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Samuel A. McClung House
1118 East Main Street
New Albany, IN 47150




Listing Description:
This home, a mixture of the Gothic Revival and Italianate styles of architecture, was built for wholesale boots and shoes merchant, Samuel A. McClung. The architects/builders of the structure were most likely William and James Banes, builders of many of the finest Upper High Street residences of the period, including the Shipman-McCord House (1206 E. Main), the Ferry-Green House (1014 E. Main), the William S. Culbertson Mansion (916 E. Main), the Cornelia Memorial Widows’ Home (704 E. Main) and the Jessie J. Brown House (located at the southeast corner of 10th and E. Main Streets, now demolished).  Mr. McClung purchased this lot in September 1868 from Jacob Hangary for $2,700 and the house was completed by 1870.  According to newspaper accounts, the house was scene of many fancy social gatherings during the years the McClungs resided here. 
 
Samuel’s father, John McClung, was one of the early merchants in New Albany and owned a grocery and produce establishment in the community as early as the mid-1840s.  Before the younger McClung entered the boots and shoes business, he was partners with Silas Day in the wholesale dry goods company of Day & McClung, located on State Street in downtown New Albany.  By the early 1860s, Samuel had become proprietor of his own boots and shoes establishment. 
 
In the mid 1860s, he had partnered with John Brewer to establish the wholesale concern of McClung & Brewer, located in the historic Elias Ayres Building at the southeast corner of Pearl and Main Streets.  That partnership lasted until the early 1870s, when it was dissolved and Samuel entered into business with John Creed to form the S. A. McClung & Co., wholesale dealers in boots and shoes.  This business was located on Pearl Street in downtown New Albany.
 
The McClung family moved to Kansas in 1889 and the home was sold in 1892 to Mary S. Kelley for $5,500.  Mrs. Kelley ran a boarding house here until she lost the property to a Sheriff’s Sale in March 1896.
 
In March 1902, building contractor and builder of brick work Miles Kehoe, Sr. purchased the property.  Miles was a leading contractor in New Albany and a number of the business blocks and public buildings were erected by him.  It was quoted in the New Albany Weekly Tribune that, “He was an honest, upright citizen and in his contracting business bore a reputation for integrity and willingness to carry out his agreements even though it resulted in financial loss to him.”  Mr. Kehoe died in the home in September 1911 from complications of a stroke of paralysis. He was 74 years of age. 
 
Miles’ widow, Rose, remained in the house until her death in November 1923.  The structure remained in the Kehoe family until the late 1930s, with daughters Julia and Mamie residing here. 
 
At the beginning of World War II this house - like many of the large homes along Main Street - was divided into apartments, and remains so today.



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Additional Information:
 
Building Style: Gothic Revival/Italianate
Year Built: c.1870
 

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