Lower Gwynedd was filled with wealthy individuals who lived in their big, extravagant homes. But one resident stood out when she and her daughter settled to Gwynedd Valley and lived with her daughter's family. She was the widow of a commodore who contributed to the diplomatic relations with Japan during the 1850s.
Commodore William J. McCluney, US Navy
William J. McCluney (1796-1864) was born in Washington, PA until moving to Philadelphia after the death of his father when he was four years old. During his childhood in Philadelphia, he spent most of his time along the Philadelphia waterfront, and it influenced him to become a midshipman in the US Navy on January 1, 1812. His first assignment was on USS Wasp under the commands of Master Commandant Jacob Jones and 1st Lieutenant James Biddle.
He was part of the most famous battles in War of 1812 with his ship against the British ship HMB Frolic. The battle was described as "the most intense single-ship action of the war." William was only 16 years old at the time. He was then promoted to lieutenant on April 1, 1818. On December 9, 1839, he was promoted to commander.
He was part of the Siege of Vera Cruz in 1847 during the Mexican-American War, under the leadership of General Winford Scott. He was then promoted to captain on October 31, 1851.
In 1852, William assisted Commodore Matthew C. Perry in his expedition to Japan where the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed by both countries for trading purposes and opening Japanese ports to the United States. William was assigned to the USS Powhatan in Perry's East India Squadron.
Fun Fact # 1: The Treaty of Kanagawa was Japan’s first treaty with a Western nation in the 19th century.
In February 1856, William was a general supervisor of the construction of the Stevens Battery in Hoboken, NJ.
His last service in the US Navy was when he sailed the flagship USS Roanoke as commander of the Home Squadron. His ship was stationed at Aspinwall to await the arrival of the Japanese delegation where they signed the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce. William took the Japanese delegates on the USS Roanoke to Hampton Roads, VA. He was then relieved of command due to his health.
He officially retired in 1861, and six months later he was promoted to commodore on July 16, 1862. President Abraham Lincoln was responsible signing his commission.
Commodore McCluney's Family
Due to his health condition, he was put on leave for sea service, even though he was promoted to commander. During his leave, he was living in Brooklyn, NY where he married his wife Elizabeth Shoemaker Wharton (1813-1896) in 1841.
Fun Fact # 2: Elizabeth Shoemaker Wharton was the granddaughter of Pennsylvania's first governor, Thomas Wharton.
After William died, Elizabeth received a pension of $30 a month, even when her husband retired months before the General Pension Act Of 1862 was passed. Texas Senator Morgan C. Hamilton addressed this issue in 1875.
They had two daughters: Deborah (died at age 5) and Arabella "Anna" (1850-1931), who married Stiles Huber (1847-1914) and lived in Germantown before moving into their summer home in Gwynedd Valley. Elizabeth moved to Gwynedd Valley where her daughter lived.
Her husband Stiles ran an extensive silk manufacturer in Germantown. Unfortunately, he couldn't do much of his business due to his illness. He had throat trouble that lead to cancer. They had three children: Wharton, Elizabeth "Bessie", and Nelson.
Architecture
In 1886, Arabella and Stiles hired Philadelphia architect Daniel S. Beale to design their Queen Anne home in Gwynedd Valley. It was assumed they demolished the old homestead owned by Charles Franklin Iseminger, and built a new one for their own.
When Olympic Tennis Player Joseph W. Wear purchased the Huber property, he demolished the old home, and built a new one for his family. His son William P. Wear took over the estate.
Fun Fact # 3: Before entering the 1904 Summer Olympics, Joseph Wear was an investment banker in Philadelphia. He won bronze in the Doubles event with his partner Allen West.
Bibliography
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