McCreary Home Week 1913

The residence of Mrs. Ruey McCreary, on Third street, Leechburg, was the scene of an important event in this community during the past week, the occasion marking a happy "Old Home" week for the relatives and friends of the MrCreary name. Assembled relatives and visitors were present from many different states, two of the sons with their families having come from California, one daughter, with her family, from Kansas, and others from eastern and western Pennsylvania and other points.

The McCreary name has been identified with this community for several generations and has been closely associated with many of the movements and developments which has made Leechburg what it is today. The McCreary's are originally of Scotch descent, who, after passing into Ireland, came to this country in the early part of the eighteenth century, settling along the Susquehannah in Lancaster county. In 1790 John McCreary crossed the mountain and secured and settled on a tract of land comprising 160 acres in Franklin township, Westmoreland county, near the present town of Delmont. Eight children were born in the family, the youngest of which was George McCreary, the immediate progenitor. He purchased a farm of 300 acres comprising what is now known as Vandergrift Heights, and later purchased the John Kinley farm on the old Greensburg Road, three miles from Leechburg.

In this family there were eight children, four sons and four daughters, among them being the late Levi McCreary of Leechburg, the late John McCreary of Greensburg, Mrs. Jennie Ashbach now of Pittsburg, and the late Hiram McCreary, the father of the present generation, who died August 1, 1898. He was married to Miss Ruey Orris, a direct descendant of the famous old Metz family in history.

Hiram McCreary, in his day, was a boatman on the old canal. Later he was engaged in contracting work in and about Pittsburg and Leechburg. During the latter part of his life he was associatd with his son, Harry, in the coke business. When he died, Leechburg paid him one of her noblest tributes, when, with common consent it was written in the Advance: "He was a good man in the town and in his family. He was just. He always worked hard. His integrity was beyond reproach."

Mrs. McCreary is well known to the people here, where she has always lived. Their children are: Harry, Charles, Robert, Edward, May and Emma. Harry McCreary accumlated a fortune in the coal and coke business and now resides at Indiana, Pa. Charles is a member of the Westmoreland County Bar and is located in Greensburg, Pa. Robert and Edward have met with marked success in the oil, agriculture and lumber business in California. Robert resides at Hanford and Edward at Berkeley. May is the wife of Prof. William A. Sadtler, Ph. D., a member of the faculty of Midland College, and resides at Atchison, Kansas. Emma is married to Rev. P. George Sieger, pastor of a leading Lutheran church at Lancaster, Pa.

A full week's program had been arranged in advance, each day bringing out a special feature of the reunion. The first event was Relatives Day, observed on Friday, July 4, when upwards of 150 relatives and descendents were gathered at the old home, refreshments being served on the lawn. The oldest son, Harry McCreary of Indiana, delivered the address of welcome. An unique feature was the crowning of mother McCreary with a laurel wreath, especially made by a friend of the family, a native of Greece. It was patterned after the idea of crowning the heroes in olden times, and was happily carried out under the direction of the twin boys, Robert and Edward of California assisted by all the grandchildren, including the bestowal of beautiful and precious gifts in the name of the family.

The general program for the day was presided over by Charles McCreary of Greensburg. Addresses bearing on the event were delivered by the sons in-law, Prof. W. A. Sadtler Ph. D. of Atchison, Kansas and Rev. P. George Sieger of Lancaster, Robert and Edward McCreary, and Prof. Elmer Krause D. D. of Chicago, a former pastor of the family. "Home Sweet Home" and "America" were sung. Ad ode entitled "The Old Home Song," written for the occasion by Rev. Sieger and dedicated to Mother McCreary, was read by the author and heartily sung by all present.

McCreary Home Week 1913
Leechburg Advance, Leechburg Pennsylvania, Friday July 11 1913

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