| John C. McClemore Born: 1790 Died: 1864 |
Although he is seldom mentioned as one of the original founders, John C. McLemore, like Marcus Winchester was to play as large or larger a part in the founding of Memphis than the famous trio of Overton, Jackson and James Winchester. He was the only one of the original four owners to live in Memphis. John Christmas McLemore was born in Orange County, North Carolina. He moved to Nashville at age 16 to train as a surveyor. At the age of 21 he was appointed surveyor general of the military district by the Tennessee state legislature. This was due in large part to the fact that the former holder of that position was his uncle, William Christmas. McLemore married a niece of Rachel Jackson, Elizabeth Donnelson. When Jackson ran for president he traded his remaining share of Memphis, some 625 acres to John McLemore in exchange for a tract of land in Madison County. |
In 1828 McLemore was a signer of the deed that gave public access to the river front. Public lands included in this deed included Court Square, Auction Square (for the auctioning of slaves), Market Square and the riverfront promenade. As sells continued at a sluggish pace the partnership was disbanded the following year with McLemore receiving 23 lots. At one point McLemore owned 995 acres on the lower bluff. He participated in the Fort Pickering venture as did John Overton. This was a rival town south of Memphis.
Although McLemore became quite wealthy he lost much of his wealth on the failed Memphis and LaGrange railroad that was chartered in 1834. The project was a dramatic failure that left his finances reeling. A financial panic in 1837 further reduced his holdings. In an attempt to build another fortune McLemore joined the gold rush in 1849. He remained in California some 12 years, returning to Memphis before his death in 1864. During the last years of his life he lived with his daughter, Elizabeth Walker, on Walker Avenue south of Lauderdale.
McLemore is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee. He is the only one of the founders to be buried in Memphis.