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FRANK G. RAY, secretary of the Iowa Canning Company, has been identified with the business life of Vinton for the past thirty-six years, since January, 1873. Until recently he was chiefly interested in the implement and coal business, and on coming to Vinton became connected with that business with F. T. Verharen, and became the latter's partner in January, 1875, the firm being Verharen & Ray. Later Mr. Verharen went to Spencer as manager of the branch which they had opened there, while Mr. Ray continued at Vinton. In March, 1884, the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Ray became owner of the Vinton business and continued its active management until January 4, 1909, when he sold it to Bryner & Bruner. However, he still owns the buildings, the coal yards, barns and other realty connected with the business, which is a large and progressive one. In 1886 he erected, for the purposes of his business, the building at the corner of Concord and Washington streets, this being the present postoffice building, and he still owns this and the building adjoining. He erected the implement house in 1896. Since retiring from the coal and implement business he has given his attention to the Iowa Canning Company.
Mr. Ray was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, December 31, 1851. His parents were Guy and Louisa (Pomeroy) Ray, who were residents of Vinton from 1876 until the time they died, the father in 1881, at the age of seventy-four, and the mother in 1894, aged seventy-five. Guy Ray was originally from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, of an old New England family, and both the Rays and Pomeroys were of English stock. The father moved to Illinois in 1835, and in 1836 located in Whiteside county, where he was the first county clerk. He had two daughters by a first marriage, Louisa Pomeroy being his second wife. Mrs. Isadore Shaw of Vinton, is a daughter by this second marriage.
Frank G. Ray was reared on his father's farm in Whiteside county, attended school there and in Geneseo, Illinois, and the Mount Morris Seminary, and later spent one winter in Oberlin College. He was teacher in his home district for one term, and at the age of twenty-two came to Vinton.
Mr. Ray shares with Dr. C. C. Griffin the honor of being the only thirty-third degree Mason of Benton county. He is a member of lodge, chapter and commandery at Vinton, and of the DeMolay Consistory at Clinton. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Ray was married in Ohio, in September, 1876, to Miss Emma Whiteside of Pomeroy, Ohio} She was a daughter of early residents of Meigs county, and she was educated in Ohio, taught school there, and for three years was a teacher in the schools at Vinton, where she met Mr. Bay. She is a member of the Vinton Literary Society and of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Bay have two children: Earl K., is cashier of the Citizens Savings Bank of Anamosa, in which his father is interested, and is married and has a daughter aged seven; Miss Belle, at home, graduated from the Vinton high school and is also a graduate of Miss Mason's School at Castle-on-Hudson, New York.
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