🚂Columbus McClure (1881-1930): Tracing a Tragic Ancestry

Death by Train, Life Through Records: The McClure Family Story

Steam locomotives similar to those from Columbus McClure’s era in 1930 Birmingham: L&N Engine No. 2212 in Birmingham – A black‑and‑white shot featuring L&N Engine 2212 in the rail yards, capturing the exact locomotive referenced in historical accounts of the area around that time: https://www.uapress.ua.edu/blog/legacy-and-memory-of-the-l-n-railroad/

Hey GenFriends!

In this deep dive, I uncover the long-buried truth behind the tragic death of my husband’s grandfather, Columbus McClure (1881-1930), who was struck by a train in 1930 Birmingham, Alabama. Through oral history and detailed records, I pieced together his life, death, and legacy—bringing long-awaited answers to our family and shedding light on the hidden realities of racism and resilience in the Jim Crow South. This is more than genealogy—it’s healing through history.

If you have ever had questions about your ancestors, share them with us down below.

Check out my book: My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry Book 2

Warmly,

Robin

Genealogist & Author

Transcription: (for those who like to read)

Welcome to the deep dive. Today, we're really getting into a remarkable journey through family history. It's a personal story, but one that, you know, reveals these larger truths about our past.

Yeah.

We're going to pull back the curtain on the meticulous work of a specific genealogist, Robin R. Foster as she unravels this mystery surrounding a man named Columbus McClure.

And what's so fascinating here, I think, is how this one family story, which was pieced together so carefully using both um oral history and hard document research. It doesn't just clear up a tragedy. It also sheds light on this powerful kind of untold experience of a certain time and place. It's all about the layers. You know, each detail adds depth.

Exactly. That's our mission today. Explore Columbus McClure’s life, his death, but really see it through the lens of how Robin Foster's work brought this like profound understanding to his grandson, Ellis McClure. It's a real aha moment about family history, about the realities of racism.

It's quite moving, actually, and it just shows that history isn't just dates, right? It's lived experiences.

Absolutely. It resonates through generations.

We've got a great set of sources here, all stemming from Robin Foster’s research interviews, documents, the whole bit. So, for you, the listener, it's maybe a reminder that sometimes the most powerful history; it's right in our own families.

Yeah.

Okay, let's uh let's dig in.

Let's do it.

So, to really understand the story, we need to know the man himself, Columbus McClure. What did Robin's initial findings tell us about his life?

Well, okay. Based on the 1920 census, Robin found Columbus living in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

He owned property, which is significant. Worked as a minor for Hammond Ore; importantly, he was literate. He could read and write.

His parents, Bill and Jane McClure, they were originally from Virginia. Uh Columbus himself was born November 26, 1881. Looks like specifically in Alexander City.

Alexander City. Okay.

And he later married Corinne, sometimes spelled C O R E N E, on August 25, 1904. And a place called Irondale. And they had at least two sons we know of, Columbus Jr. and Archie.

So definitely, a man with roots, you know, family, property, established in Alabama in the early 20th century. That's quite a picture already.

But his story then takes this tragic turn.

It does.

Yeah. This is where it gets really central to the mystery. Columbus McClure's life ends pretty abruptly in March 1930 in Birmingham. He was only 48. And this event just It created a mystery for the family that lasted decades.

Absolutely. And it's a perfect example of um how genealogy works, right? Oral history gives you the starting point, the clues.

Yeah.

Invaluable.

Right. The spark.

Exactly. But the documentation, that's what confirms things. Or sometimes, like here, it actually corrects or adds crucial details the family never had.

So what was the oral history?

Well, his grandson Ellis, he always heard that his grandfather was struck by a train near their home. Okay.

There was a bit of confusion, maybe whether he was walking or maybe driving, because he also worked as a driver for a landscape company.

But Robin's research, finding that death certificate, confirmed it was a train accident while he was crossing tracks. But it also added specifics that changed the picture slightly.

So, what specifics did Robin's deep dive uncover that maybe differed from what the family thought they knew.

Okay. So, one key thing, the death certificate stated the accident happened at 9:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Interesting. Yeah. Which is different from the 50 a.m. that was floating around in some of the oral accounts.

Interesting.

And she also tracked down an obituary. It was in the Birmingham Reporter dated March 8th, 1930. The headline was prominent Woodlawn citizen is victim of crossing crash.

Prominent citizen,

but his name wasn't in the headline.

Exactly. And Robin noted that that probably explained why it was so hard for the family to find it before. You wouldn't necessarily search those terms.

That makes sense. Wow. And Robin even found a discrepancy about where he was buried, didn't she? That's fascinating.

Yes. So, Columbus McClure's Find A Grave Memorial, you know, the online database of burial sites.

Robin manages that memorial, making sure it's accurate. It lists his burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham.

Okay.

But his death certificate, it said Woodlawn Cemetery.

Huh. So, two different cemeteries are listed.

Exactly. And this kind of thing is Well, it's pretty common in genealogy. You find conflicting details. It just means you need to cross-reference even more, maybe dig a bit deeper to figure out which one is correct or why the difference exists.

It really highlights the meticulous nature of this work and it's all thanks to Robin R. Foster's persistence. How did she actually go about finding all these pieces? What was her process?

Well, her approach is really uh a textbook example of thorough research. She used Ancestry.com, found the index listing for the death certificate.

Okay, the index first,

Right? And then she contacted the Alabama Department of Vital Records to get the actual original document. Gotcha.

And that original certificate confirmed his birth details. Number 1881, Alexander City, and, importantly, his parents' names, Bill and Jane. That solidified the lineage.

And she didn't stop at the death certificate. What else did her uh her digging reveal about his estate? That must paint a picture, too.

Oh, definitely. Robin really went deep into Columbus McClure's probate record. She found it documented in the Alabama Wills and Probate Records collection, which covers, gosh, 1753 to 1999.

Wow. So, what are probate records just for context?

Right. So, basically, when someone passes away, the probate records are the official legal documents. They detail how their estate, you know, their property, their money, their debts is handled, who gets what, who owes what.

Okay.

So, Robin found this folder, which had about 17 items in it related to Columbus. It showed he left property to his wife, Corean, and their sons, Columbus Jr. and Archie.

And Corean was formally sworn in as the administrator, that's the legal term, for the woman appointed to manage the estate on March 17th, 1930, just about 2 weeks after his death.

Quick turn. Yeah. And the records also showed, you know, the practical side, the estate owed money, like $166 to Mountain Brook Stores, claims from a couple of individuals later in 1930. It gives you a real snapshot of the family's financial situation right after he died.

It really does paint that picture. A man who owned property, built something, had a legacy for his family.

Yeah.

So, what happened to Corean and the boys after he passed?

Well, the records show that by April 1930, so just a month after Columbus' death, Corean owned a home valued at $6,000.

$6,000 back then. What's that now?

Yeah. Robin calculated that's roughly equivalent to about $88,000 today. So, still maintaining property.

Okay.

And his sons Columbus Jr. and Archie, they both worked as drivers. Eventually, they ended up settling in the north.

Ah, the great migration perhaps, or seeking opportunity.

Could be. Yeah. And Corean herself later moved north as well to be closer to her sons. It really speaks to the family's resilience, you know, and their mobility adapting after the tragedy.

That resilience is definitely a theme here, and it brings us perfectly to well a really crucial voice in all this.

Ellis McClure, Columbus's grandson.

Robin R. Foster interviewed him extensively. His memories add such a rich personal layer. Tell us about Ellis's childhood experiences visiting Alabama.

Yeah, Ellis's memories are incredibly vivid. He spent summers down in Birmingham visiting his grandmother, Corean, on her what sounded like quite a large farm. He remembered this whole vibrant, self-sufficient life milking cows. Betsy was the lead cow. He remembered her name.

Making buttermilk in this cool house that had a running stream through it. Seeing the smokehouse where they cured meat. The farm had groves of nut trees, pecan, acorn, walnut, almond, plus apple and peach trees, corn, tomatoes, and watermelon.

Sounds amazing,

Right? They raised pigs, chickens, cows, had a mule, and the house itself, which his grandfather Columbus had built, was wood, but it didn't have windowpanes or screens, just openings to let the air flow through. Very much of that, It really paints this picture, almost idyllic, like a dream childhood summer. But underneath all that farm life charm, there was this dark question always lingering for Ellis, wasn't there?

Yes, absolutely. From a very young age, Ellis said he was just plagued by this question. How did grandpa die?

His grandmother, Corean, she would only say it was a train accident. She wouldn't elaborate. She'd just say he is with Heavenly Father now. End of discussion.

And his father,

Same thing. His dad, Archie, also just dodged the question whenever Ellis asked. And this, you know, consistent lack of detail, it just fueled his curiosity as a kid. He knew something was missing.

And he didn't just wonder passively. He actually tried to figure it out himself as a kid. Right.

He did. It's quite a story. On one of these summer visits, he actually went down to the train tracks that ran through the farm property. He wanted to investigate himself.

Bold kid.

Yeah. He was thinking, you know, how could grandpa, who lived here his whole life, knew these trains inside out, How could he possibly be killed by one?

Right. It didn't make sense to him.

Exactly. And then while he was down there, a train actually came along, blew its horn repeatedly, warned him, and Ellis said he just easily stepped off the tracks. No problem.

Oh.

And that experience just deepened his confusion. He couldn't square his own easy escape with his grandfather's death. It just didn't add up in his young mind.

That confusion about the accident,

It's one layer. But his childhood visits, especially in the mid-1950s, held these other experiences, things he saw but didn't understand, things that held a hidden truth he wouldn't grasp for decades.

Indeed, and this is where the story takes a really powerful turn, connecting the personal to the historical in a profound way. Ellis recounted this specific trip in 1956. He was with his father Archie, his brother Marvin, and a friend of his dad's, Howard Eckles Sr.

Okay. 1956, Birmingham,

right? His grandmother sent Ellis and Howard into town to get a treat. They went into a store. It had a restaurant section. Ellis ordered, you know, a kid's dream. Hamburger, chips, root beer float. Howard got a hamburger, big pickles, and two bags of chips.

Sounds normal enough,

Right? But then what happened when the food came?

What happened?

Ellis's plate was put right in front of him at the counter. But Howard's plate. It was slid all the way down to this dark, dingy end of the counter, and Howard had to stand there to eat it.

Oh, wow.

Ellis, as a kid, he didn't get it. He just thought it was funny was the word he used. He didn't understand the significance at all.

Just thought odd behavior.

Mhm.

And there was another incident right on the sidewalk.

Yes. Just as unsettling in retrospect. As they were walking back to the car, a white woman approached them on the sidewalk.

Okay.

Howard immediately, without a word, jumped off the sidewalk into the street to let her pass.

Wow.

But Ellis, still oblivious, just stayed on the sidewalk next to her as she walked by.

Again, not understanding the unspoken rules.

Not at all. And shortly after that, a sheriff stopped their car. He seemed to know Ellis's father, Archie, but he turned to Howard and said really sternly, "You know the law down here, Howard. You know the law, boy. Just keep it straight."

Chilling.

Yeah.

And yet Ellis said his family just never talked about racism. He even remembered drinking from public fountains without any trouble himself. So when did it all finally click? When did he understand what he'd actually witnessed?

It took a long, long time. It wasn't until about 1997 or 1998, decades later, that his wife, Robin R. Foster, the genealogist, piecing together grandfather's story.

Ah, Robin again.

Yes. She explained to him that what he'd seen, what Howard had experienced was racism, segregation, Jim Crow laws in action.

So, Robin helped connect those dots for him first.

She did. But the really profound aha moment, the one that brought tears to his eyes, came even later. He was at a presentation about racism in the South given by Frederick Deshon Murphy hosted by Terry James down in Florence, South Carolina. Okay.

And hearing that presentation, Ellis said it was like

everything finally crashed into place. He truly comprehended the Jim Crow era, the systemic discrimination, and he understood all the things his family did, these protective measures they took that he never understood as a child.

And what was the most sort of heart-wrenching part of that realization for him, understanding his family's actions?

He said he finally understood why when they traveled south, his family often drove through the night

and why specifically he was often told to lie down in the back seat out of sight.

Why him specifically?

Because Ellis, as he described it, had a very light complexion. He had reddish brown hair, even some blonde streaks which came from his mother's side.

His maternal grandfather was white French.

Ah, I see.

So he realized they were hiding him. Hiding his ambiguous appearance to avoid potentially dangerous encounters, questions, harassment, or worse. It was this incredibly painful realization of the constant fear and the sacrifices his family lived with just to navigate the world safely.

Wow, what an incredible journey this has been. I mean, Starting with a family's simple decades-long question about a lost grandfather and ending with Ellis McClure gaining this profound, deeply personal understanding of not just his family story but the whole historical reality that shaped it

and Robin Foster's work was so central. Her genealogy didn't just fill in dates on a chart.

No, not at all.

It brought healing understanding. It allowed Ellis to finally contextualize those confusing childhood memories, make sense of things he witnessed but couldn't ASP for 50 years.

And if you, you know, connect it to the bigger picture, it just powerfully highlights how crucial oral history is, even with its gaps or uh inaccuracies sometimes, but how vital it is when you combine it with that rigorous document research like Robin did. It also just hammers home how our own personal family histories are so often deeply tangled up with these larger societal narratives.

Definitely.

And that sometimes true understanding it only comes much later when you get new information or a new perspective that finally lets you connect those dots.

This deep dive really proves it, doesn't it? The past isn't really gone. It's often just waiting, you know, waiting for someone like Robin R. Foster to ask the right questions, to have the patience to dig into the sources.

Yeah.

So, for you, the listener, it makes you wonder what hidden stories might be waiting in your own family tree,

And what larger truths about our world might they unlock if you started asking?