Hugh H. McCleery

MCCLEERY, HAMILTON

Posted By: Joanne Breen (email)
Date: 3/31/2025 at 16:07:02

HUGH H. MCCLEERY, LONG PROMINENT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, IS DEAD

Hugh H. McCleery, 73, founder of the McCleery-Cumming Calendar Company, a soldier of the Spanish-American and was prominent in Washington business and community affairs for many years, died Saturday evening a the county hospital.

The end came unexpectedly, from a heart attack. He had not been in good health for the last few years. although able to be at his office in the McCleery calendar manufacturing plant until about ten days ago, when he became ill. He was taken to the hospital last Sunday.

Funeral services will be held at the United Presbyterian Church Tuesday afternoon at three o'clock, conducted by his pastor, Dr. George Kerr, assisted by Rev. F.E. Grice, the church's missionary in Egypt. Burial will be in Elm Grove cemetery. Funeral arrangements are in charge of Sherman's Funeral Home.

Members of the county camp of Spanish-American War Veterans will meet at 2:30 at the office of S.W. Kaster and proceed from there to the church, where they will be honorary pall bearers, it is announced by the commander, Milton Ehrenfelt of Kalona.

The American Legion will also attend the service as a group meeting at the Legion rooms at 2:30.

Present and former employes of the McCleery company will assemble in the basement of the church at 2:45 and attend the service in the auditorium in a body.

Mr. McCleery has lived in Washington since he was 17 years old. He was born Nov. 28, 1872 in Dekalb county, Ill., a son of Martin and Sarah (French) McCleery. He attended the elementary schools in DeKalb county and was graduated from the Washington academy in the class of 1895. He went to Kansas with his parents when a small child and spent the early part of his youth there.

In 1894 he started work in the office of the Washington Gazette to learn the printer's trade. From 1895 to 1905 he was city editor of the Evening Journal. In 1905 he founded the calendar business in a small way in the basement of his home, later erecting a factory building in his back yard and a number of years ago moving the present plant on East Third street.

Mr. McCleery took a great interest in the Washington county hospital. He was a member of the hospital board from 1923 to 1936 and served as chairman and as secretary of the board.

He was one of the chautauqu enthusiasts of the community and was president of the association in 1926.

For three years, 1900 to 1903, he was city clerk and was a member of the city council in 1915 and 1916 and again in 1919 and 1920.

He was long active in the Washington country club and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

For 33 years Mr. McCleery was an elder in the United Presbyterian church and held that office at the time of his death. He was active and devoted to the church work. He was clerk of the church session for several years and treasurer of Keokuk presbytery.

In the Spanish-American was in 1898, he served in Company D. Fiftieth Iowa Volunteers, stationed at Camp Cuba Libre, Florida. He was instrumental in founding Albert M. Huff camp. Spanish-American War Veterans, in 1919, and was one of its most active members.

He was long a member of the Washington Rotary Club, serving as the club's president in 1926/ He attended the international Rotary convention at Vienna in 1931.

On May 22, 1902, Mr. McCleery was married to Ola B. Hamilton, who survives him, with two children, Richard H. McCleery associated with him in the calendar business and active in its management and Mrs. McKinnie Phelps of New York city. He also leaves five grandchildren; three sisters and one brother, Mrs. A.E. Weber and Ada Belle McCleery, both of Geneva, Ill., Mrs. LeRoy Randles of Waterman, Ill., and George McCleery of Des Moines

Washington Evening Journal March 18, 1946.