GRAY, Cyrus 1844-1928

GRAY, SARGENT

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/25/2015 at 21:20:40

Cyrus Gray, Pioneer Contractor, Builder, Dies Sunday Morning

Passes Away In His Sleep After Week's Illness And Infirmities Of Old Age

Came To Grundy Center Forty-Five Years Ago

Mr. Gray Erected Many of the Best Houses in This Town and County

Cyrus Gray, pioneer builder and contractor and a highly honored and respected citizen of the town during the forty-five years that he lived here, passed away in his sleep at an early hour Sunday morning. He was confined to the house almost continuously during the past ten months and to his bed for many weeks. Death was due largely to infirmities of old age. His health began to fail very noticeably shortly after he returned from a trip to his former home in Ohio ten months ago. He was 84 years old on the 20th day of last March.

Mr. Gray was born in Felicity, Ohio. His early days were spent on an Ohio farm. Later he went to Hamilton, Ohio, where he was for a time employed in the woodwork department of the Hydraulic Iron Works. It was here that he began to realize his love and adaptibility for creating things from wood which led to him later adopting contracting and carpentering as his life work. He became an artist at it. He loved his work so well that he couldn't and he wouldn't do any piece of work was given in his charge poorly. Many of the best constructed homes in Grundy Center and Grundy county remain as monuments to his skill and to his honest workmanship.

Mr. Gray and Miss Sarah Sargent were married at Felicity, Ohio, in May, 1873. Shortly after they removed to New Richmond, Ohio, where Mr. Gray was in the furniture and undertaking business. The heavy floods in that section in 1883 drove the family from their home and shortly after they came to Grundy Center where they made their home during Mr. and Mrs. Gray's lifetime.

Mr. Gray was a consistent church member from 1888 to the day of his death and for many years served as elder of his church. He was a member of the Grundy Center school board for a period of twelve years, from 1897 to 1909, where his mechanical skill and his wise counsel in administrative matters made his a real service to his community.

Mr. Gray respected and trusted others and they in turn trusted and respected him. He did to others what he would that they would do to him. His lifetime in this community furnished an outstanding example of the golden rule.

Mr. Gray is survived by one daughter, Maggie, and a brother, Lorin Gray, whose home is in Kansas City. He came from a family of four sisters and six brothers. The one brother is the only surviving member of this large family.

Funeral services conducted by Dr. H. C. Chambers, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Grundy Center, were held at the home at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Interment was made by the side of the wife in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Out of respect to one who had so long been identified with the best things in this community, business and professional places were closed during the time of the funeral services.

Out of the county relatives present at the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Sargent of Cedar Rapids.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 12 July 1928, pg 1