Pvt. Thomas Valentine McClurkin

"Thomas Valentine McClurken, the eighth child of Archibald and Sarah McClurken, was born in 1836, Washington County, Illinois. He came to Perry County in 1840, when he was four years old. He married Ruth Elizabeth Smith, the daughter of Willis and Phoebe Taylor Smmith. Thomas and Ruth lived on the original homestead, south of Pinckneyville, Illinois. In August 1861, Thomas joined the 31st Illinois Infantry Regiment, better known as the John A. Logan Volunteers. He saw action at Belmont, Missouri, Fort Henry, Fort Donalson, and Shiloh's Church in Tennessee. At Shiloh he was wounded and sent home to die. The official Adjutant General's report states that he died of his wounds on 26 May 1862. We know that he lived until 1870. He came home and farmed with his brother , Archibald, until 1865 when he sold the original homestead to the Perry County Government for the purpose of building the Perry County Poor Farm. The County still owns the property. Thomas and Archibald each purchased land north of Pinckneyville near the Oak Grove Baptist Church. Thomas died 26 January 1870 due to complications from the wound he received at Shiloh. Ruth never remarried. Ruth died 24 November 1909. Both are buried at Keene Cemetery north of Oak Grove Church."

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