Among the most aggressive and successful business men of Leon [Decatur County, Iowa] is M. F. GRIMES, a member of the firm of Kraft Grimes & Company, which operates a chain of men's furnishings stores in Iowa. He was born in Champaign, Illinois, on the 14th of February, 1864, a son of E. S. GRIMES, who was a native of Indiana. The father removed with his family from Illinois to Missour and after residing there for seven years took up his residence in Weldon, Decatur county, Iowa, in 1875. Subsequently he located at Davis City and for many years worked at harness making there, although he also engaged in farming to some extent. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and his wife held membership in the Christian church. He passed away in 1912 when seventy-four years of age, but his widow is still residing at Davis City. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters, all of whom are living, two sisters residing at Weldon and the others besides our subject living in Missouri, Troy, Kansas, and Arlington, Nebraska.

M. F. GRIMES was reared in Missouri and Iowa and received a good common-school education during his boyhood and youth. He also learned the harness maker's trade, as did his three brothers, and two of them are still following that occupation, while the others is engaged in the clothing business. M. F. GRIMES located in Leon in October, 1891, and for a number of years was in the employ of Michael MAYER, who conducted a clothing store in Leon, from 1882 until 1901, when Kraft Grimes & Company bought him out. Mr. GRIMES has since given practically his entire attention to the work of directing the affairs of the company and their annual business has reached a large figure. They operate stores in ten Iowa towns, in one town in Illinois and one in Missouri and have headquarters in Chicago. The managers of all of the stores meet in a semi-annual convention and practically all of the goods for the various stores are purchased at one time, which enables the compnay to buy to better advantage. The firm also owns a chain of ten-cent stores in Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa and is constantly seeking to systematize and to expand its business. The Leon store employs from two to nine clerks according to the season and carries a full line of clothing, shoes, men's furnishings and accessories. Its patrons are among the representative men of the city and Kraft Grimes & Company have a well earned reputation for fair dealing. Mr. GRIMES also owns a store at Kellerton, Ringgold county, Iowa, known as the Grimes Quiett Clothing Company, and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of Decatur County.

He was married October 7, 1887, To Miss Minnie A. LOREY, a representative of a family mentioned elsewhere in this work. She was born in Leon and passed away here in 1910, leaving four children, three sons and a daughter. Leslie, who is employed at the store at Leon, is married and has a son, Paul. Cecile is keeping house for her father, Forrest and Marion are both at home.

Mr. GRIMES is a republcian but has never had time to engage actively in politics. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias at Leon, and he has been a member of the Christian church since sixteen years of age. He is respected for his unquestioned business ability, honored for his integrity and held in warm regard because of his agreeable personaltiy.

NOTE: Forrest GRIMES served as a gunner in the U.S. Navy aboard the "Pennsylvania" during World War I.

Florence Lela, M. F. and Minnie A. (LOREY) GRIMES' youngest daughter, was born in Leon on March 21, 1896, and died at the age of five years, June 18, 1901, Leon, Iowa.

SOURCES:
HOWELL, J. M. & CONOMAN, Heman. History of Decatur County, Iowa, and Its People Vol. II. Pp. 260-63. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Chicago. 1915.

Decatur County IAGenWeb site, as linked above

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2009