An outstanding man, prominent in the affairs of the early days in Sterling, was Calvin Cheairs. By one who knew him intimately he has been characterized as "A most extraordinary man, both in reality and in appearance; a man of wealth, a typical, southern gentleman, loved and respected by everyone. He would have been noted among any group of strong men, a man who stood for whatever was upright and reputable in citizenship, and as kind a friend as one ever knew, without making any pretensions along that line."He was the paternal ancestor of the Cheairs family, who with others have built their lives into the community, which has Sterling for its center. Mr. Cheairs was a native of North Carolina, but later moved to Marshall County, Mississippi, where he owned and operated a large plantation. When the Civil War broke out he owned seventy slaves. In 1877 his son, J. J. Cheairs, came to Colorado in search of health, and was so favorably impressed that he determined to make it his home. Returning to the South for his family, he was accompanied also by his father and mother, with their belongings in wagons to the settlement in June, 1878, where they built homes and engaged in farming and stockraising. In 1881 the father moved with his family to the present site of Sterling. With the first car load of lumber shipped into the town on the new railroad, two houses exactly alike were built, one on the site of the present residence of Grady Cheairs and his widowed mother, the other on the site of the residence of A. A. Smith. The former was occupied by Calvin Cheairs, the latter by Mrs. F. g. Ayres, sister of Mrs. Cheairs. The stately old trees in these yards were planted by Mr. Cheairs, and Mrs. Ayres, also those in the yard of F. H. Blair"s residence, that being a part of Mrs. Ayres" homestead. This homestead was bounded on the north by what is now Beattie Street. It was here that Mr. Cheairs introduced the alfalfa plant into this locality by planting a two and one half acre tract near his home. Mr. Cheairs, senior, was twice married. The first wife was Anne E. Hamer, the second Mrs. Sarah A. (Davis) Jarett, widow of John A. Jarett. Her daughter by a former marriage, Sarah A. Jones, became the wife of J. J. Cheairs. Three other sons remained in Mississippi. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cheairs, like many others among the pioneers of Sterling, lived long past the allotted three score and ten years. At the time of his death he was eighty-one, and Mrs. Cheairs died in 1918 at the age of eighty-five. J. J. Cheairs was one of Sterling"s most useful and worthy citizens, and a successful business man. He at first homesteaded a tract three miles north of the present town. For ten years the family lived on the original homestead. Then while retaining his interests in land and cattle he erected a beautiful home on his land south of town, around which grew the grove of trees in the present Columbine Park. There he lived till his death in 1907. At the time of his death he was president of the Logan County Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Cheairs were the parents of an interesting family, all who have been true to Logan County. They are Minnie L., and Ralph Grady, who reside with their mother in her residence on the site of the first Cheairs home; Joseph C., and Samuel V., both of whom died in early manhood; Oscar, who married Miss Josephine Riedy and resides in Iliff; Calvin W., who married Mary E. messier; Marcia, who married Raymond L. Sauter; and Maggie, wife of John Lutin. All were educated in the Sterling schools and some of them attended institutions of higher learning. At the time of the death of Samuel V. Cheairs in 1918, some unknown friend of the family paid him the following touching and well deserved tribute in the local paper. "Samuel C. Cheairs, prominent citizen and business man, passed away at the home of his mother, Sunday, November 10th. He was a man who will be greatly missed, as his whole life has been spent in Logan County. His death came as a great shock to his many friends. "He was genial, affable, courteous, gentle, kind, and loving, with a pleasant word and a kindly smile for all. The beautiful sentiment in the lines of Abou Ben Adhem, "One who loves his fellowmen," was never more truly exemplified than in the life of Sam Cheairs. Of him it would be truly said: "Howe'er so cramped the field wherein he works, He has not failed, the man who never shirks; the man who toils for years without a break, and treads the path of pain for others' sake." (A brief history of Logan County, Colorado: with reminiscenses by pioneers, Denver, Colo.: Printed by Welch-Haffner Print Co., 1928.) |
April 6, 1907