Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1924-10-09
N unber Is
MRS. McyEIGH RETIREs
FROM HOTEL MANAGEMENT

/ Dy MISS Efle Gregg, who some years
ago when employed in town was a
frequent guest at the Kennebee ho-
tel, and who is a close friend OF Mrs.
McVeigh, the retiring landlady, and
the subject of the sketch:
Mrs. Agnes Mcveigh, as proprie-
tress of Hotel Kennebec, served her
last meal, breakfast, to Kennebec
guests Wednesday morning, Oct. /,
then delivered to the new manage
ment, s. e. Farrell and daughter.
Mrs. Lucille Pharis, the keys which
for thirty-two years have opened
and closed the doors of Kennebec
only on authority of herself and her
late husband, George W. McVeigh.
Mrs. Mcyeigh is seyenty-five years
of age and when she left the hotel
Wednesday morning it marked the
close of forty-one years spent in pub
lie life, thirty-two of which have
been spent as proprietress of this
long established hotel When Nor
o0A Nooity Oullt luG OIpnduS= I1OUl6
and those two sanity souls, the late
Rev. and Mrs. Henry Barker began
their duties there as its superintend-
ent and matron, Mrs Agnes Cheadie
French went to the work with them
first in the capacity of seamstress.
Her education and ability soon call
ed her from the sewing room to
teaching there and finally she be-
came assistant matron So she sew
ed, she taught In both the kinder
garten and in the day school, she
taught music, and after nine years
left her position at the Home to be-
come the wife of George W. Nc
Weigh, one of the well known and
highly respected citizens of Windsor
township. After residence of some
months in their country home they
came to McConnelsville to the man
agement of that old house of history
known in the early years of the city
as the Adams House." but which
had then been recently remodeled
and rechristened Hotel Kennebec.
Together Mr.. and Mrs. Mcveigh
worked and no matter what were
their own personal worries, prob
lens or burdens there is not one who
can say that either ever failed in
courtesy or care for the guests in
the house. Their two small sons
Muse and Clancy were watched and
cared for and Notwithstanding the
work that pressed upon the parents,
the boys school-work was followed
with interest and care They were
not left to grow up losely in the ho-
tel office as are many children of
hotel environment, but on the con-
trary were ''loved" or disciplined"
as the case called for, hotel or no ho-
tel, for this was imperative, this was
their greatest responsibility. Six
teen years ago Mr. McVeigh's long
struggle against failing health end
ed in his death and Mrs. McVeigh
was left with the entire manage
ment of the hotel with the responsi-
bility of her two young sons and
staggering financial obligation, this
latter by reason of her husbands
months of illness. This little frail
woman, herself a bundle of nerves
yet possessed seemingly of an mex
haustible amount of determination
and pluck, took up the problems that
now confronted her one by one and
worked them to successful solu-
ton. She met her every financial
obligation. She educated her sons.
saw them established in good posi-
tions, only to receive another heart.
blow in the loss of the eldest, Muse,
who died among the many victims Of
the flu epidemic six years ago dur
ing the war. During these years she
also faithfully cared for her aged
Nancy Cheadle, sharing
with sister many responsibilities
for her mothers comfort. This re-
counting these duties of her home
life is to show how she strived to
keep the motherhood on her family
as do other wives and mothers In
private homes. At the same time
she was at the beck and call of hotel
guests, of the help in rooms or
and the subject of thou
sand and one outside demands. Din
lers and banQuets and specials of
every kind were given in the hotel
and her personal supervision OF
.hese functions to their tasteful
success was to her credit. Mrs Nc
Weigh was ever the kindly gracious
.ostess and always gave more in SER
yice than her bargain specified. Her
guests always left feeling that Mrs.
dcVeigh had done more than he
,art by them. This is not all. She
'ome way found time to keep in
ouch with outside matters. She
vas an active w. r. c member. In
il her husbands illness she was
state Warden in the Ohio Rebekah
Assembly. She is an Eastern Star
and is at present Vice Re-
,ent Of the Amanda Barker Deyin
,hapter of the ID. A. r. To do this
ne has not neglected church work
.,.+ Nns l.nnx, ea;Fx a., sU3xn4