"Son of James R. and Mary Hypes McCloud." - Notes added by memorial creator.---Source: McCloud-Leasure, F. (1993). "Family McCloud-Bastian: A History". Pg 28-30. St. Louis, Missouri, FamHist 929.273 M132LFLewis Cass McCloud (aka L. C. McCloud) came to Cass County, Mo., with his parents in 1868; they came from Salem, Indiana; and, they probably came by wagon train. They were farmers. Clara Emma Bastian came to Cass County, Mo., with her parents in 1870; they came from Montoursville, Pennsylvania; and, they probably came by wagon train. They were farmers. However, either family could have come by railway. The Pacific Railroad of Missouri was extended from St. Louis to Sedalia in 1861 and constituted the beginning of the Missouri Pacific System. In 1850, the Hannibel & St Joseph Railroad began construction; but, it did not reach St Joseph until 1859 due to the reluctance of Eastern financiers to risk money in the wild and largely undeveloped country. However, the decades of 1850 - 1870 saw vast miles of railroad construction. Most of it was narrow gauge track. The change to a standard gauge track (4feet 8^ inches) was begun in the 1880's. Both families settled in farm areas between Pleasant Hill and Strasburg, north of the present Hwy 58 and south of the present Hwy 50. At some point in time Lewis Cass McCloud became a farm hand for George Washington Bastian. Clara Emma Bastian spent her early years in this Cass County area; she united with the Christian Church during a meeting at the Storms School House and remained true in her faith all her years. Lewis Cass spent his early years in the Cass County area; he united with the Christian Church and became a life long beliver. I do not know when or how Lewis Cass and Clara Emma met; but, they married. They lived on and operated farms in the Cass County area; they reared their children here ( buried one as a young child and one as a young lady ) until 1915 when they moved their family to a rented farm northwest of Kingsville, Mo., in Johnson County. This farm of 160 A was known as the Fryer Farm; it remained the McCloud family home and rented property until 1946. At that time Earl, the youngest son, purchased the farm from the Fryer Estate. The farm had been started as a small plantation; the line of slave quarters served for many years as shelters for farm machinery and for farm produce. They affiliated with the Christian Church in Kingsville. They sent their school age children to one-room school houses. The two youngest girls were eventually housed and boarded in Holden, Mo., to attend high school. By the mid 1920's Luther and Earl were managing the farm. Katie, Pruda (James' wife), and neighbor women came to help prepare the food for the area men as they did the threshing, haying, slaugh-tering, etc. Clara Emma slowly became inactive. By late 1920's she sat in her rocking chair by the west window in the family room or was in her bed in a small room just to the east of that family room. Meals were served in the kitchen when only family was present. But, when company, farm workers, or harvesters were present the meals were placed on a long table which filled this family room. Clara Emma's death in 1934 was attributed to dropsy. The Holy Bible mentions dropsy: The King James Version: Luke 14:2 "And, behold there was a certain man before Him which had dropsy." And, in Davis'Dictionary of the Bible, page 183: "Dropsy - a disease marked by an unusual accumulation of watery liquid in any cavity of the body or in the tissues." Clara Emma and Lewis Cass had eleven children. She was a faithful wife and companion, a kind and loving mother. The children [are listed below]. After Clara Emma's death, Lewis Cass traveled to visit with the children who had moved from the home area: Dovie in Arizona, Pearl in California, and Katie in Colorado. He traveled by bus or by train. While airplanes were available, I do not believe-that he ever traveled on them. Earl with Alva, his wife, and Luther ran the farm. When in Missouri he stayed at the farm until 1943 when he moved to Kansas City to the home of Nellie and Loyd Barker. Nellie was his youngest daughter. The "children" celebrated Lewis Cass' birthday every year. As many as could gathered at one of the homes in Kingsville or on the farm for a day of visiting, and eating. For the one in 1946 (his 84th) the nine living children were all there. This was the first time in sixteen years they had been together; as it turned out, it was also the last time. Lewis Cass was a kind, gentle, quiet man; he was rather small in stature. He loved his people from his eldest son to his youngest great grand child. On 20 March 1956, he fell and severly fractured his left arm and elbow. He was in excellent health until he suffered this fall. However, after several days in a hospital, he passed away on Saturday, 7 April, at the Barker home. He would have been 94 years old on Sunday, 15 April. He was one of the oldest residents of the Kingsville Community at that time. He was survived by four sons and four daughters. He served as a deacon and an elder in the Christian Church. A favorite passtime when the men-folk got together was the game of pitching horseshoes. The children of LEWIS CASS McCLOUD (1862-1956) and CLARA EMMA BASTIAN McCLOUD (1863-1934) : Luther Raymond McCloud 1885-1977 Dovie Ola McCloud Cornman 1887-1974 Myrtle Ivy McCloud 1889-1910 Frances Rose McCloud Black 1892-1947 Gracie Leota McCloud 1893-1895 Katie Belle McCloud Hedrick 1895-1990 James Bastian McCloud 1898-1984 Lee Bryan McCloud 1900 Earl Richard McCloud 1902 Pearl Lily McCloud Cash/Lucia 1904-1986 Nellie Margaret McCloud Barker 1908-1986