ROBERT P. MCGREGOR
GRAVESTONE
PHOTO
Baxter Springs News, Saturday, Sept. 4,
1897
Obituary provided by Earleene Spaulding,
recording historian at the Baxter Springs, Kansas Heritage Center.
IN
MEMORIUM:
CAMP
LOGAN, AUGUST 30, 1897
To the stockholders and patrons of
the inter-state reunion:
It becomes our painful duty to
announce to you the death of Captain Robert P. McGregor, a member of the board
of directors and quartermaster of the association
On the evening of August 20 shortly after
reaching his home, after a hard day’s work in preparing the encampment for the
sixteenth annual reunion, now in progress he was suddenly stricken down with
apoplexy. Medical aid was quickly summoned, but no physician’s skill could
give relief or save the life of our friend, comrade and associate. He remained
in an unconscious condition so far as known until 5 o’clock Sunday evening
August 22nd when the -----------------the funeral was held from the residence
Tuesday august-----conducted by Frank---Post 123 of Baxter
Springs--------comrades of various---vicinity.
Robert McGregor was born in
Canada, July 4, 1838. He came to the United States when but ----years of age,
locating in Indiana, which was his home until coming to Cherokee county in the
Spring of 1877. His first services in the army was in Company D, Thirtieth,
Indiana. He was orderly, sergeant, second and first lieutenant of the company.
His second enlistment was in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana and
was captain of the company. He was one of the prime movers in the first
soldier’s reunion ever held at Baxter Springs. At that first reunion he was
chosen quartermaster of the encampment, a position he continued to fill year
after year until the time of his death. On the organizing of the Baxter Springs,
reunion into what is now known and legally constituted as the inter-state
reunion association, he was elected a member of the board of directors and was
annually re-elected each year thereafter being a member of the board at the time
of his death. To his individual efforts, is perhaps due more than any other
member of the association, credit for the success, which has attended all the
reunions that have been.
Although not a voter in the city
he always took most active interest in the welfare of Baxter Springs and has
been largely instrumental in pushing forward the various enterprises which have
in recent years built up our city and given her the enviable reputation she now
enjoys as a place of residence.
Mr. McGregor was probably the most
active and enthusiastic person who took part in the organization of the now
famous inter-state reunion association, which has so pleasantly entertained the
thousands of old veterans and their families and friends who have visited us
annually during the past fifteen years. Old ”Bob” as his old comrades called
him. Was ever on the alert with a fund of ideas and schemes to make their visits
pleasurable and their stay here comfortable, and not one will gainsay that Bob
McGregor has worked harder and did more for the old soldiers attending the
annual reunions here that any other man connected with them. He labored day and
night as quartermaster off times when he was too ill and should not have been
allowed to do so. -------------
Hall of the M. E. church assisted by Rev.
L. Scranton Leets of the Episcopal faith in which Mr. McGregor was reared and
was confirmed in his earlier years. The service was beautiful and impressive and
was listened to with more than ordinary interest by a large assemblage of
soldiers, members of the various orders and sorrowing friends. At the close of
the service at the house a large concourse of friends followed the remains to
the national cemetery, where their ritual services of the G. A. R. in
which the dead soldier had so often officiated, was performed and the remains
gently laid to rest close by the stately granite monument erected there thirteen
years ago through his efforts to perpetuate the memory of the soldier boys who
fell victim to the guns of cowardly assassins at this place October 6, 1863.
The casket was draped with stars
and stripes and carried floral designs of rare beauty. The funeral was one of
the largest ever held in this county.