Judson Reynolds Crary

CRARY

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 13:02:43

Judson Reynolds Crary as a man whom to know was to respect and honor. Life was ever to him purposeful. Each day brought its opportunites that were well improved and, while his opportunities were not exceptional, he, through his own efforts, reached a position of broad intelligence as well as of business enterprise, resulitng in a well rounded success. As the years went on he became more and more stongly endeared to the people of Boone and the surrounding country and since he has passsed away his memory is cherished and revered by all who knew him and remains to him as a blessed benediction.
Mr Crary was born on August 27, 1837, at Pierripont, St Lawrence county, New York, and lived there until ninetten years of age. After teaching one term in a country school in Potsdam township, St Lawrence county, he, with not over ten dollars in his pocket and a letter of recommendation from a judge, for whom he had written while working his way through the academy, arrived in Chicago and from 1856 to 1867 was emplyed as an accountant except for a number of months, when he served with the Chicago Board of Trade Battery at Cairo, Illinois. This battery was the first volunteer regiment to leave Chicago. He was honorably dischrged from the same, for fever had rendered further service fatal. In 1865 he as joined by his brother M S Crary, who remained with him for two years.. On the expiration of that period they came to Boone, arriving in 1867, they embarked in the general hardward and implement business and their trade constantly grew and developed until it became one of the largest of the kind in the state. The brothers continued together under the firm style of Crary Borthers until December 16, 1909, when they disposed of their interests. There were still many features of their business to close up, however, and they were yet engaged in that work when J R Crary became ill and illness from which he never recoverd.
On October 27, 1867, Mr Crary was married in Livonia, New York, to Miss Jessie West and brought his bride to their new home in Boone. They had one of the finest homes in the community, and it was ever the abode of a warm hearted and generous hospitality. Mr and Mrs Crary became the parents of three children: Bessie, Dr A W and Mrs Ruth Stevenson, who has a little son, Dean Stevenson.
Mr Crary was a memver of the Universalist church and his life was ever upright and honrable in all its relations. He constantly endeavored to do what he believed to be right, and his integrity and honor were never callled into question. After attending the district schools in his early youth and select schols for a brief period he was graduated from the St Lawrence Academy at Potsdam, which completed his school training, yet, throughout his life he remained a student, not only of books but the signs of the times. He became a well educated, scholarly man. He possessed a notably retentive memory, read broadly and thought deeply. His reading covered a wide range, and he became the possessor of a very extensive and well selected library. He was especially fond of poetry and improved many a moment by picking up a volume and reading one of his favorite poems. It was an easy matter of him to express himself in light verse and sometimes he gave himself to the task of writing poetry of a more serious or classical nature. He enjoyed the study of genealogy, and he also spent many a pleasant hour in the cultivation of roses and in the pursuit of photography. Whatever he undertook was done with thoroughness. He enjoyed art, drama and music and read so broadly and studied so thoroughly along these line that he was well qualified in advanced criticism. He love nature in every phase, espcially trees and flowers, and took greast interest in working among them He enjoyed travel and brought to new scenes the interest and enthusiasm of youth. His interest centered in his famiy and those who came to know him saw that beneath the calm, slightly stern exterior there was an unceasing fund of geniality. He was in sympathy with the young in their pleasures, and he had an unusually wide range of information concerning games and athletic sports. He was equally well versed upon the current topics of the day, and he could converse as readily with young people as with old, holding at all times their interest and attention. In the family circle, reaching out to brothes, sisters, nephews and neices, he was always a favorite. They came to him for advice and assistance, which at all times were freely given. He held friendship invioable. There were in him those qualities which drew him strongly to those with whom he came in contact and his associates constantly found unexplored depths in his nature, resulting from a comprehensive and of information and a broad, keen sympathy with life in all of its higher purposes, activities and attitudes, which rendered association with him a constant pleasure and intellectual and more uplift.

1914 Boone County History Book