PROFESSOR THOMAS F. McCUNE,
whose death at his home in Vinton, November 6, 1907, removed one of the
most honored and useful citizens of the county, was for nearly thirty
years identified, as teacher and superintendent, with the College for
the Blind at Vinton. He gave the best of his life's efforts to that
institution, and his career, though passed quietly and without vain
glory, was as fruitful and as deserving of permanent honor as those
spent in the more conspicuous affairs of the world. He had entered the
college in 1877 as a teacher, while the Rev. Robert E. Carrothers was
superintendent, and six years later was advanced to the position of
principal and superintendent, which he held until his retirement on
July 1, 1906.
The late Professor McCune was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, October
1, 1850. He was the oldest of the ten children of Joseph and Mary J.
(Medill) McCune, and after his father's death assumed a large share of
responsibility in the care of the family. He received his higher
education in Washington and Jefferson College, at Washington,
Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in June, 1876. He opened an
academy at Frankfort Springs and conducted it until accepting a place
in the faculty at the Vinton institution, to which he was strongly
recommended by President Hays of Washington and Jefferson College.
Professor McCune was a Republican though he had been reared to
Democratic doctrines. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he
and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church. He married, March
28, 1883, Miss Etta Walker Wilson. She was born in Washington,
Pennsylvania, but at the time of her marriage her home was at Le Loup,
Kansas. She was a daughter of Dr. John R. and Charlotte (Walker)
Wilson, the father a native of Washington county, and the mother of
Berlin, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wilson was one of the prominent old
physicians of Washington. Mr. and Mrs. McCune had two children: The
daughter, Jessie Wilson, married A. B. Opfer. John Joseph, the son, was
educated at Vinton and in a business college at Cedar Rapids, became
connected with the Carmody Iron works at the latter place, later was
with a similar line of industry at Pittsburg, and is now an employe in
the war department at Washington, D. C., having entered the civil
service by examination. Mrs. McCune still lives in Vinton, her
residence being on East Jefferson street.
Picture of Thomas McCune
