My Main Family Page
My Father's Mother was Winifred (Main) Carhart. She was a
very special person dealt with the affects of Multiple Sclerosis starting in her
mid-30s (she lived to the age of 76). Winifred was the youngest child of
Winifred (McElroy) and David Main.
Winifred
Louise Main attended the Wayne Public Schools and was graduated from Lincoln,
Nebraska, High School in 1920. She attended Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa for
two years and was graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1924.
Her father, David Charles Main, died young (at the age of 51),
and he mother was the matriarch of the family.
From the Cook-White-Main Genealogy:
David
Charles Main was born on the first farm which his parents took when they came to
the States; it was 1 1/2 miles southeast of Magnolia, next to the Patrick Morrow
estate in Raglan Township, Harrison County, Iowa.
It was here that Benjamin and Mary Klopfer Cook came in 1856 to be with their
daughter, Ellen. David never saw his grandparents, as his grandmother died five
days before he was born, and his grandfather two months earlier. The lad was
only three years old when his father departed with the 29th Iowa Infantry in the
Civil War. For reasons of health the family moved to Magnolia in 1864, and
continued to reside there from then on. David grew up and received his early
schooling here. Fortunately the Magnolia public schools were excellent, being
ahead of their time. David was admitted to the High School when it was first
started. After completing the course, he taught for a few years in the District
Schools. He then entered Cornell College, Iowa, and graduated in 1884.
For the next two years David Main was Superintendent of Public Schools at
Shelby, Iowa. He then went to Wayne, Nebraska, where he opened up a Real Estate
office. Shortly after, he was made cashier of the Citizens' National Bank at
Wayne, with which bank he was connected the remainder of his life.
David was an able business man and succeeded well financially. Because of his
dependability and sound judgment his mother relied on him strongly, and his
untimely death was a great blow to her.
While at Cornell College, David Main met Winifred Price McElroy of Vinton,
Iowa. They were married at Vinton, May 23, 1888. To them were born 3 children.
David Main was a member of the Methodist Church, and for many years served as
Sunday School Superintendent. He was elected to the Board of Trustees of Cornell
College, to which institution he contributed liberally.
No matter with what difficulties and embarrassments people came to him, he
generally succeeded in helping them. Many were indebted to him for his friendly
counsel and advice, and his gifts to the poor were many and bountiful. His
reputation for business integrity and straightforwardness was ever unquestioned.
David Charles Main died April 5, 1910, and was buried at Wayne. His wife
lived for many years afterward. She and her two daughters attended the writer's
graduation from Yale in 1922, which followed by a day or two her own daughter
Helen's graduation from Smith College. Later she journeyed to China with the
writer's parents for a visit of the country, when they were returning from a
furlough in America. Mrs. Winifred Main died at the age of 85.
