Harold Herndon Cleveland

Notes:

As reported by his son Harold W.:
Following his graduation from the Hale MO High School, Harold enrolled in the Chillicothe Business College - an advanced educational move for his time and place. After graduation, he was employed by the Brown Shoe Factory in Brookfield, MO. While in Brookfield he married Elaine Julia Irvin of Chillicothe, MO ca Fall or Winter of 1916-17. He was inducted into the army at Linneus, MO October 3rd, 1917 as part of the 3rd division of the first draft. He served in France with the AEF, first as a Field Clerk, but was promoted to the rank of Battalion Sergeant Major of company "C", Headquarters Battalion, GHQ, in France on the 20th of February, 1919. He was proud of the fact that he was for a time personal chauffeur to General "Black Jack" Pershing. His service number was: 2311903. He once told about standing in line in France for his turn to ride in an "aeroplane" a new and daring form of transportation in those days. As the aircraft was trying to land, the pilot lost control and it crashed and burned, killing both the pilot and his passenger. As he put it, I (his son) came that close to never being born; had he been one person sooner in the line, he would have been the one killed.

After the war (WWI) he was employed as a shipping clerk by the Burlington Railroad, until ca 1930 when he passed the required state board examination, and became one of the first male beauticians in MO (if not the first).

After my mother's death he continued operating the shop. Ca Fall of 1936 he married my mother's last apprentice, Susan Maples, who had stayed onto help.

At the onset of WWII they moved to Burlington, Iowa where Susie continued to operate the shop while he went back to the railroad as an "IOP division clerk". In Burlington, they resided at 2617 Columbia St, Flint Hills Manor.

He suffered a fatal heart attack over his lunch while at work on June 16, 1943. He was rarely ill, not even susceptible to the common cold.

Harold married Elaine Julia Irvin in 1916 in Chillicothe, MO. Elaine was born on 17 Apr 1892 in Chillicothe, MO; died on 13 Jan 1935. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Harold William Cleveland

Harold married Susanne Maple [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Dale Cleveland

Notes:

Notes by his grandson Harold W. Cleveland:
Granddad had been a playboy in his youth and I suppose he never entirely recovered. .(The last time I saw him he was in his 90's and still enjoyed a good time.) His father had owned THE Livery Stable in Carrollton, MO. This might compare roughly to owning the only rental car service at Lambert Field in St. Louis in the 90's. He was always wonderful in my eyes- even after I was old enough to realize that he was pretty much of a reprobate (but what a loveable reprobate). I recall our time together in his hotel room in Hannibal when both of us had come for my dad's funeral. I was a shiny new Ensign, and as soon as we got to his room the old man asked me, with a twinkle in his eye; (he always had a twinkle in his eye)"Boy, have you learned to take a drink yet?" I had, and we did! I used to wonder when I was small why granddad would always invite dad out to the barn to "show him something" as soon as we would arrive for a visit. Later I found out that the old rascal had put more energy into his grape arbor than into his corn crop. There was always a batch of grape juice on its way to becoming wine, and what wine it was! Granddad was the extrovert of the family. He always enjoyed people and a good time, and was always on the lookout for the latter - the former gravitated to him naturally. This, according to one Farrin Moore of Hale, MO. one contempory with my dad. "Despite the age difference, when the boys (dad's age) wanted to go down to the river for a few days, or sit in a duck blind for a weekend, they always invited Arlie (granddad). Harold was alright, but Arlie was more fun to be with".

Notes reported by his granddaughter Barbara Schweppe Hanes:
"Because Grandpa lived with us all of my life, I never had a baby sitter other than he or Kay.(her brother John K). I learned to play all kinds of card games, I received a lot of love from him and adored him. He loved to read magazines and I always walked to town with him to get the Saturday Evening Post. Life, Colliers and others. He also took me to see all the Disney films after Kay went in the Army. He loved radio and the shows on it. On Kentucky Derby Day, no one bothered him. He did drink, but mother (Vera Cleveland Schweppe) never really said this. Grandpa used to go in the taverns in downtown Fort Scott and when he received Welfare, she was really upset. She did look after him with clothes and attention. He died in a nursing home in 1955 in the next block from our house during my college years in California. Mother had his body returned to MO. Grandpa had a brother Burt Cleveland who was born in Missouri and died in Bozeman, Montana. Somehow I remember Grandpa had gone west to either Oregon or Hawaii at one time. He loved books about the West and Mysteries."
End Hanes report.

A note penciled in 1888 in the front of a book once owned by Julia Otey makes the following observation; "A C is the cutest boy in the United States". Inasmuch as there are other annotations in that same book referring fondly to Arlie Cleveland, it would seem safe to assume the initials AC to be a reference to Arlie, by the love-lorn Julia to whom he was later married.

Arlie married Julia Emmory Otey on 24 Sep 1891 in Carrollton, Carroll County, MO. Julia (daughter of Virginius Blackburn Otey and Mary Emma Cooper) was born on 15 Dec 1871 in Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri, USA; died on 17 Mar 1929. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From her death notice in the Hale MO newspaper:
She was born December 15, 1871 on a farm near Carrollton Mo (sic) - the "farm" at the time of her birth was actually a plantation known as Herndon Hill.

She was educated in the Carrollton Public Schools, and graduated high school with the class of 1889.

September 24, 1891 she was united in marriage with Arlie Cleveland. They resided in Carrollton for two years, moving then to a farm near Hale (Mo) where they have since made their home.

She was a member of the Hale Baptist Church. A lady highly respected and esteemed by all who knew her. Funeral services in her memory were held from the Willis Brother's Funeral Home, Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock; conducted by Rev. E.C. Vanderpool/assisted by Rev. T.J. West of Carrollton. Interment was made in the Oakhill Cemetery (Hale?)

Note from her Grandson Harold W. Cleveland:

She died about 1929. I was too young to know much about her except that she was a kind and generous person to me. She was also quite strict and would brook no "sass". One of the first "big" words I learned was from her oft repeated statement to me: "young man! Don't you contradict me!" She would not allow my Granddad to smoke in the house, and was firmly set against his (or anyone's) drinking (even of a social nature.)

One of her favorite books was a copy of Tenneyson's complete works, as of this writing (1/2/94) it is in my possession. Inside the front and back covers are penciled repeated references to Alie Cleveland made in 1888, the most telling being: "AC is the cutest boy in the United States". Though outwardly strict and proper, she obviously had depths of emotions which were rarely revealed.

I loved her dearly!

Seneca married Mary Hughes. Mary was born in 1838; died in 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1860, Covington, Alleghany County, VA
• Military Service: Between 1860 and 1866, Alleghany County, Virginia, USA; Private, Co. A, 27th Virginia Infantry. Carpenters Co. St. L. Art.

Notes:

As told by Anna Otey to Harold Cleveland Ca. 1953

"During the Civil War, Captain Otey was assigned to Lee's command. When Lee went to Appomattox to surrender, Captain Otey did not go along. He mounted his horse and struck out for Missouri, stating bluntly that he refused to surrender. (To this day none of the Captain's side of the family has ever surrendered.) One night he found himself in the small town of Utica Mo. He went to the inn and arranged for a nights lodging. It was dark and he was tired so he went to bed without striking a light. When he awoke the next morning the first thing that met his eye was a picture of "Mr." Lincoln on the wall. Outraged, Captain Otey hauled out his side arm and blasted the picture off the wall. He then jumped through the window, and without paying his bill to 'those damn Yankees', continued on his way home. To this day, the family apparently still owes a bill to some innkeeper's family in Utica."

Side note: Captain Otey's very proper daughter Anna M. Otey took great pleasure in telling this story and could see no wrong in her father's actions. After all, the innkeepers WERE Yankees.

ADDENDUM: March of 1996

Consultation of the military records of the period indicate that the above tale, charming though it may be is open to question.

There were a some 80 Oteys who served in the Confederate army. Of that group there is listed but one Virginius B. He was a Private who served with Captain Carpenter's company of Light Artillery aka, The Alleghany Rough Artillery. The only Captain Otey was named James.* According to his pay records, Virginius was wounded July 21st, 1861, at the first battle of Manassas, and again in February, 1863 at Lynchburg having been admitted to General Hospital #1 at Richmond, February 11, of that year. He was released from General Hospital #9, Richmond, Virginia, on June 4th 1864.* (As there are no mustering out records, part of the traditional story may have been factual.)

The company muster roll states that he was 21 in 1861, and that he enlisted at Covington, Alleghany County, Virginia, with the Alleghany Light Infantry - which became, the 27th Regiment Virginia Infantry. This unit was transferred to the artillery service during the latter part of 1861. The 27th was also known as the 6th Virginia Infantry.* Regardless of its various designations, the Company was always attached to the "Stonewall Brigade".

Virginius' occupation was listed as "manager" - of what it does not say. Given the era and locale, one might speculate that he was a plantation manager (overseer?)

* See National Archives Microfilm Publications, Microcopy No. 324.
COMPILED SERVICE RECORDS OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO SERVED INORGANIZATIONS FROM THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. Roll 270, Capt. Carpenter's Co., Light Artillery, M-Y

Virginius married Mary Emma Cooper in 1869. Mary (daughter of Archilaus Mitchell Perkins Herndon and Ann Marian Dickinson) was born on 20 Aug 1848 in Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri, USA; died on 20 May 1931 in Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri, USA; was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Carrollton, Carroll County, MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1860, Wakonda Twp., Carroll County, MO
• Residence: 1860, Wakenda, Carroll, Missouri, USA
• Residence: 1870, Wakenda, Carroll, Missouri, USA
• Residence: 1900, Carrollton city, Carroll, Missouri
• Residence: 1920, Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri
• Residence: 1930, Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri

Notes:

They were fourth cousins once removed.

John married Angeline Middleton Brown about 1817. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1850, Carroll County, MO
• Residence: 1850, District 15, Carroll, Missouri
• Census: 1860, Wakonda Twp., Carroll County, MO
• Residence: 1880, Carrol, Carroll, Missouri, USA
• Residence: 1900, Carrollton city, Carroll, Missouri

Archilaus married Ann Marian Dickinson on 18 Apr 1835. Ann was born on 12 Sep 1822 in Virginia, USA; died on 8 Apr 1857 in Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri, USA; was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Carrollton, Carroll County, MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]