John Carey Boardman Bray (1943)

BRAY, CHAMBERLAIN, DUNCAN, MCKERN

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson
Date: 9/11/2012 at 18:14:16

Newspaper Unknown, Union County, Iowa
February 1943

JOHN CAREY BRAY

The reaper has come again and one of our lifetime friends has been called home to his reward after living four score and four years, one month and 20 days.

John Carey Bray was born in Madison County, IA, Jan. 3, 1859, Southeast of Macksburg, where his parents settled, coming there in a covered wagon from Indianopolis, Ind. The site was known as the Jim Doty farm. He was the sixth child of John H. Bray and Asenath M. [Duncan] Bray. His Mother was a Quaker and formerly lived in North Carolina.

He was united in marriage to Emma Chamberlain of Afton, Iowa, on June 28, 1900. Two children were welcomed to this home, Mrs. Ruth Bray McKern, now of Marysville, California, and John F. Bray, of Creston, IA. The wife preceded him in death, July 9, 1908. He leaves besides his children, four grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. Charles Meharry, of Afton, IA.

Carey Bray [as we knew him] lived in one of the greatest ages the world has known. His parents were early pioneers who settled among the Indians, with two other families, Barkers and Cravens, coming from the same place and settling near each other before there was a town of Macksburg and only a few log houses in Winterset and no railroads.

After his parents completed the log house, they started a store in the home. The journey for the store goods were made with teams from Chariton, IA, and the early settlers came here to trade.

They told of many stories, of odd looking places in the tops of trees. Some of the children were brave enough to climb up there and found the graves of Indian babies. The Indians traded with the residents, and there were many interesting stories about them.

When Carey was a small boy, the family moved to the home in Union County, Dodge Township. Soon came his Father's death and he, with his Mother and two sisters maintained the home. One could never enter this home without knowing it to be a christian home, with the kindest hospitality. The mother, Grandmother Bray as we all call her was of Quaker people from North Carolina, and the Bible was read daily. Fruit was saved for the sick neighbor. Many a night she sat by the bedside of a sick neighbor and this way of life, was followed by her childen. They were members of the Baptist Church.

The building up of the churches of this community was done by these kinds of pioneer families.

It was in this home, Carey brought his wife and when she was taken, he battled on taking the place of Mother and Father for the two children, with the help of his loyal sister, Mrs. Charles Meherry, he kept the home together. During these years, he was very active, raising fine horses that won many sweepstakes and prizes, a good herd of Herford cattle, and also some excellent Milk cows.

In 1918, he moved near Creston, where he engaged in farming, and the childen could attend high school, later he moved to Creston.

Carey Bray lived not for himself but for others. Born of Christian parents, he talked the love of the Heavenly Father among his friends. When his health failed, visitors were told of how he was ready to go. Near his bed was his Bible, his constant companion.

His life journey has ended, and he is gone to his reward.

Memorial services were held at the Baptist church, in Creston, conducted by Rev. H. E. Cole. He used the 23rd Psalm, and it was beautifully given. Songs were: What a Friend we Have in Jesus, and Sweet By and By, his favorite songs.

Pall bearers were Chas. Burnett, John Taha, C. C. Thompson, Art Elliott, Bert Tyler and Ira Walker.

Burial was by the side of his wife in Greenlawn Cemetery, Afton, Iowa.
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Hand written obituary from a scrapbook owned by Pauline Parrott. Dated February, 1943.
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Found on the Union County, Iowa GenWeb website on the Obituary Page.

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Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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