The Cline Home in Morehouse, MO - 1890-1926 - Part 3 of 3

March 5, 1926, was a day of panic, of fear, and of despair for my father's family.  The news clipping tells of the loss of both their home and its contents.  Several people tried to enter the house and save the contents but the only things they saved were two chairs.  The heat and smoke from the fire were just too great to return for more.  

Fortunately, the older children had married and moved to their own homes.  It is for this reason that we have over three dozen or so photographs taken of the home and some of the people gathered there before the fire.  My Aunt Eula Cline Goolsby inherited a ruby ring, other jewelry and special items that she took with her when she married.  My Aunt Grace Cline Dye inherited a large jewelry collection of fine jewelry that was also taken from the house before it burned, letters and a few things of historical value, but everyone expected to take more items in the future.  None of the family expected to lose the house in such a tragic manner.  The second son, Ed Cline, also had items from the home.

Pictured to the right, is a photo of one of the two parlor chairs that were saved. They were high fashion in 1890 when the

One of two parlor chairs
saved from Cline Home 

house was finished and furniture was selected for the home.  My Dad once told me he thought the furniture came down the Mississippi River from either St. Louis, or from Louisville, down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, and to New Madrid.  There, it would have been transferred to a train and shipped to Morehouse.  This is one of the few tangible items we have from dad's childhood home.  My cousin Sam Goolsby said he didn't think his mother ever got over the loss of her childhood home.  The entire family that once lived and enjoyed their lives within the Cline Home that once stood in Morehouse are now dead.  Other than a few photographs, the two chairs, and my father's memories recorded by me, the history of this home is gone.  When my generation is gone the only knowledge of the home is what people might read about it.  I am glad I was able to walk on the ground where it once stood and listen to my father's memories.  Today, the house gone, but not forgotten.