Judiah Ray (1823-1907)

RAY, BELCHER, HALLEY, KURTZ, FOOTE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/6/2017 at 22:39:05

From Nevada Representative July 3, 1907

OBITUARY

DEATH OF JUDIAH RAY.

Judiah Ray, one of the very earliest pioneers and oldest and best known citizens of the county, died Tuesday evening, July 2, 1907, at the home in this city of his son-in-law, Andrew Kurtz, aged 83 years, 9 months and 1 day.

Mr. Ray was born in Ohio October 1, 1823 enjoyed there such opportunities for education, as were characteristic of pioneer conditions was left to a great extent in charge of the family by the death of his father when he was only twelve years old and was from the time until he was grown up the main support of his mother. He worked under an uncle and drove an ox team in the construction of one of the Ohio canals, and when he reached the marriageable age he had above the sums he had turned over to his mother, the amount of one dollar, which he gave to the justice who performed the marriage ceremony, and which dollar the justice then gave to the bride as a token of good luck. With the capital indicated he married Clara Ann Belsher in March, 1845 and started out for himself and her. The original dollar, however, brought the good luck that had been hoped for, and in 1851 he came with his family to Iowa, having at that time savings to the amount of $700. They wintered at Pella, and in the spring of 1852 came to Story county, where he entered land at Iowa Center. From this time on things seemed to turn to his hands. He got ahead and added more land. He prospered generally, and in 1884 moved with his wife and youngest daughter to Nevada where his home has been ever since. He was a large owner of land, was so long as his health permitted a director in the First National Bank of Nevada, and had various interests, which all together made him one of the wealthy men of the county. Soon after his coming to Iowa his mother and brother followed and were assisted by him as occasion required. His own family consisted of twelve children, of whom four died in childhood and of whom seven survive. These are his sons Archibald and John of Maxwell, and Judiah W. and Jacob of Nevada; and his daughters, Sarah, wife of George Halley, and Clara, wife of Andrew Kurtz, both of Nevada. The other and youngest daughter was Etta, who married a Mr. Foote, and died in Nebraska, leaving one child. Mrs. Ray died here March 31, 1895, just as she and Mr. Ray rounded fifty years of their married life. Soon after this bereavement he showed signs of breaking, and his interest in the affairs of this world from that time steadily declined. His daughter, Mrs. Kurtz, and her husband made a home for him and have since been unfailing in their attentions. For the past six years he has been as a child and for some time nearly or quite blind. He was prostrated about six weeks ago, and his death from the general breaking down of age surprised only those who were not advised of his condition.

Mr. Ray was a man of probity, great industry and sound business judgment. He and his family endured all the privation of pioneer life and met successfully the hard conditions surrounding them. He enjoyed the regard of his neighbors and the respect of his business associates. His life was conscientious and diligent; and he was a type of the men who came to the raw prairie with little or nothing but their industry, and who built up the country and earned their share of the reward of building. He was long a member of the Evangelical church at Iowa Center; and after coming to Nevada he united with the Methodist church. His body will lie in state at the Kurtz home from two till four o'clock on Thursday; and there will be brief services there Friday at 11:00, conducted by Dr. Bunce. The funeral will be held at Iowa Center on Friday afternoon at 2:00 also by Dr. Bunce.