KRAY, George B.

KRAY, GOENER, SCHAA

Posted By: Amy Robbins-Tjaden (email)
Date: 11/20/2006 at 13:29:38

A Biographical Record of Hamilton County, Iowa (New York: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1902)

George B. Kray is connected with banking interests at Kamrar, where he made his home from 1882 until 1889 and later from 1899 until the present time, in the meantime continuing his residence in Hamilton county with the exception of one year spent in Minnesota. He was born in Pogum, Ostfriesland in the province of Hanover, Germany, in 1850, his parents being B. G. and Lena (Goener) Kray, the former a farmer by occupation and both now deceased. Their children were Janna B., also deceased; George B., of this review; Johan B., deceased; Hilko B., a resident farmer of Liberty township, this county; Wemke B., the wife of Harm Schaa, a farmer living near Kamrar; and Friedrich B., deceased.

In the common schools of his native country George B. Kray pursued his education and at the age of fourteen left school and entered upon his business career, becoming an employee in a hardware store. From 1865 until 1869 he was with one man, during which time he learned the hardware trade, and then worked for other parties until 1873. From 1874 until 1878 he acted as bookkeeper, cashier, manager and correspondent in a whilesale and retail establishment in Emden, dealing in paints, oils, glass, etc., and from that time until 1881 was with the firm of Emder Heringsfischerei Actien Gesettschaft, a stock concern in Emden, their business being herring fishing, owning and operating twelve vessels, each carrying fifteen men. During the year 1881 and up to April, 1882, he was again identified with the hardware business in his native land.

Determined to seek a home in the new world, Mr Kray crossed the Atlantic to the United States in April, 1882, and secured a clerkship in a general mercantile establishment in Kamrar, Iowa, where he was employed until 1889. Subsequently he engaged in buying grain for William Diver at that place for about eight months and afterward was employed as clerk in two different stores. He then went to Webster City, where he engaged in the loan and insurance business for eight months, after which he spent on e year as bookkeeper in the employ of the Howard & Alexander Grain and Live-Stock Company at Webster City. When another year had passed he entered the service of the Crooked Creek Railway Company of Webster City, with which he was connected for twelve months. Later he turned his attention to bookkeeping for the firm of Howard & Company, grain merchants, with whom he was identified for several years, and was afterward with the Closz & Howard Manufacturing Company of Webster City for three years.

On the expiration of that period Mr Kray returned to Kamrar and founded the Farmers and Merchants Bank on the 6th of September, 1899. This is a private banking institution, capitalizing for five thousand dollars, and from the beginning Mr Kray has served as its cashier, the other officers being George S. Neel, president, and F. M. Bibles, vice-president. Mr Kray erected the bank building, which is a brick structure, substantial and well-fitted up for the business for which it is intended. In this undertaking our subject has prospered and to-day in connection with his bank stock he owns forty acres of good farming land in Liberty township.

Mr Kray was reared in the faith of the Reformed church and socially he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he is a stanch Republican and has served as a member of the city council while at the present time he is acting as town treasurer. Mr Kray has never had occasion to regret his determination to seek a home in the new world, for here he has prospered and as the years have gone by he has made the most of his opportunities, steadily advancing on the path to success. The regard of his fellow townsmen is freely extended to him, for all recognize him as a man of sterling worth, honest in business and progressive in citizenship.