Smith, Jennie McCleery 1855 - 1899

SMITH, MCCLEERY

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 11/23/2013 at 16:38:16

Elgin Echo, Thur., 31 August 1899.

On Sunday, August 26, occurred the death of Jennie McCleery Smith at the old home in Auburn, this county. Her life was an exceptional one, full of ambition and toil: first success beyond expectation, then reverses and disappointments without measure, the effect of which was an early death.

She was one of the characters of our county; which is but a very small dot on the earth; and like a fire fly in the big black night she made her utmost endeavor in the human drama and the spark was gone leaving neither light nor shadow, but only a memory with those few, who by chance had seen, loved and pitied her. One discontented with her surroundings; she was always reaching, striving, longing for something, somewhere, somehow, but always beyond her. She knew not wither; she knew not what. Like the builders of the Tower of Babel; or the child running for the pot of gold at the rainbow's base; she hurriedly wandered on till wandering she was bewildered, and bewildering she was lost.

Reared in a little country village, Auburn, among nature's most beautiful scenery and healthful clime; with simple, honest folk as companions and a competence assured through moderate toil, her lot was the purest, noblest, grandest, most enviable.

The modest country girl kept a little store for a livelihood, and receiving the sympathy, respect and assistance of her neighbors she prospered - prospered till a few outside people noticed her. The country banker asked for the deposit of the profits from the little store, treated her as and told her she was a financier worthy and entitled to recognition by the association with men of business.

Then, like Joan of Arc, she must have dreamed; dreampt of riches and power; of wealth of Sheba's queen and Palmyra's Zenobia; for the little store ceased to be anything to her but a stepping stone to other conditions of which she had only a vague conception and no real knowledge. When a few thousands of dollars had been saved she quit Auburn, her old friends and the store, and with the announcement that she was a lady of business, gave one leap in speculation. It was only a splash on the surface of the pool - she was beyond her depth - that was all.

Then came an unfortunate marriage, endless legal litigation, publicity and a close of her ambition and hope, failure and disappoint, and her life.

Jennie McCleery was really a good woman. She was misguided and in adversity was censured for what she did not know and could not then change. Her life should be a lesson; and charity, that first virtue of all virtues, should be extended. Fayette county has lost one of her best daughters through her death.

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NOTE: A Jennie McCleery 04-17-1855 / 08-17-1899 is shown as buried in Oak Ridge cemetery. There is a photo of the gravestone on the IGPP. No explanation for the difference in death dates between the article and gravestone.

Submitter is not related.

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