Clayton co IAGenWeb - Cemeteries

James McGregor's Obituary

History, compiled by S. Ferrall for Clayton co. IAGenWeb, May 2022 (updated as additional info. is found)

1867

On Friday the body of James McGregor, Jr., reached here by Express. Mr. Buell, his principal heir, arrived on Sunday morning.

Arrangements for his funeral were completed by Ex-Mayor Douglass Leffingwell. The McGregor Band furnished the solemn music for the occasion; a large procession was formed, and the body was deposited.

The place of burial was at first designed to be the upper public square, but other counsels suggested the appropriation of a lot on the side-hill a little farther up.

Mr. Buell, as the financial representative of McGregor and the nephew of the deceased, will probably ornament the ground which contains the dust of his late liberal relative.

~North Iowa Times, May 8, 1867; pg 2

Note: Douglas Leffingwell, mayor of McGregor 1863-1867, was the husband of Josephine Vanderwerker, a niece of James McGregor, JR.

1869

D. Hammer has taken the contract for grading the "Monument Park," on upper Main Street, nearly opposite the (once) Boyle Hotel. The body of James McGregor will be deposited there and a large marble memorial erected by James Buell, Esq., of New York, the nephew and principal legatee of the deceased.

~North Iowa Times, Wednesday, July 14, 1869; pg 3

1870

James Buell, of New York, is spending some days with us looking after his large property interest here, and awaiting some matters of election connected with the Mil. & St. P. R'y. Mr. B. is much pleased with the manner Mr. Stoneman has pursued in ornamenting the large park, up street, dedicated to the memory and enclosing the remains of his uncle, James McGregor, Jr. The park is not finished by any means, but it will pay our down town citizens to visit it.

~North Iowa Times, June 1, 1870; pg 3

1898

Buell Park is in the hands of Nelson Bros., and everything is being trimmed and painted in the most attractive manner. Mr. Chapin has done much for the people of this city in keeping the Park in such fine condition. We have one of the finest Parks in Northeastern Iowa.

~McGregor News, Wednesday, August 24, 1898, pg 4

1933

McGregor - Buell park, which for many years has been maintained as a beautiful recreation spot by heirs of James McGregor, on of the McGregor brothers who founded the town, now is in possession of a group of McGregor and Cedar Rapids parties who have organized as the Memorial Arboretum association. They have changed the name of the park from Buell to Memorial park in honor of James McGregor who is buried in the center, his grave surmounted by a handsome monument. The McGregor post of the American Legion, by arrangement with the association, has taken over the duty of keeping up the park for this season. Legionnaires under the direction of Commander Harry Davies have been busy this week getting the park into shape for Memorial day.
~Monona Leader, Thursday, June 1, 1933, pg 2 (Nearby Towns Column)

1944

A temporary injunction restraining the county auditor and county treasurer from giving the McGregor school board title to Buell park was issued this week, signed by Judge W.L. Eichendorf.

Forence and Esther Chapin, who have frequently been at odds with the town and school, are the plaintiffs in the new action, which arose from the fact that the school recently made a compromise offer for Buell park for delinquent taxes assessed to the Chapins.

Because of the continued disreputable appearance of Buell park in recent years - and because it has been kept up only because various civic organizations dug in their pockets for mowing, etc - the school sought to acquire the property through the delinquent tax route.

The Chapins, through a Cedar Rapids firm of attorneys, claim that under an agreement between the town and James Buell, made Oct. 16, 1874, the park was exempted from taxes, as it was to be used as a public park. A monument was erected to the founder of the town, James McGregor, who reportedly is buried in the park.

Town officials say that the agreement has not been lived up to by the Chapins, who acquired it several years ago through the Munns*. The pubic was forbade the use of the park and it was later turned into an arboretm society, after which time it was not cared for by the owners.

When it ceased to be a public park, the town council levied taxes on the property, which is approximately 250X300 feet and includes lots 12 to [illegible] in block 20.

~North Iowa Times, Thursday, May 18, 1944; pg 1

Note: James Buell's daughter, Martha, was married to John Munn. She died in 1926

1967

Buell Park, just west of the school house, was dedicated a hundred years ago this year. The obelisk in the center of the park is all that remains of the statuary and band shells that once filled it.

One side of the obelisk has the following inscription:

James McGregor, Jr.
born
August 7, 1800
died March 24, 1867

Another side has the following inscription:

James Buell
Died in New York City,
April 4 A.D. 1881, and his remains rest in Oakwood Cemetery, N.Y.
He consecrated this monument, and this park to the memory of his uncle.
He was a liberal promoter of education and was a lover of the beautiful, the good, and the true.

The third side of the obelisk contains the following inscription:

At a special meeting of the Common Council, the City of McGregor held March 27, 1867, it was resolved that the members of the common council have learned with deep regret of the sudden death of James McGregor, Jr. long a resident of the city of McGregor;

Resolved, That we recognize the loss the people of this city have sustained in his death and that for his deep interest - always manifested in whatever concerned the welfare of the city which bears his name - we are deeply sensible; and that the poor, who never solicited his charity in vain, have lost a kind and liberal friend.

Resolved, That as a mark of public respect due to the memory of the deceased, we recomend and request that all places of business in the city be closed on Wednesday, from 1 o'clock p.m. to 5 o'clock p. m. of said day.

D. Hammer, Mayor
D. Baugh, Clerk

~North Iowa Times, Thursday, August 31, 1967; pg 8