby, who served as a deputy.
The Clerke was Mr. Littlepage of Hanover County who
refused to moved to Nansemond.  His creditors kept him
there.  He could have used the Poor Debtor's Law but
preferred to reside in his own home.  Mr. Kilby studied
law and succeeded Mr. Littlepage as Clerke of the
county court.  Judge Lawrence Baker appointed the
younger Joseph Prentis as Clerke of the Circuit and
Superior Court of Law and Chancery.  Joseph Prentis
first resigned this Commission as Surveyor and
Inspector of the Ports of Portsmouth and Suffolk.  He
had held this position for twenty-seven years.  Then he
accepted Judge Baker's appointment.

Railroad Accident

The Iron Horse soon lived up to its name.  A Passenger
train with a Party of 150 persons were returning up the
road between 9 and 10 in the morning of August 11, 1837,
when it came in contact with another train near the
bridge of Richard F. Godwin.  Three young ladies, Miss
Eley of Isle of Wight, Miss Roberts of do, and Miss
McClenney of Nansemond were instantly killed.  Some 140
others were badly injured.

McClenry, William   1840 Census, pg 007     FTMCD316
                    Isle of Wight County, VA
                    Note:  Last name spelling

McClenney, Harriet  married on 03/14/1848   GRSCD004
Jordan, Thomas      Chowan County, NC

McClenny, William   1850 Census, pg 181     FTMCD316
                    Eastern District
                    Isle of Wight County, VA

McClenny, James     1840 Census, pg 388     FTMCD316
                    Pike County, AL

McClenny, James     1840 Census, pg         FTMCD316
                    Cuivre Twp
                    St. Charles County, MO

McClenny, James     1840 Census, pg 090     FTMCD316
                    Anson County, NC

McClenny, Robert    1840 Census, pg 077     FTMCD316
                    Enoch Twp
                    Monroe County, OH

McClenny, William   1840 Census, pg 287     FTMCD316
                    Tyngsborough
                    Middlesex County, MA

McClenny, Elizabeth 1850 Census, pg 310     FTMCD317
                    Nottaway Parish
                    Southampton County, VA

McClenny, Fanny     1850 Census, pg 188     FTMCD317
                    Nansemond County, VA

McClenny, James     1850 Census, pg 303     FTMCD317
                    Nottaway Parish
                    Southampton County, VA

McClenny, John      1850 Census, pg 012     FTMCD317
                    Grasshopper Falls Twp
                    1860 Census, pg 012     FTMCD318
                    Jefferson County, KS

McClenny, Mary      1850 Census, pg 383     FTMCD317
                    Grimes County, TX

McClenny, William   1850 Census, pg 176     FTMCD317
                    Nansemond County, VA
                    Additional information:  OF F

McClenny, William D.1850 Census, pg 129     FTMCD317
                    Nansemond County, VA

McClenny, H.W.      1860 Census, pg 227     FTMCD318
                    Anderson PO
                    Grimes County, TX

McClenny, Henry     1860 Census, pg 578     FTMCD318
                    Edenton PO
                    Chowan County, NC

McClenny, S.        1860 Census, pg 027     FTMCD318
                    Ramah
                    Montgomery County, AL

McClenny, James M.  1860 Census, pg 536     FTMCD318
                    Suffolk, PO
                    Suffolk County, VA

McClenny, John      1860 Census, pg 527     FTMCD318
                    Suffolk PO
                    Nansemond County, VA

McClenny, M.        1860 Census, pg 629     FTMCD318
                    Edenton PO
                    Chowan County, NC

McClenny, Sally     1860 Census, pg 1022    FTMCD318
                    Westbrooks District No
                    Sampson County, NC

McClenny, Sarah A.  1860 Census, pg 1024    FTMCD318
                    Westbrooks District No
                    Sampson County, NC

McClenny, Thomas    1860 Census, pg 649     FTMCD318
                    Mackeys Ferry
                    Washington County, NC

McClenny, William   1870 Census, pg 152     FTMCD319
                    2 W. Norfolk
                    Norfolk County, VA

McClenny, S.        1870 Census, pg 537     FTMCD319
                    Sabine Pass PCT3
                    Jefferson County, TX

McClenny, William   1870 Census, pg 371     FTMCD319
                    First Twp
                    Chowan County, NC

McClenny, James     1880 Census, pg 171     FTMCD320
                    E.D. 96
                    Tarrant County, TX

McClenny, J.D.      1880 Census, pg 107     FTMCD320
                    E.D. 154
                    Erath County, TX

Family members have moved all across the United States
and into Canada.  If there are any of us anywhere else,
we do not know.

We would like to know how to locate every family member
- help us!

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