Co. B, 33rd ILL. Infantry
W. J. McClintock, a successful farmer and Civil war veteran, now living retired at Gardner, is a descendent of the hardy Scotch-Irish race that has made its imprint on American history. W. J. McClintock was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, and is a son of Ralph and Nancy (Monroe) McClintock, both natives of Pennsylvania, whose ancestors were Scotch-Irish and settled in that State at an early day. The McClintock family left the Keystone State and came west, settling in Illinois in 1854. At that time the present great State of Illinois was a vast unbroken plain, sparsely settled and in the embryo of its development. Here W. J. McClintock grew to manhood, and lived an uneventful career until the Civil war broke out. When President Lincoln called for volunteers to defend the Union he was one of the first to respond, enlisting September 20, 1861, in the Thirty-third regiment, Illinois infantry. He was with his regiment while guarding the Iron Mountain railroad, from St. Louis to Pilot Knob, and was at the battle of Big River bridge. They then marched to Batesville, Ark., to join General Curtis after the battle of Pea Ridge, and then marched down the White river to Helena, Ark., and returned to Missouri, and was engaged in scout duty during the winter. They were then in a number of campaigns in Missouri, and were at the siege of Vicksburg afterwards. They were then transferred to General Bank’s division and sent on the Red River expedition, the disastrous ending of which is well known. They then spent some time near New Orleans, and participated in the siege of Mobile, and were then ordered back to Vicksburg where they spent several months before the war closed. After the surrender of Lee they returned to Illinois and were mustered out and discharged at Camp Butler. Mr. McClintock returned to his old home at Illinois and after a few months engaged in the mercantile business at Bushnell, Ill., where he remained until 1867. In 1868 he came to Kansas, locating in Gardner township, Johnson county, where he bought 160 acres of land and engaged in farming. He reclaimed this land from the wild state and brought it up to a high state of cultivation, until it was one of the finest farms in the county, made so by the industry of Mr. Clintock. In his active days he was one of the most progressive farmers of the county and made money and prospered. In 1911 he sold his farm and removed to Gardner where he has since enjoyed the peace and quiet of retired life. Mr. McClintock was united in marriage at Sheffield, Ill., in 1866, to Miss Mary A. Bell. She was a native of England, born near Bristol, in 1837, and came to America with her widowed mother who located in Canada, and later removed to St. Louis. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McClintock as follows; William, resides at Ottawa, Kan.; Agnes, who lives in Gardner, and Ralph, engaged in the real estate business in Chicago. The wife and mother died in 1908. Mr. McClintock is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and belongs to the Masonic lodge. He is a Methodist, and has been a life-long Republican, casting his first vote for Lincoln. In recent years he has been inclined to take the position with the Progressive wing of his party.
