ROBERT P. MCGREGOR               GRAVESTONE PHOTO                      

Baxter Springs News, Saturday, Sept. 4, 1897

Obituary provided by Earleene Spaulding, recording historian at the Baxter Springs, Kansas Heritage Center.

IN MEMORIUM:

CAMP LOGAN, AUGUST 30, 1897

  To the stockholders and patrons of the inter-state reunion:

 It becomes our painful duty to announce to you the death of Captain Robert P. McGregor, a member of the board of directors and quartermaster of the association

On the evening of August 20 shortly after reaching his home, after a hard day’s work in preparing the encampment for the sixteenth annual reunion, now in progress he was suddenly stricken down with apoplexy. Medical aid was quickly summoned, but no physician’s skill could give relief or save the life of our friend, comrade and associate. He remained in an unconscious condition so far as known until 5 o’clock Sunday evening August 22nd when the -----------------the funeral was held from the residence Tuesday august-----conducted by Frank---Post 123 of Baxter Springs--------comrades of various---vicinity.

  Robert McGregor was born in Canada, July 4, 1838. He came to the United States when but ----years of age, locating in Indiana, which was his home until coming to Cherokee county in the Spring of 1877. His first services in the army was in Company D, Thirtieth, Indiana. He was orderly, sergeant, second and first lieutenant of the company. His second enlistment was in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana and was captain of the company. He was one of the prime movers in the first soldier’s reunion ever held at Baxter Springs. At that first reunion he was chosen quartermaster of the encampment, a position he continued to fill year after year until the time of his death. On the organizing of the Baxter Springs, reunion into what is now known and legally constituted as the inter-state reunion association, he was elected a member of the board of directors and was annually re-elected each year thereafter being a member of the board at the time of his death. To his individual efforts, is perhaps due more than any other member of the association, credit for the success, which has attended all the reunions that have been.

    In April 1877 he came to Cherokee counted and located on a farm five miles northwest of this city which he still owned a the time of his death. About four years later he purchased a small tract adjoining this city on the south, upon which he made his home thereafter.

  Although not a voter in the city he always took most active interest in the welfare of Baxter Springs and has been largely instrumental in pushing forward the various enterprises which have in recent years built up our city and given her the enviable reputation she now enjoys as a place of residence.

  Mr. McGregor was probably the most active and enthusiastic person who took part in the organization of the now famous inter-state reunion association, which has so pleasantly entertained the thousands of old veterans and their families and friends who have visited us annually during the past fifteen years. Old ”Bob” as his old comrades called him. Was ever on the alert with a fund of ideas and schemes to make their visits pleasurable and their stay here comfortable, and not one will gainsay that Bob McGregor has worked harder and did more for the old soldiers attending the annual reunions here that any other man connected with them. He labored day and night as quartermaster off times when he was too ill and should not have been allowed to do so. -------------

Hall of the M. E. church assisted by Rev. L. Scranton Leets of the Episcopal faith in which Mr. McGregor was reared and was confirmed in his earlier years. The service was beautiful and impressive and was listened to with more than ordinary interest by a large assemblage of soldiers, members of the various orders and sorrowing friends. At the close of the service at the house a large concourse of friends followed the remains to the national cemetery, where their ritual services of the G. A. R.  in which the dead soldier had so often officiated, was performed and the remains gently laid to rest close by the stately granite monument erected there thirteen years ago through his efforts to perpetuate the memory of the soldier boys who fell victim to the guns of cowardly assassins at this place October 6, 1863.

  The casket was draped with stars and stripes and carried floral designs of rare beauty. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in this county.