Clara Belle SINGMASTER

A.I.
1856 - 1951

Clara
1857 - 1941


Fort Scott Tribune, Oct. 27, 1938
MARRIED FIFTY-NINE YEARS
Fifty-nine years ago tomorrow in the little town of Washington, Ia., the voice of the town squire uttered the solemn words of a marriage ceremony that united Miss Clara Brown and AI Singmaster in the holy bonds of matrimony. Today these two individuals, pledged in Washington, Ia., reside at 1449 South Ransom street in this city. They have braved the storms and shared the sunshine that eventually come in such a life. Mr. and Mrs. Singmaster are 81 and 82 years old respectively, and the tale of the interesting years between Washington and Fort Scott is indeed an interesting one, with too many experiences to recall them all in this short space.
…For a number of years after their marriage they lived in Iowa where their two daughters, Ambra, Mrs. George Ater of near Garland, and Olive, Mrs. Whitford, now deceased, were born. About the year 1884, the "call of the west" got hold of these young people and they started for Kansas, where Mrs. Singmaster's sister, Mrs. Dave Troup, and her husband already resided in Washington County, Kansas. With the two little daughters they made the trip overland in a covered wagon, driving a 4-horse team. Mr. Singmaster was and still is a lover of fine horses. He comes by it honestly, no doubt, as a cousin of his in Iowa owns a show place where he breeds fine horses, having imported several fine animals from Europe, and his horses have taken premiums all over the states, and been shown in foreign exhibits. So it was not to be wondered at that young AI Singmaster in heading for the West in 1884 was driving at least one team of extra fine greys, valued at that time at $400. One incident of that trip therefore remains very vividly in the memory of the Singmasters. Horse thieves were very prevalent in those days and as they were traveling in Missouri near the Nebraska line, they met two very suspicious acting characters, who wanted to buy the team. Informed that they were positively not for sale, the pair waxed eloquent in their praises of the horses, saying that in Nebraska Mr. Singmaster could certainly get a big price for them. That evening after camp was made, the men again appeared in the vicinity and Mr. Singmaster became so suspicious of their actions that he sat guard all night with a shotgun over his knees. As the girls were very small, their parents tried to keep them in ignorance of their fears, but Mrs. Ater can clearly remember how she peeped out and saw her father in the moonlight with his gun and how frightened she was. The next day they traveled with all haste to reach the town of Steel City, Neb., where they spent the night in a livery yard with their horses safely stabled.
…They did not travel on Sunday, but gave their horses a rest. At one time they met a couple of men traveling in a like manner as themselves, and journeyed along together for several days. When Sunday came the two men informed the Singmasters that they would not stop for Sunday; so they traveled on, only to have the Singmaster's pass them a few days later on the trail, their horses weary from unbroken toil.
…From Steel City they drove down into Washington County, Kansas, where Mrs. Singmaster's sister was located. It was the fall of the year and the trip had taken 18 days. They traded their best team for an 80-acre farm and prepared to settle down, but in the spring Mrs. Singmaster was taken seriously ill and was so sick that they felt obligated to sell out and return to Iowa, thinking that possibly the new climate might be the cause of her illness. This they did.
..They resided in Iowa for the next 16 years, during which time their three sons were born. They are Roy, of route 5, Ralph of route 1 and William, of near Prescott.
…During their first stay in Kansas they had met the Draper family, as neighbors of the Troup family. The Drapers later moved to Bourbon county near Redfield, where they still reside, and through their acquaintance and land agents, W. C. Gunn and Higgins, Mr. and Mrs. Singmaster again were brought to Kansas with their family in 1900, purchasing the old Gus Heck place, on the corner of which the Clarksburg school still stands today. Here they lied until a few years ago when they left the farm and purchased their present home in Peck's Villa. The Roy Singmasters are now on the old home place.
…Mr. and Mrs. Singmaster and their family always took a very active part in everything for the betterment of the community. Mr. Singmaster was for years superintendent of the Sunday school held in the Clarksburg schoolhouse and they were active workers in the M. E. church at Garland. Mrs. Singmaster is a charter member of the Clarksburg Club and a member of the South Side W.C.T.U. in Fort Scott. Both have always been of a neighborly and accommodating disposition, assisting in sickness of trouble whenever such came to their attention.
…Today Mrs. Singmaster is doing all her own housework, besides knitting many yards of beautiful lace and piecing quilt tops, which she uses for graduations predsents for her grandchildren, who treasure them greatly because Grandmother made them with her own hands. Mr. Singmaster keeps and milks several cows and delivers the milk to the condensery, driving his own car in doing so.
…According t the noted writer, Elsie Singmaster, a relative, the name "Singmaster" is of Pennsylvania German origin, having originally been spelled "Singmiester". Mr. Singmaster's father was a Pennsylvania German and his mother was English. Mrs. Singmaster comes from Scotch Irish stock.
…So with the fine qualities of industry, thrift and religious devotion inherited from these ancestors, Mr. and Mrs. Singmaster have had an influence wherever they have resided that was for good.
…Their four living children all reside within a few miles of Fort Scott and these grandparents find a great source of interest and pleasure in their grandchildren, of whom there are 26 in number.
…Friday, October 28, will be celebrated in a quiet manner at their home. They will be delighted to see their friends if they wish to call between 2 and 4 o'clock.
…An original song written by a daughter-in-law and dedicated to them, follows:
Once you told me that you loved me,
…and I wondered if ‘twas true.
If ‘twould last throughout life's journey:
Thru' the joys and sorrows too.
Would you feel that love grow
…stronger, as we travel up the way;
And when hair was growing silv'ry,
…would you love me still and say?
(Chorus)
Sweeter, sweeter has my love grown,
…and I know ‘twill sweeter be;
When we reach life's golden sunset,
…wondrous live ‘twixt you and me.
Years have passed and joy an sorrow,
…both have brought their smiles and tears,
And your love has been so true,
…dear, banished are my doubts and fears.
Hand in hand we've trod life's pathway
…knowing not what time might bring,
But that love has never failed and
…together we can sing:
(Chorus)
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Fort Scott Tribune 1939
The sixtieth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. A. I. Singmaster was celebrated Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Singmaster near Prescott. A delicious dinner was served at noon. A large cake inscribed "Grandpa and Grandma – 1879-1939" was used as a centerpiece for the table. Those who helped celebrate the occasion were Mr. and Mrs. George Ater and Olive, Ralph Singmaster and son, Junior; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Singmaster and children, Isabel, Herbert, Gene, Brown, Dot, Don and Jane; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoggatt and Mr. and Mrs. William Singmaster and children, Irene, Wilma, Kenneth and Leon.
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Newspaper clippings located by Peggy Wrestler (Mrs. Leon) Singmaster

Photo Courtesy of
Evelyn Jones Christensen

Contributed on 1/31/14

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Record #: 25316

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