Daniel Edward McCreary, 1871–1948

Daniel Edward McCreary was born on 16 December 1871, to James McCreary (ca. 1824–December 1878) and Sarah Larimer McCreary (ca. 1827–?). Moberly, Missouri, is identified as his place of birth in his obituary and death certificate, but more likely, he was born near Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri, where his parents were living according to the 1870 census. What happened to him from 1878 until 1889 is unknown.

Daniel married at age eighteen on 4 February 1890 in the City of St. Louis to Emma V. Beekman and he was divorced on 29 October 1898 in the City of St. Louis. The divorce shows Daniel as the “innocent and injured” party.

On 6 September 1900, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in DeSoto, Missouri, Daniel married Ida Campbell, born in 1876 to George W. Campbell and Rose Agnew.

Children born to Daniel Edward McCreary and Ida (Campbell) McCreary:

• Edward George McCreary, born on 9 February 1902 at 1318 Sullivan Ave. He lived most of his life in DeSoto and died in 1980.
• Frank Elmer McCreary, born on 20 October 1903, with baptism on 22 November 1903, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, St. Louis. He died in 1943 in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp.
• Thelma Katherine McCreary, born on 6 October 1907 at 1200 Tyler and died on 29 July 1909.

The 1910 census shows Daniel at age forty, renting at 904A Tyler near North Broadway. He was a widower living with his son Edward G., age eight; son Frank E., age six; and his mother-in-law, Rose Campbell, age fifty-three, who was a widow. Daniel was an iron porter. City directories indicate Daniel did not live in St. Louis after 1915.

According to the local newspaper on 8 January 1919, Daniel Edward “slipped” over to Belleville, Illinois, and married Mrs. Elizabeth Williams. The 1920 census shows him, age forty-eight, working as a machinist helper for the railroad, living on Blow Street in DeSoto with his wife Elizabeth. age forty-five. Also living with them were his sons. Edward, age eighteen, a machinist apprentice, and Frank, age sixteen.

In 1930, the census listed him as D. Edward McCreary living in Wellston, Missouri, and in 1940, he was retired living in Marble Hill, Bollinger County, Missouri, with his wife Elizabeth. In 1947, he moved to DeSoto without his wife and lived with his son, Edward, and daughter-in-law, Rosalie McCreary.

Daniel Edward died on 5 August 1948 of carcinoma of the pancreas at the age of seventy-six years, seven months, and nineteen days old. According to his death certificate, he was still married to Elizabeth McCreary. Apparently their marriage was not happy, since she wasn’t mentioned in Daniel’s obituary nor is her name shown attending his funeral, and the family never mentioned her. Daniel’s burial occurred in St. Louis at Calvary Cemetery, section 21, lot 142, with his second wife, Ida Campbell McCreary, and their daughter Thelma.

Written by Marian Brune McCreary
December 2017

© 2018, St. Louis Genealogical Society