Author: Larry Duncan McClanahan
William McClanahan was born February 23, 1732, in Cople Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia, to William McClanahan and Martha Smith. He was apparently born one day after George Washington born at Wakefield in Westmoreland County. William had four brothers, Thomas, John, James and Peter. He had a sister, Martha.

The family came to Virginia from Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland in 1641. They were of Irish origin traceable to founding Celtic clans. In religion they came as Church of Ireland but became members of the Established Church, Church of England in Cople Parish.

William married Mary Marshall in 1753. She was a daughter of John Marshall and Elizabeth Markham, two families distantly related to and associates of the Washington. William’s older brother Thomas and his brother-in-law, Thomas Marshall became surveyors with George Washington in the surveying of the Northern Neck for Lord Fairfax. George Washington established his survey headquarters in Culpeper. Most of the McClanahans, Marshalls and Markhams relocated to Culpeper and Fauquier Counties.

The families all became members of Little Fork Church in Culpeper County. In the early 1760’s the Welch Baptist movement reached the area. William McClanahan with his brother Thomas and brother in law William Marshall became fervent Baptist.

Baptist of that era were persecuted for their beliefs. In 1773, William then a Baptist preacher, was imprisoned in the Orange County Gaol with William Marshall and Nathaniel Sanders for preaching the Baptist doctrine. Thomas Marshall, a burgess and vestry man in Little Fork Church, posted their bail.

In July of 1775, Governor Patrick Henry, who promoted religious freedom in Virginia, dissolved the House of Burgess with instructions to establish militia regiments throughout the colony. Reverend William McClanahan raised a company from his church, Upper Carter’s Run Baptist in Fauquier County, for the Culpeper Minute Men Regiment composed of men from Culpeper, Orange and Fauquier Counties. Reverend William served as a captain and chaplain of his company. Thomas Marshall was major and his son, John, was a lieutenant of the regiment.

The regiment marched to Williamsburg in July of 1775 and mustered with the other Virginia regiments. Some of the regiments marched to Norfolk. They were involved in the Battle of the Great Bridge.

Conflicting information exists as to the inclusion of Rev. Williams Company in that first battle in Virginia. In any event, the Culpeper Minute Men were, except for those who joined the Virginia Continental Line, marched back to Culpeper and discharged.

For the remainder of the Revolutionary War Rev. William provided public service as a justice of the peace. In 1790 with his family and other Baptist settled in Greenville, South Carolina on the outskirts near the present campus of Furman University. There he and Mary with all of his seven children, except elder son, Thomas, became members of Reedy River Baptist Church, the mother church of the Baptist in the area. He died in 1802 and is buried on his plantation. His grave has been lost but a stone has been erected in his memory at the church