In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1837, Bedford County
From Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa (1890)
Frank A. McLain, farmer and stock-raiser, Nevada, Iowa. Mr. McLain, one of the most extensive farmers and stock-raisers of Story County, and one of the pioneers of the same, was born in Bedford County, Penn., on the 7th of January, 1837, being the youngest of three children born to his father's first marriage. In early boyhood he moved with his father to Ohio, received a rather limited education in the schools of that State, and when but ten years of age was obliged to start out in life for himself. He worked for one year and received in pay seventy-five bushels of corn and a pair of shoes. He came to Story County, Iowa, in May, 1851, and the following year, in partnership with J. R. Lockwood, he bought four yoke of oxen and broke prairie at $3 per acre, after which, for some time, he was engaged in teaming to the river. In 1865 he settled where he now lives, although previous to this he had farmer near Nevada. He is now the owner of 1,385 acres of land all in a body, well improved, and four miles from town. He is one of the leading stock-raisers in Story County, and while an agriculturist of advanced ideas and tendencies, he does not lose sight of the stock interests, in which industry he has gained quite a local reputation. In June, 1861, his nuptials to Miss Mary A. Doyle, a native of Virginia, born on the 24th of December, 1842, were celebrated, and two children have blessed this union: Clark (born July 17, 1863) and Mildred Lee (bom October 18, 1867). Mrs. McLain's father, Daniel Doyle, was a native of Ireland. In politics Mr. McLaiu is a Democrat, and is one of the representative men of the county. His parents, Wilson and Sarah ( Laugh ard) McLain, were natives of Pennsylvania, and the father died in Ohio in 1847, at the age of forty-four years. The mother received her final summons in the Keystone State in 1838. The paternal grandfather was born in Maryland and died in Story County, Iowa, when about eighty years of age.
As printed in Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa (1890). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1890. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.