The daily Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1916-1917, 1916-09-05

For thirty-three years regent o
: the University of the State Of New
York, for nine years its vice-chan
cellor and for two years its chancel
, lor is the honored record Of St. Clail
McKelway, who was born in COlumbii
on March Is, 1S45 and who died IL
New York on July 16, 1915. AS 6
tribute to his memory, the Board ot
Regents of the University Of the State
of New York published a memorial
which contains the commemorative
lexercises at the University :onvocat;on
of 1915.
At the Convocation held at Albany
n. Y, on october 21, 1915, Edgar M
Cullen, former chief judge of the
Court of Appeals of the Empire State,
spoke on "St. Clair McKelway, The
Citizen" Oswald Garrison Willard of
the New York Evening Post on "St.
Clair McKelway, The Journalist" and
Chester S. Lord, regent Of the Uni
NeTSlty, Ou ot CidiT AuChCi"oy, AhS
Educator"
Mr.. McKelway was the grandson and
namesake Of one of Boone County's
leading lawyers, Captain Sinclair
Kirtley, an officer in the Black Hawk
War and state senator from this dis
trict. Baptismal records give the
boys name Sinclair, though he seems
later to have adopted the form ST.
Clair.
Mr.. McKelway's twin brother, who
lived only a few days, was buried in
the old Columbia Cemetery. The
family moved to New Jersey in 1858,
where st. Clair McKelway received
his education for the most part under
private tutelage and fro m1is grand
father, with whom he lived at Tren-
ton, n. j., while his father was sur
geon in the Union army.
With the exception of short period
at the State Normal School at Tren-
ton, he never attended scho''l or col
lege He read law in the Office of a
Trenton firm and Late N u N,w York
firm and was admitted to the n. Y. bar in
1866. Instead of practicing law, he
Immediately joined the New York
World staff, and in 1868 was sent to
Washington as correspondent for the
World and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
From 1870 to 1878 he was editorial
writer for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
A few years later, he became editor
of the Albany Argus. McKelway was
a strong supporter and personal friend
of Grover Cleveland and is generally
credited with having had much to do
with Cleveland's election both as gov
ernor of New York and as president
of the United States.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle called
him in 1884 to become editor-in-chief,
which he held until his death.
Although an alumnus of no college.
he was honored by adoption by many
In 1904, Mr. McKelway
returned to Columbia to receive an
LII. d. degree from the University OF
his native state. He was here two or
three days, but postponed going to
see the cid house in which he was
born until the last day of his stay,
owing to pressure of commencement
engagements. He finally had time
merely to drive past on his way to the
train.
When he reached the place, he found
that the house had been moved. The
driver knew nothing of its wherea-
uouts an! Mr.. McKelway had no time
for further inquiries. All he could |
see was a vacant lot and an cid stone |
doorstep.
Hurrying onto the train, McKelway |
found himself sitting near n. T. Cen
trv oe Columbia The Brooklyn edi-
t 'r poured forth his story Of the fail
ure to see the house he was born in. |