T. B. McCleary. 1888 Sunday schools. Giants. Deaths. John.
Elizabeth. Effingham, 3-1-1885. A fire.
That man I met going to prayer meeting was J. B. McCleary, with whom
I am at the present time associated in the Eldership of the church at
Effingham. We have known each other all these years since. Brother
McCleary is my senior exactly nine years to a day. For many years we
have been eating birth-day dinners together, first at his house and
then at mine, until his good wife died. Since then we have always
tried to have brother Mc. To eat with us. And my good wife has for
nearly forty years prepared a chicken pie for my birthday dinner.
The year 1888 brought to both me and my dear wife a weight of
sadness. My good old mother passed away from the home of here
youngest son in Harper County at the advanced age of four score
years, two months, and twenty-six days.
Zettie's beloved father departed this life at the age of three score
and two years, seven months and ten days, from his home one mile east
of Farmington. Why sadness? These loved parents had lived to good
old ages. Aha! This sadness will work out for us an eternal weight
of gladness someday.
The story of my life would not be complete if I did not add the part
I have taken in the general or union Sunday School work of Atchison
Co. The Atchison Country Sunday School Union Association was
organized at Muscotah in the year 1870. I was present. This
association has held an annual Convention each year since its
organization and I have missed but two meetings. No one has been
more faithful in attendance than that. Then with few exceptions I
have always had a place on the programs. For five terms, or years I
was secretary and for two, president. But, for leadership and
faithful, untiring service in this great work, the need of praise
must go to Issac Maris of the Seventh day lane. In all the work of
the Bible Schools of this country I have always felt, during these
four decades, that it was an honor t try to stand as a second to
Issac Maris is a friend. In all my life's labor as a Sunday School
worker I have associated with no one so long and pleasantly as a
coworker as Isaac Maris.
I must tell you just one instance of our lives. Mr. Maris is two
years older than I am, and two inches taller, he being 6 feet, 4
inches and I 6 feet and 2 inches. Well, brother Maris and I attended
together a district Sunday School Convention in the city of Horton.
The first evening was the children's hour. Many children were there,
seated on the front seats of the large hall. E. O. Excell was
leading the children in song. Brother Maris and I were seated just
behind the children when one little fellow was overhead to say to
another, referring to us, "Who am them two big fellows?" His
seat-mate replied, "Don't you know them fellows? They are two Sunday
School giants from Atchison country." We took that and still take it
as a great compliment.
In the fall of 1891 the sad intelligence came to me from Indiana that
my brother John A. Hastings was dead. At his death he was fifty-nine
years and fourteen days old. Brother was a good man, a devout
Christian. Of his family still living there are one daughter and
three sons, all noble, Christian citizens of Washington, Indiana.
One of the boys is a newspaper publisher, the other two are able
lawyers.
A few years later my oldest sister Nancy Elizabeth who lived in
Oregon, passed away at the age of 62 years, 2 months and 10 days. Of
her family only one son, Reuben Edgar Peyton is living. He lives at
Peyton, Oregon. At this writing I have only two brothers left. One,
Henry, about ten years my senior, the other, Rufus, about ten years
my junior.
In the fall of 1894 I was elected a trustee of the Atchison county
High School, and made secretary of the Board, and held this position
for six years being elected the second time. That same fall we sold
our farm, 130 acres just east of Farmington for $5,500 and bought a
farm 80 acres, just east of Effingham for $4600, and moved to it on
the 1st day of March, 1895. At this time only three of our children
were at home, Clara, Edith and Milo. Harry, Paul and Otho were off
doing for themselves. Harry had attended school at Holton and
Lawrence. Paul had graduated at a Business College in Kansas City,
Mo. Otho had graduated at the county High School. The girls and
Milo each afterwards graduated at the County High School, and the
girls attended school at Drake University, and Milo graduated from
the State Agricultural College at Manhattan, Kansas.
On the night of the same day I was elected trustee, the High School
burned to the ground. We could see, the next morning, from
Farmington, where we then lived, the flames and smoke still
ascending. The first thing after the fire was for the Board to
secure a place or places to continue the school. A mass meeting was
called in the Presbyterian Church. I attended the meeting and was
called to the chair. Through the energy, enthusiasm and sacrifice of
the citizens, especially Mr. Frank Wallack, the resident member of
the board and Principal Mr. Hunter, Assistant Prin. J. W. Wilson, and
the suggestion of Pres. Snow of the State University, who happened to
be present, the school was running the next day in the churches and
suitable vacant rooms that could be found in the town.
The new board was organized the 1st Tuesday in January, and the first
business of importance was the securing the insurance money, and the
building of a new house. There was some delay, caused by not being
able to adjust matters with the insurance companies, and collect the
money. Finally, however, every cent was collected and a new building
was erected and stands to this day, and Atchison Country has a high
school second to none in the state.
Our move from Farmington to Effingham was the only move we had ever
made. It being only six miles, it was suggested that we move
everything worth moving, which when accomplished proved to be a task
of fifty-two wagon loads.
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