McKellar, Archibald F. “Fred,” 1869-1934

MCKELLAR, MCARTHUR, HENRY

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:33

From the Rock Valley Bee, December 21, 1934:

Mr. A. F. McKellar passed away between 5 and 6 o’clock Saturday evening at his home in Hancock, Minn. Cancer was the cause of his death. He has lived at Hancock for some 30 years. His father and brother Don lived here in early days. His father conducted the furniture business here and Don the Telephone system. Fred was quite well known in Rock Valley and vicinity.

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From the Hancock Record, December 21, 1934:

A PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN IS LAID TO REST
A. F. McKellar, a Resident Here for Thirty Years Died Saturday Afternoon at His Home

After an illness of some four months, death came to A. F. McKellar, perhaps better known to our folks as Fred McKellar, at his home here in the village at half past five o’clock last Saturday afternoon, December 15th. He had been in poor health for a year or two but had been able to attend to business until about four months ago.

Mr. McKellar was perhaps one of the best known and one of the most highly respected of the business men of the village, as well as one of the best liked. Fair and just to a high degree in all his dealings, he would meet a patron or a friend more than half way at any time in order to accommodate him.

Coming here in 1904 and being one of the organizers of the First National Bank, he was connected with that institution as cashier for twenty-seven years, or until it was sold to the Hancock National Bank. During that time he had served for years as treasurer of the Hancock Fire department, and as treasurer of the village, as well as serving as secretary of the village school board for some years. He was also one of the most loyal and faithful members of the Knights of Pythias lodge here until the order surrendered its charter, a year or two ago. During all this time one has yet to hear a single criticism of his actions in or out of any of the positions he held. And his friendship was not of the lip variety. He was a real friend to all who knew him.

Archibald Frederick McKellar was born on December 3d, 1869, at West Union, the son of Peter and Isabel McKellar, both of whom preceded him in death by some years past. He was married on June 26, 1895, to Mary Elizabeth Henry and for the several years before coming to Hancock they lived at Rudyard, Mich., and at Hull and Rock Valley, Iowa. One child was born to them, here at Hancock, a girl who died in infancy. As stated above, he was cashier at the bank for almost thirty years, then engaged in the movie house business for a year or two, and during the early part of this year he was in charge of the drouth relief shipping of cattle and livestock, although far from well.

He was a kind husband, devoted to his home, and that home was always open to the many friends of both Mr. and Mrs. McKellar with a hospitality that was unbounded. All in all, he was such a citizen as any community can ill afford to lose.

He is survived by his wife and one sister and one brother, Mrs. R. E. Roantree of San Diego, Cal., and D. A. McKellar, of Grand Forks, No. Dak.

Short services were held at the home at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon and the funeral services were held at the school auditorium at two o’clock, with Rev. Sandine conducting the services. The music was rendered by a male quartet, consisting of Walter and Emil Mecklenburg, Graham Charles and Wallace Erickson, with Mrs. Bordewick at the piano. In spite of the bad weather of the afternoon there was a large number present to pay their last tribute of respect to the one they had known and regarded so highly in life. Mute evidence of this esteem was the mass of cut flowers that partially covered the casket and were banked about the improvised altar. Seated in a body were some thirty former members of the Knights of Pythias lodge. Many of the audience followed the casket to its last resting place in the family lot at Lakeside cemetery, and stood in the bitter cold and driving snow as the last rites were given over the grave.

The pall bearers were H. F. Frisbee, James Murphy, Mac Johnson, Herman Mecklenburg, F. E. Taplin and Oliver Kyvig, all of whom had at some time worked alongside of the deceased in the banking business or were closely associated with him.

Among those present from away to attend the services were Mr. and Mrs. Don McKellar of Grand Forks, Mrs. Clara McMillan of Sanborn, Iowa, sister of Mrs. McKellar, Mr. and Mrs. Bloomquist, a nephew and niece of Milbank, So. Dak., Mr. and Mrs. Mac Johnson of Redwood Falls, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Kyvig of Starbuck, and Louis Dorweller of Chokio.

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Minnesota death certificate number 1934-MN-015769 shows him as Archibald Frederick McKellar, resident of Hancock, Stevens County, Minnesota, a banker; wife Mary Elizabeth McKellar; born December 3, 1869 in West Union, Iowa; parents Peter McKellar and Isabella McArthur, both born in Scotland; died at 5:30 p.m. 15 December 1934; cause, carcinoma of descending colon, duration 1 ½ years

FindaGrave.com gives his spouse as Mayme Elizabeth Henry McKellar (1875-1967). There is a photo of their joint headstone, with him as A. Fred and her as Mayme Henry McKellar.

The1895 Chippewa County, Michigan marriage register has groom A. Fred McKellar, age 25, resident of Rudyard, Iowa, a bookkeeper, born in Iowa, parents Peter McKellar and Isabella McArthur; bride Mamie E. Henry, age 20, born in Iowa, father A. J. Henry; married June 26, 1895 in Manistique, Michigan.

The 1900 U.S. census shows Fred A. (age 30) and Mayme (age 24) living in Hull, Sioux County; he is assistant cashier in a bank. In 1910, 1920, and 1930 Archibald F. and Mary E. McKellar are living in Hancock, Minn., where he is a bank cashier.