Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

tometrist ; and in Stamford, Connecticut,
William A. McClelland, D. O. O., is put-
ting into this profession all those qualities
which the Scottish people have always
so highly prized.
The family name is a very old and
highly honored one in Scotland. It is
spelled somewhat differently by different
branches of the family, which have become
scattered in various countries all
over the world. Men of that name have
won honors in the British army in the
Napoleonic wars, and others fought gal-
lantly in the Sepoy Rebellion, in India,
and were lost in the "Black Hole of Cal-
cutta."
Robert McClelland was born in County
Down, Ireland, in 1841, and came to
America at the age of twenty-two years.
He was a young man of excellent appearance
and good taste, and his early ex-
perience being along similar lines he soon
placed himself to advantage as a silk
buyer. This was in New York City, and
he continued there for a number of years.
Then desiring breadth of experience, he
went to Toronto, Canada, and became a
traveling salesman for a wholesale dry
goods house. He married, in Toronto,
Margaret Miller, daughter of Hugh Mil-
ler. She was born in Scotland, and they
became the parents of nine children, of
whom seven grew to the age of maturity
Helena Miller, who became the wife of
V. B. Coleman, and now resides in Port
Hope, Ontario; Robert Bailey, of To-
ronto; Hugh Miller, a resident of Syracuse,
New York ; Margaret, who became
the wife of John Waddell, of Port Hope,
Ontario; William A., of whom further;
Jessie, who became the wife of Lieutenant
Frank Dwight Rice; and Kathleen
Elsie, of Port Hope, Ontario.
William A. McClelland, D. O. O., was
born in Toronto, Canada, March 27, 1884.
He received his early education in the ex-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
77
cellent public schools of that city, making
the most of his opportunities by careful
attention to his studies. Becoming in-
terested in optics, and seeing the great
necessity of highly skilled attention in all
matters pertaining to the eyesight, the
young man chose his life work along this
line. He was not contented with a casual
preparation, but entered the Canada
Ophthalmic College, of Toronto, from
which he was graduated in 1903 with the
degree of Doctor of Ophthalmology. Following
his graduation he was employed
for six years in the establishment of Ryrie
Brothers, of Toronto. In planning for an
independent future, his mind turned to
"the States," and upon leaving Toronto
he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where
he remained with E. B. Meyrowitz, Inc.,
for about a year. He then came to Stam-
ford, Connecticut, where he became asso-
ciated with an optician. He worked in
this way for three years, and in 1909
started in business for himself. He
quickly established himself in the confi-
dence of his patrons, and his trade
extended well outside the city. The
business prospered, and in January, 1916,
was incorporated under the name of W.
A. McClelland, Inc., with Dr. McClelland
as president. The company handles a
general line of optical goods and does
refracting work. Dr. McClelland does
his own surface grinding, being the only
optometrist in this part of Connecticut
who does. The scope of the work has
been broadened to include also the handling
of photograph supplies. Aside from
his important position in the business
world of Stamford, Dr. McClelland is con-
nected with various social organizations.
He is a member of Union Lodge, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons ; Rittenhouse
Chapter ; Washington Council ; and also
a member of Puritan Lodge, No. 14, and
Wascussee Encampment, No. 14, Inde-