Robert Irvin Cratty 1853-1940

CRATTY, CANON, MILLER, WEBSTER, MURTAGH, MOORE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 9/28/2014 at 20:57:31

R.I. Cratty Buried
Was Superintendent of Local Schools in 1880; Died at Home in Algona
R.I. Cratty, superintendent of the Estherville schools from 1880 to 1884 died at his home in Algona recently. He was 87 years old at the time of his death. He had been in poor health for several years and his death was due to his advanced years.

Mr. Cratty was a man of distinction in botanical circles and a former president of the Iowa Academy of Science, while a member of the Ames college faculty.

Robert Irvin Cratty was born in Butler County, Penn., on Feb. 5, 1858, and came to Iowa in 1877. He located on a farm near Armstrong, living there for forty years and teaching in the neighboring towns.

In 1918 Mr. Cratty left the farm and accepted a position of curator of the department of botany at Iowa State College at Ames, which position he held until his resignation in 1932. While at Ames he was elected to the Osborn Research clinic and the Society of the Sigma XI. He was a fellow of the Iowa Academy of Science and president of the academy in 1935-26. He was also a member of the American Association of Science. Mr. Cratty contributed several writings to scientific magazines. In 1930 he was a delegate to the International Botanical Congress, which met in Cambridge, England. On leaving Ames he presented his fine herbarium of about 8000 sheets of specimens to the Botanical department of the college.

Mr. Cratty’s daughter, Miss Mabel Cratty, was a teacher in the grade schools of Estherville several years ago. She is now living in Minneapolis. Mr. Cratty is also survived by two other daughters, Mrs. C.B. Murtagh of [line missing] Evanston, Ill., and one son Ralph, of Coleraine, Minn.

The funeral was held from the Presbyterian church in Armstrong and burial was made in the Armstrong cemetery. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, March 12, 1940)

(Armstrong Journal)
R.I. Cratty, 87, an early resident of this community died at his home in Algona on Thursday, February 29. Mr. Cratty had been in failing health for several years due to the infirmities of old age.

R.I. Cratty was a man of distinction in botanical circles and a former president of the Iowa Academy of Science, while a member of the Ames college faculty.

Robert Irvin Cratty was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1853. At the age of ten he moved with his parents to Rochelle, Ill., where he grew to manhood and became a teacher in the public schools. In 1877 he came to Iowa, locating near Armstrong upon a farm where he spent the next forty years. During the earlier part of this time he taught in neighboring schools and from 1880 to 1884 was superintendent of the Estherville schools. Later he devoted his time to working on and improving his farm.

He was from early life a member of the Presbyterian church and while living in Armstrong was superintendent of the Sunday school for many years and elder for 25 years. For 20 years he held the office of school treasurer of the independent district and was township clerk for the same period of time.

Botany was his avocation throughout his life and in April, 1918, he left the farm at Armstrong and accepted the position of curator of the department of botany at Iowa State college at Ames, which position he held until his resignation in July, 1932. While there he was elected to the Osborn Research club and the Society of Sigma XI. He was a fellow of the Iowa Academy of Science and president in 1925-26. He was also a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He had made contributions by writing for scientific magazines and reports. In 1930 he was a delegate to the International Botanical Congress, which met in Cambridge, England. On leaving Ames he presented his fine herbarium of about 8,000 sheets of specimens to the Botanical department of the college.

In 1878 he was married in Algona, Iowa, to Lovena Estelle Canon, who died December 22, 1896. To them were born four children: Mabel, a teacher in the Minneapolis schools; Edna, now Mrs. C.B. Murtagh of Algona; Alta, now Mrs. C.W. Moore of Evanston, Ill.; and Ralph of Coleraine, Minn. There are 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In 1910 he was married in Minneapolis to Mary Miller Webster, who survives him. Mr. and Mrs. Cratty moved to Algona in May, 1937.

The funeral was held from the Presbyterian church at Armstrong on Sunday afternoon, and he was laid to rest in the Armstrong cemetery. All of his children were in attendance at the funeral. Rev. C.W. Pfeiffer of the Algona Presbyterian church officiated at the services. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, March 14, 1940)