Peeking Into Lake City's Past
Printed Sept. 1, 1982

McCrary clan made things happen

Once upon a time in old Scotland, there was a Clan called the McCrarys. They were a hearty group, endowed with traditional determination of the ancient Scots to make things happen. During the 17 hundreds, the McCrary clan, possessing a list for adventure, decided they should migrate to the New World. This they did, just in time to become involved in the American Revolution on the side of the colonists against England. They established their first American residence in the state of Carolina. We are told that certain members of the clan fought against the crown again in the war of 1812, some in the war with Mexico and finally the Civil War between the states.

The early McCrarys were ardent leaders in their church, being members of Scottish Rite Convenenters of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Because of religious convictions, they were radical abolitionists, causing them to be unpopular with their southern peers who owned slaves.

History records tell of three McCrary brothers named Matthew, Andrew and George, who moved from Carolina to Warren County, Illinois because of the slavery issue. Later, all three enlisted in the Union Army to fight for the freedom of black human beings whom they considered to be their brothers in Christ. It was impossible for this branch of the McCrary clan to tolerate human slavery.

After the Civil War, Andrew and George moved from Illinois to Keokuk County, Iowa where they lived with their individual families until 1873, when Andrew with his wife Elizabeth Cunningham McCrary and their eight children moved to Calhoun county, homesteading land in Calhoun township. Two years later, in 1875, brother George, his wife Adelia with their five children (three lived to adulthood), took up residence in Lake City. Note: George and Adelia are great-grandparents of Dr. Ashton McCrary of the McCrary-Rost Clinic, and Jack Fickle, who recently moved back from California to retire.

Both families made their mark on the cultural development of our community. Andrew and Elizabeth's ninth child was born after they moved to Calhoun Township. Of the nine, two received law degrees from the Iowa City Academy of Law and operated a legal practice partnership in Lake City. Three daughters married farmers of which two farmed in this community. One son farmed the family homestead north of Lake City, which was expanded to include 400 acres. The two youngest boys died of diphtheria in the epidemic of 1877 and one daughter died shortly after her marriage.

Names of the children of Andrew and Elizabeth Cunningham McCrary are: Sara Jane, born 1845, died shortly after marriage, Matthew R., born 1847, lawyer, Mary Margaret, born 1849, local farm wife, Thomas W. born 1853, local farmer, Joseph, born 1855, miner, New Mexico, Stella H., born 1858, local farm wife, James W., born 1864, and Sidney V. born 1868, died in the 1877 epidemic, ages 13 and 9.

When the family arrived here in 1873, Thomas W. McCrary told about building a log cabin on the prairie and shooting deer form his front door. He also told of small herds of buffalo (bison) roaming the prairie in Sac, Calhoun and Carroll counties. We must remember that Lake City was only seven years old in 1873 with a population of around 90 persons. Tom McCrary became a prosperous, hard working farmer, expanding the family homestead from 160 to 400 acres of developed agricultural land. He raised cattle, horses, hogs and poultry plus a large dairy herd of 50 milk strain Hereford cows. Thomas McCrary was married to Miss Genie Hutchison, a well-known family name in this community. Later in life, Tom and Genie left Calhoun county to live in Rapid City, South Dakota, where they were interred.

Pioneer Andrew's two lawyer sons, Matthew and John B. McCrary, practiced law in Lake City from 1888 to 1908 when John B., at age 38, married Anna Jacobs Thede, a widow and daughter of Wilke Jacobs, after which he dissolved the law partnership, moved to Carroll and opened a private law office. John and Anna raised four children, twin boys born 1909, and two daughters, born in 1911 and 1914. Anna's first husband, John P. Thede, died in 1905. Thede is a well-known name in and around Lake City and the name Jacobs appears on a list of our earliest settlers. John Jacobs was a highly respected Lake City lawyer and legislator during his lifetime and his brother Walter Jacobs was a Lake City banker.

The other son of Pioneer Andrew McCrary, who brought his family to Lake City in 1875, George and Adelia Gouldin McCrary, had five children, but only three lived to adulthood. They were Effie McCrary Madsen, Dr. J. R. McCrary and Dr. Delbert W. McCrary. The rest of our story will concern the lives of Dr. Delbert W. and his descendants.

Dr. Delbert W. was born July 26, 1867. He grew to manhood in our community, attending Lake City schools. After completing his basic education in 1872, he spent eight years teaching in Central school, before the second floor was added. Delbert W. enrolled in medical school in 1880 at Iowa City for a one-year course, after which he practiced in Anthon for two years. He returned to medical school in 1883 for another one-year course and upon completion, practiced in Kamrar until he returned to Lake City in late 1899. He opened an office in the old Peter Smith store building, located the first door west of the present Willis law office. The old Peter Smith store building was torn down a few years ago and replaced by a new building now being used as a café.

Dr. Delbert McCrary married Miss Anna Encell on August 17, 1890, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. J. C. Encell, pastor of the Woodlawn Christian Church. To this union, three children were born: Warren Encell McCrary, Gladys McCrary Scheck and Leta McCrary Fickle. Leta is the mother of Jack Fickle who recently returned to Lake City from California and resides in Lake City. Warren is the father of Dr. Ashton McCrary, also a grandson of Dr. Delbert and Anna Encell.

Dr. Delbert was a modernist. He was credited with owning the first bath tub in Calhoun County. When he returned to Lake City in late 1899. He came in his own automobile which was one of the earliest in the county. He also owned the first motor-home purchased in 1927.

Immediately after his return here, he built the beautiful home on the corner of Main and Michigan Streets where they lived in the most modern and luxurious circumstances allowed to a pioneer community of middle class, self supporting citizens. If you appreciate Victorian architecture in real estate, I suggest you take a good look at the old McCrary home built in 1899. It has since been remodeled into an apartment house.

Dr. Delbert McCrary practiced in the old Peter Smith store building until 1918, when his dream of becoming a partner with his young son Warren became a realty. Dr. Delbert W. purchased the Columbia Hotel built a few years earlier by Billy Townsend and turned it into a medical and hospital. The clinical offices and an apartment for resident physician on ground floor, an apartment for a second resident physician on second floor plus a few rooms reserved for hotel patrons, surgical facilities and patient rooms on the third floor, the kitchen, dining area and storage facilities in the basement plus an electric elevator to transport personnel, food and patients to the upper levels. The old hotel/clinic/hospital stood on land presently occupied by the McCrary-Rost Clinic.

When Dr. Delbert purchased the Columbia Hotel, he sold his beautiful Victorian styled home and moved into the first floor apartment. His son Warren took up residence in the second floor apartment. Dr. Delbert lived in the hospital until he purchased a home at 214 West Main St.

Dr. Delbert suffered ill health for a number of years restricting the amount of work pressure he could tolerate. During this period of time he endeavored to refurbish his medical skills by attending specialized medical short courses in New York, England and France.

History records Dr. Delbert Warren McCrary, the son of one of Lake City's early pioneers, to have been an excellent doctor, a Christian man highly dedicated to the health and well being of his many patients. He came into this world in 1867 when Lake City was only one year old. He grew up during a time when life was rugged, working hard for the things he achieved. Dr. Delbert passed away in 1933 during the depth of the great depression at the age of sixty-six years. He was considered to be one of Lake City's finest citizens.