Tiffany, Ray

TIFFANY, STOCK, CAMPBELL, SKINNER, EDWARDS, BORTS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/22/2009 at 19:41:46

Tiffany, Ray

One of the industrious and promising young men of the locality of which this history deals is Ray Tiffany, who has fully appreciated present day conditions and has profited by his ingenuity and persistency in the business to which he has given his close attention, as a result of the favorable agricultural and stock raising conditions existing in this favored section of the great Hawkeye commonwealth. He is a successful breeder of shire draft horses and Duroc Jersey hogs. Ray and Clara Tiffany are the owners of a fine five-passenger touring car, which they and their daughter, Myrtle May, greatly enjoy.

Mr. Tiffany was born in Clear Creek Township, Jasper County, on July 31, 1888. There he grew to manhood, received his education in the common schools and has always identified himself with the agricultural interests of his home community. He is the son of Fremont L. and Mary Ella (Stock) Tiffany, both natives of this township and each representing old and highly honored families of the county, the Tiffanys and Stocks having come here when this was a wild, uncultivated prairie, overrun by coyotes, Wolves and other kindreds of the wild. The subject's paternal grandparents were Sylvester and Esther (Campbell) Tiffany, who emigrated here from the East in 1849, he going on to the Pacific coast gold fields soon afterwards, but returned in about five years and spent the balance of his life here, dying at a very advanced age. His wife also died in this community.

Fremont L. Tiffany spent his youth on the home farm and still lives on a portion of the same, which he has kept well cultivated and is one of the best-known farmers of Clear Creek Township.

There were five children in the Tiffany family, named as follows: Clara V., born March 23, 1882, was graduated from the high school at Colfax, later from Drake University at Des Moines, and she is now at home with her parents; Carl, born May 9, 1884, is living on a farm near the village of Clyde, this county; Emma Alta, born May 21, 1886, died in the Methodist Hospital at Des Moines, where she was employed as professional nurse; Ray, the subject of this review; Joseph Sylvester, born January 25, 1897, is living at home.

Ray Tiffany was married on February 22, 1907, to Clara A. Skinner, who was born in Clear Creek Township, this county, June 26, 1889, and there she grew to womanhood and was educated in the local schools. She is the daughter of Hon. Herbert K. and Mary A. (Edwards) Skinner, the father born in Lawrence County, New York, April 2, 1849, and the latter born in Jasper County, Iowa, on March 29,1855. To this union eight children were born, five of whom are living, namely: Elsie M. died in early life, as did also George M.; Charles H., born May 2, 1883, lives in Clear Creek Township; Mrs. Bertha H. Borts, born May 20, 1885, lives on the old Skinner homestead in Clear Creek Township; Clara A., wife of Mr. Tiffany, of this sketch; Arthur L., born December 6, 1892, lives with his parents; Lena, born June 4, 1896, at home; Howard Otis, born March 12, 1899, died March 24th of the same year.

Herbert K. Skinner has been successful as a businessman and is the owner of over five hundred acres of valuable land, mostly in Jasper County and some in Texas. He has long taken an abiding interest in political affairs and is a leader in his party, having held a number of local offices and he is now ably representing his county in the state legislature.

To Ray Tiffany and wife one daughter has been born, Myrtle May, whose birth occurred on June 2, 1908.

Mr. Tiffany is the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and fifty-three acres, which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation. His land lies in Collins Township, three miles east of Collins, Story County. They have a competency and, being people of correct ideals, they have not reached that period, as have many, when money getting interferes with their mental edification and the progress of their better natures. Politically, Mr. Tiffany is a Republican. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1309.