This post started out to be a short biography about one of the McGillivray ancestors...but, sorry, I can't seem to do just facts. So in accordance with our blog purpose, let's bring him more to LIFE (even if it becomes a full-fledged story)! The bio facts are highlighted in green!!
ESHCOL LEROY McGILLIVRAY
Born July 3, 1911 to Edward James McGillivray and Alice Pearl Mooney McGillivray, Eshcol was 11th of 14 children; 4 sisters and lots of brothers! In 1911 they lived in Staples, Minnesota, in a part of the country that was still quite remote.
(The picture below represents the remoteness of the area. The McGillivrays in this line, to the best of my knowledge, were not Catholic.)
Eshcol's father had worked at many jobs throughout his younger life including logging and surveying but had taken up farming after they started their family.
Eshcol lived a typical country boy's life: Bibbed overalls, frequently barefoot, running around outside, fishing, catching small critters and climbing trees. Once he was old enough to carry some weight, he probably did some of the same chores his older siblings had done such as: carrying wood to the house for cook and heating stoves, filling containers at nearest water source and carrying to the house, herd and milk cows, pick stones and weeds out of crop fields, pulling beans, picking wild berries, stack grain and help with haying.
Eshcol's family didn't have much money. All the children helped around the house and farm and even would work for others at very early ages. Eshcol's older sister Esther was working for others by the age of 12 and Eshcol at the age of 8. A story that Eshcol would tell is remembered like this: 'When I was 8 years old my Dad took me to a logging camp where I stayed and helped cook for the workers. One day his Mother, who had not seen him for a while, told Edward (Eshcol's father) that somebody better go up and get her boy and bring him home by Christmas. Eshcol said that when his dad came to the camp to pick him up, and he heard his mother had sent for him, he was very happy. In fact, even into adulthood, it was the best Christmas he ever had!!!"
In 1925, some of the McGillivray family thought they should move back to Illinois, to a city they had lived in previously for a short time. [Eshcol’s] Grandpa John McGillivray and his Uncle Edward Hugh McGillivray went to Zion, Illinois, along with two of Eshcol's older sisters, Lillian and Esther. They all found jobs, found milder weather, and rooms to rent. So in 1926, Eshcol's father followed and moved his family to Zion. Eshcol was 15 by now and took on odd jobs to help the family. He cut ice off of Lake Michigan in the winter for the Zion Ice House, probably worked at one of the Zion factories or miscellaneous carpentry work around town, and at a local vegetable farm.
In 1930, Eshcol's father was hurt on his job when a heavy beam swung around and hit him hard in the chest. Subsequent to the injury, he had a massive stroke which paralyzed him for quite some time and he could no longer work. I expect this was when a few McGillivray boys took jobs at the vegetable farm to help his parents with money and food for the family.
Eshcol, 19, and two of his brothers, Dan and (George) Melvin, were hired as laborers on the farm, mostly picking the crops. While working at the farm, they met and became friends with other workers, some of them being the Miller family.
Wiley James Miller was a share-cropper of that farm. Besides the tobacco that he grew, he also had a significant acreage in vegetables. Wiley usually had a few of his boys and his eldest daughter helping in the field and they were about the same ages as the McGillivray boys. Working in the field side-by-side, it seems as if Eshcol and Wiley's daughter Dorothy became smitten with each other.
In August of 1932, Eshcol Leroy McGillivray and Dorothy R. Mae Miller were married in Woodstock, Illinois!
I don't have any details but I know that after their marriage, Eshcol bought 4 lots of land to build a house for their family. The land was just down the road from the Miller farm.
Eshcol decided to build a small house for more immediate use with the plan to build the main house afterwards. By the time this small house was complete, Eshcol and Dorothy already had three children, Jewel May-1933, Leroy-1935, and Alvin Cecil-1938. Wilma Louise was born in 1937 but died the same day while Dorothy held her, nursing. They must have moved between summer 1938 and summer 1940 as Linda, Donna, and Eshcol (Joe) were all born in this smaller house. (I also lived in this house from ages 1 - 12. More on my memories later.)
The main house was planned and the basement was dug but the house was never completed. It is accepted that various unfortunate events, probably including the Great Depression and even the North American Heat Wave in 1936, contributed to lack of resources for the main house.
Eshcol learned to plaster and he became very good. Eshcol found some work plastering wealthy residential homes adding his own, sought after design finishes. He also worked and plastered many commercial buildings that are still standing today. I found it interesting when my mother told me that it was my Grandpa Eshcol that plastered the showers at the gym at the high school. Yep, the ones I had to use!
Eshcol changed jobs in the late 40's - early 50's when he found steady employment, albeit HOT and very DIRTY, shoveling coal at the United States Navy Naval Base Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois. Today, that trip from Zion to the Base is about 35 minutes (plus 10-15 minutes to the job inside the base). I cannot imagine the commute in Grandpa's time. Luckily the train ran from Zion to the base and he took it every day...for 10 years! Of course that meant that he still had to walk, in all weather, to the train station approximately 1-1/2 miles one way.
Eshcol was a preacher, spending most Sundays with his family at church. He also liked to drink, spending some years off the wagon.......and not preaching.
Eshcol loved milk and cheese; he loved to dance. He was very tender, brushing his young daughters' hair. My mother remembers on more than one occasion when she was sick, her dad would walk 3 miles to the store and back just to get her a banana, hoping to make her feel better or at least get a smile from her.
Eshcol also had a temper. He would very suddenly fly off the handle, ranting about something that no one could figure out, and just as suddenly, give up and walk away. These 'temper tantrums' became famous and were called 'Eck-fits' by everyone who knew him.
After Eshcol's wife Dorothy, passed away from uterine cancer in 1960, Eshcol married Kathryn Jean Luby and had a son, Jon Ramon McGillivray. Unfortunately after 10 years the marriage ended in divorce.
(The picture below represents the remoteness of the area. The McGillivrays in this line, to the best of my knowledge, were not Catholic.)
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| 1910 Staples MN Catholic Church Photo courtesy of Dave McGillivray |
Eshcol's father had worked at many jobs throughout his younger life including logging and surveying but had taken up farming after they started their family.
Eshcol lived a typical country boy's life: Bibbed overalls, frequently barefoot, running around outside, fishing, catching small critters and climbing trees. Once he was old enough to carry some weight, he probably did some of the same chores his older siblings had done such as: carrying wood to the house for cook and heating stoves, filling containers at nearest water source and carrying to the house, herd and milk cows, pick stones and weeds out of crop fields, pulling beans, picking wild berries, stack grain and help with haying.
Eshcol's family didn't have much money. All the children helped around the house and farm and even would work for others at very early ages. Eshcol's older sister Esther was working for others by the age of 12 and Eshcol at the age of 8. A story that Eshcol would tell is remembered like this: 'When I was 8 years old my Dad took me to a logging camp where I stayed and helped cook for the workers. One day his Mother, who had not seen him for a while, told Edward (Eshcol's father) that somebody better go up and get her boy and bring him home by Christmas. Eshcol said that when his dad came to the camp to pick him up, and he heard his mother had sent for him, he was very happy. In fact, even into adulthood, it was the best Christmas he ever had!!!"
In 1925, some of the McGillivray family thought they should move back to Illinois, to a city they had lived in previously for a short time. [Eshcol’s] Grandpa John McGillivray and his Uncle Edward Hugh McGillivray went to Zion, Illinois, along with two of Eshcol's older sisters, Lillian and Esther. They all found jobs, found milder weather, and rooms to rent. So in 1926, Eshcol's father followed and moved his family to Zion. Eshcol was 15 by now and took on odd jobs to help the family. He cut ice off of Lake Michigan in the winter for the Zion Ice House, probably worked at one of the Zion factories or miscellaneous carpentry work around town, and at a local vegetable farm.
In 1930, Eshcol's father was hurt on his job when a heavy beam swung around and hit him hard in the chest. Subsequent to the injury, he had a massive stroke which paralyzed him for quite some time and he could no longer work. I expect this was when a few McGillivray boys took jobs at the vegetable farm to help his parents with money and food for the family.
Eshcol, 19, and two of his brothers, Dan and (George) Melvin, were hired as laborers on the farm, mostly picking the crops. While working at the farm, they met and became friends with other workers, some of them being the Miller family.
Wiley James Miller was a share-cropper of that farm. Besides the tobacco that he grew, he also had a significant acreage in vegetables. Wiley usually had a few of his boys and his eldest daughter helping in the field and they were about the same ages as the McGillivray boys. Working in the field side-by-side, it seems as if Eshcol and Wiley's daughter Dorothy became smitten with each other.
In August of 1932, Eshcol Leroy McGillivray and Dorothy R. Mae Miller were married in Woodstock, Illinois!
I don't have any details but I know that after their marriage, Eshcol bought 4 lots of land to build a house for their family. The land was just down the road from the Miller farm.
Eshcol decided to build a small house for more immediate use with the plan to build the main house afterwards. By the time this small house was complete, Eshcol and Dorothy already had three children, Jewel May-1933, Leroy-1935, and Alvin Cecil-1938. Wilma Louise was born in 1937 but died the same day while Dorothy held her, nursing. They must have moved between summer 1938 and summer 1940 as Linda, Donna, and Eshcol (Joe) were all born in this smaller house. (I also lived in this house from ages 1 - 12. More on my memories later.)
The main house was planned and the basement was dug but the house was never completed. It is accepted that various unfortunate events, probably including the Great Depression and even the North American Heat Wave in 1936, contributed to lack of resources for the main house.
Eshcol learned to plaster and he became very good. Eshcol found some work plastering wealthy residential homes adding his own, sought after design finishes. He also worked and plastered many commercial buildings that are still standing today. I found it interesting when my mother told me that it was my Grandpa Eshcol that plastered the showers at the gym at the high school. Yep, the ones I had to use!
Eshcol changed jobs in the late 40's - early 50's when he found steady employment, albeit HOT and very DIRTY, shoveling coal at the United States Navy Naval Base Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois. Today, that trip from Zion to the Base is about 35 minutes (plus 10-15 minutes to the job inside the base). I cannot imagine the commute in Grandpa's time. Luckily the train ran from Zion to the base and he took it every day...for 10 years! Of course that meant that he still had to walk, in all weather, to the train station approximately 1-1/2 miles one way.
Eshcol was a preacher, spending most Sundays with his family at church. He also liked to drink, spending some years off the wagon.......and not preaching.
Eshcol loved milk and cheese; he loved to dance. He was very tender, brushing his young daughters' hair. My mother remembers on more than one occasion when she was sick, her dad would walk 3 miles to the store and back just to get her a banana, hoping to make her feel better or at least get a smile from her.
Eshcol also had a temper. He would very suddenly fly off the handle, ranting about something that no one could figure out, and just as suddenly, give up and walk away. These 'temper tantrums' became famous and were called 'Eck-fits' by everyone who knew him.
After Eshcol's wife Dorothy, passed away from uterine cancer in 1960, Eshcol married Kathryn Jean Luby and had a son, Jon Ramon McGillivray. Unfortunately after 10 years the marriage ended in divorce.
Eshcol traveled a bit then, seeing family in Mississippi, Arizona, and California. Eshcol had an especially nice visit with his sister-in-law, Gertrude. His brother, Edward Hugh had died several years before and Eshcol and Gertrude Opal Ely McGillivray decided to marry. Their marriage took place in California in 1974. As life will sometimes play out, this marriage also did not last very long, due to Eshcol's death.
Eshcol had emphysema and heart conditions, and after several close calls, Eshcol finally succumbed to the illnesses in January 1978. Eshcol is buried next to Dorothy in Pine View Memorial Park in Beach Park, Illinois. Gertrude moved back to Minnesota to be with some of her children.
Click for Eshcol's "Find A Grave" memorial
