Marjorie Alice McLeish

Notes:

Marjorie Alice McLeish was born February 9, 1898 on her father's farm southeast of Maynard, Iowa. Her parents being John Strawn McLeish and Jessie Taylor. Marjorie was third in order of birth out of nine children. In 1908, her family moved to
Texas for one year and then to Oklahoma. They then moved back to Iowa and lived near Strawberry Point and Oran. Sometime after 1915, they moved to a farm one mile north of Louie Bark's farm. Marjorie married Louis Alfred Bark on March 12, 1919
in Fayette County. They resided with Louie's mother on their farm 2 miles north of Maynard, Iowa. When Louie's mother died in 1936, Louie inherited the farm and they remained there. They had thirteen children born to them. Marjorie was very
helpful with running their farm and was an energenic and loving woman. In the 1960's she suffered three strokes. After the first stroke, her children convinced her to see a doctor. It was the first time Marjorie had ever visited a doctor in her
lifetime. The doctor warned her to take it easy but Marjorie was full of vitality and continued to work in her gardens. She had her second stroke and the doctor warned her that she would never live through another stroke. But she had a third
stroke and it was then discovered that she had diabetes. In May of 1968, a tornado blew through their farm destroying all but their house. In 1981, she discovered that she had developed cancer. As a child, I remember her as a warm and giving
Grandmother. She never raised her voice no matter how we scampered about the house, in and out, muddy feet and yelling. She always met us at the door when we came to visit with a hug and a kiss for everyone. When we'd leave, she would always
walk us outdoors and wave until we were out of sight no matter what the weather was. Marjorie and Louie had a close marriage and enjoyed a mutual sense of humor. Once Marjorie accidently used a cake mix in place of biscuit mix in her chicken
pie and when Louie laughed, Marjorie calmly went into the kitchen for a piece of pie and "put" it in his face. Louie smiled, eyes twinkling, and licked his lips. Another time, while tenderly bickering, Marjorie pushed Louie over backwards in
his chair and everyone had a good laugh including Louie. She always said she hated cats which they always had plenty of on the farm. One time, she was seen taking kittens in a bag to the bridge to drop them in to drown when they had an excess
of cats. But she always gave them scraps from the table and when she was older, she would even pick them up and pet them. Marjorie died September 4, 1987 of cancer and is buried in the Maynard Cemetary.



Medical Information: Diabetes, Cancer

Marjorie married Lewis Alfred Bark on 12 Mar 1919. Lewis (son of George Bark and Carrie Smith) was buried in Long Grove Cem., Maynard, IA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Genevive Inez Bark was born in 1920; died in 1920.
2. Robert Rex Bark was born on 10 May 1921 in Randalia, Iowa; died on 11 Mar 1994 in Maynard, Iowa.
3. Betty Jean Bark was born on 3 May 1922 in Randalia, Iowa; died in 1986 in Manchester, Iowa.
4. Dorothy Mae Bark was born on 15 May 1923 in Randalia, Iowa; died on 18 Jan 1980 in Winthrop, Iowa.
5. Ruth Arlene Bark was born on 12 Sep 1925 in Randalia, Iowa; died on 9 Sep 1983 in Waterloo, Iowa.
6. Living
7. Ray Max Bark was born on 4 Mar 1929 in Randalia, Iowa; died on 4 Aug 1997 in LaPorte City, Iowa.
8. Living
9. Living
10. Living
11. Living
12. Living
13. Living

Notes:

William Durne Milne (who married Jesse's sister, Eliza) and John McLeish had gone to the same school. So William brought John with him when he came to visit his Uncle at Christmas time. His Uncle lived across the street from the McWilliams.
This is how Eliza met William and her sister, Jesse, met John McLeish. Jesse and John were married that same year.



The year John and Jessie were married, 1893, was the same year as the year the World's Fair was held in Chicago. Andrew McLeish, John's father, suggested that that John and Jesse keep house for John's siblings while Andrew and Katherine went to
the World's Fair. But John and Jesse went on their honeymoon instead so Eliza went to the Andrew McLeish home and helped John's sister, Maggie, who was only 13 and very pretty.



John's father, Andrew, gave him 80 acres of farmland from the homestead in Jefferson Township, Fayette County, Iowa - 2 1/2 miles south of Maynard, Iowa. They farmed here until 1908 at which time John sold his land and moved his family to Texas
where he purchased land. They built a house and a barn but they had no crops.So after a year, they went to Oklahoma and picked cotton. This is where there daughter Kathryn started Kindergarden.



They then came back to Iowa and lived near Strawberry Point and Oran. Sometime after 1915, they moved to a farm one mile north of Louie Barks farm which was 2 1/2 mile north of Maynard, Iowa.



When his wife died in 1934, Andrew moved to Colorado. He died there in Colorado Springs in 1958 at the age of 89. He was buried September 8, 1958 in Oelwein, Iowa.

John married Jesse Taylor on 18 Aug 1893. Jesse (daughter of James Taylor and Margaret McWilliams) was born in in Perth, Scotland; died in in Maynard, Iowa; was buried in Long Grove Cem., Maynard, IA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jessie attended school in Ecclesmachen, Scotland, 1 1/2 miles from Uphall. In 1885 her father died and she moved with her mother to Brechin, Scotland. In 1890, she came to America with her family. She was 18 years old. They left in April and
the family was very homesick but Jessie made friends on the ship and had a nice time coming over. They rode by train to Postville, Iowa where her grandfather, Nathaniel McWilliams, and her aunt and uncle, Eliza and Evan Swenson, lived. The
climate was hard on the family - too cold in winter and too hot in the summer but as time went by they adjusted.



Jesse went to Normal school and earned a certificate to teach which was not an easy task as their history and geography were different. She taught at the McLeish School.



William Durne Milne (who married Jesse's sister, Eliza) and John McLeish had gone to the same school. So William brought John with him when he came to visit his Uncle at Christmas time. His Uncle lived across the street from the McWilliams.
This is how Eliza met William and her sister, Jesse, met John McLeish. Jesse and John were married that same year.



The year John and Jessie were married, 1893, was the same year as the year the World's Fair was held in Chicago. Andrew McLeish, John's father, suggested that that John and Jesse keep house for John's siblings while Andrew and Katherine went to
the World's Fair. But John and Jesse went on their honeymoon instead so Eliza went to the Andrew McLeish home and helped John's sister, Maggie, who was only 13 and very pretty.



Jesse was a teacher.

Cause of Death: Cerebral Hemmorhage

Notes:

When Andrew was 23 years old he came to America in 1856. He spent a few years in the states of Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio before coming to Iowa on February 14, 1866. He became one of the first settlers of Fayette County when he began
farming 2 1/2 mile south of Maynard, Iowa, in Jefferson Township, Section 2, which was an 80-acre tract brought from the govenment for $150.00. He united with the church in Scotland and on December 13, 1899, with the First Presbyterian Church
in Maynard, Iowa. He was active in the work for many years. He served first as treasurer of the church and later as elder. He was with the National or Greenbacks in politics. (Greenback-Labor Party: In the years of 1874-1878, better known as
the panic years, the workmen resorted to political activity to right their greivances. They called themselves the National Party from Ohio. In 1877, the National Party fused with the Greenback party from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Their
platform was to fight against prison contract labor and for being in favor of shorter working hours.) He was a School Director for one year and Supervisor for two years. The farm he owned was then 160-acres worth $25.00 an acre. He later gave
each son 80 acres of land to start farming. When his wife, Katherine, died; he went to live with his daugther, Ellen, in Maynard, Iowa. He died there in a fire in 1930 at the age of 97.



Two newspaper clippings about Andrew McLeish:



Maynard Man 94, has never worn glasses or visited a dentist.

Maynard: June 15--Few men live more than four score ten years with the full enjoyment of every faculty yet this is the privilege of Andrew McLeish of Maynard, who has just celebrated his 94th birthday.

Mr. McLeish likes to read and is proud of the fact that he has never worn glasses. Neither has he ever been to a dentist. He was born in Scotland, June 10, 1833, coming to America when 23 years old. He spent a few years in the states of
Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio before coming to Iowa on February 14, 1866. He became one of the pioneer settlers of Fayette County when he began farming two miles south of Maynard on an 80 acre tract bought from the govenment for
$150.00.

He married Katherine Strawn on November 26, 1868 and to them eleven children were born. Mr. McLeish united with the church in Scotland and on December 13, 1899 with the First Presbyterian Church in Maynard. He was active in the work for many
years. He served first as treasurer of the church and later as elder.

Since the death of his wife 17 years ago, he has made his home most of the time with his only daughter, Mrs. A.G. Simpson of Maynard. The living sons are John of Oran, Ia.; George, Robert and Arch of Maynard, James of Denver and LeRoy of
Chicago. The are also 20 grandchildren and 16 great- grandchildren.

Each year a family reunion is held to commerate his birth and he has great enjoyment looking forward to these events.



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Pioneer Scot is 96, oatmeal his daily dish since boyhood.

Maynard--June 10--Andrew McLeish, Promient pioneer of this vicinity and a native of Scotland is 96 years old today and enjoying life. He hasn't missed having a large dish of oatmeal for breakfast each day since he was a boy in Scotland. He
believes it to be one of the most healthful of foods, conducive to longevity. He recalls that as a lad he enjoyed a breakfast of "broes", made simply by pouring boiling water over finely milled oats.

Celebration of Mr. McLeish's birthday was held yesterday so that as many members of his family as possible could be here. He resides with his daughter, Mrs. A.G. Simpson, who planned the party. His health is good and he is able to read parts of
the newspaper without glasses.

Mr. McLeish is the last surviving member of a family of 10 children. Born in Scotland, he came to America at the age of 23 and in 1866 began farming near Maynard. He has six sons living: John and Arch of Oran, George and Robert of Maynard,
James of Denver and Roy of Chicago.

Andrew married Katherine Strawn on 26 Nov 1868 in Iowa. Katherine (daughter of John Strawn and Margaret Archer) was born on 26 Jan 1852 in Durand, Howard Twp., Winnebago Co., Illinois; died on 2 Sep 1910 in Maynard, Iowa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Came to Iowa 2-14-1866

cause of death, cancer

James married Margaret McWilliams. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

married Elizabeth Cochrane. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Moved to Illinois in 1838

moved to Iowa 14 Feb 1866

John married Margaret Archer on 24 Jun 1847 in Winnebago Co., Illinois. Margaret (daughter of William Archer and Ann Finn) was born in in Scotland; died in in Durand, Winnebago Co., Illinois; was buried in buried Crane Cemetary, Lee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]