Ray E. Morey

Ray Edmund Morey, the only child of George W. and Elizabeth (Martin) Morey, was not only a prominent Napoleon businessman but he was also an accomplished musician. Ray Morey was born at Liberty Township on January 27, 1883. After the Morey family moved to Napoleon in 1893 he attended the Napoleon schools. As a youngster he was given piano lessons. Their house in Napoleon had a study upstairs and the piano was downstairs in the parlor. When Ray would hit a wrong note, the piano teacher, who often sat in the upstairs study, would call down to him to correctly play the piece of music. Besides being known as a "pianistic whiz and pheomenon," Ray Morey was also an accomplished cello player.

Ray Morey attended Napoleon High School and he then went to Northwestern University. He also studied at the Davis Business College at Toledo in 1903. Ray Morey's active business career at Napoleon began in 1904 when he became the general manager of the Black Beauty Harness Oil Co. of Napoleon. His father, George Morey, was a founder and president of the company. In October of 1904 Ray Morey bought the Candy Kitchen from W.H. Jeakle and the new firm was known as Morey's Candy Kitchen. After making many improvements in the Candy Kitchen, Ray was forced to sell the store in February of 1906 to Burt Tubbs because of ill health. The new firm became known as Rollin & Tubbs.

Shortly after this time Ray became the owner of a Cadillac automobile which he purchased from Charles Yeager of Wauseon. This was one of the early automobiles to be operated on the streets of Napoleon. Later the Morey's bought a Winton and then in 1908 a two cylinder Buick touring car.

Not being one to remain idle very long, Ray Morey joined in partnership with Henry Meyer and purchased the drug firm of W.S. Balsley in May of 1906. W.S. Balsley had been the successor of the I.C. Saur drug store which was one of the earliest Napoleon business establishments. The new firm of Morey & Meyer, which was located at 705 Perry street, carried a complete line of drugs, chemicals, family and proprietory medicines, paints, oils, wallpaper and stationary items. The store also operated a soda fountain. Henry H. Meyer, a former registered pharmacist with I. Leist & Co., operated the pharmacy while Mr. Morey ran the retail business of the firm. After the firm from Mr. Balsley, they did extensive remodeling of the store room; among the remodeling they removed the old wood store that had been a gathering place for the men of Napoleon since the time of J.C. Saur. They also replaced the light fixtures by installing new gas lights. Due to the efforts of Ray Morey the firm became one of the popular business establishments in Napoleon. By 1921

Ray Morey's health again forced him into temporary retirement and he sold his interest in the drug store to his former partner Henry H. Meyer. Henry Meyer operated the store for a few more years before selling it to Gilbert & Herr. This old drug store is still in operation today and it is known as the Napoleon Pharmacy.

Mr. Morey became involved in the selling of automobiles after leaving the drug store. At one time he was in partnership with Max Eckber. During the 1920's and early 1930's, Ray sold Hudson and Essex automobiles at Napoleon and just before his retirement in the late 1930's he sold Packard automobiles. Besides being involved in these businesses Ray Morey also served for many years as a director of the Commercial State Bank until it was closed during the Depression of the 1930's. His father-in-law, Dr. A.E.H. Maerker was also a director and at one time served as president of this bank. Ray Morey was also a member of the Napoleon Lodge, No. 929, B.P.O. Elks.

At the home of the bride’s parents on West Washington St., Ray Morey married Grace E. Maerker on February 24, 1909. Grace Maerker was born at Napoleon on March 25, 1884 and she was the daughter of Dr. A.E.H. and Mary E. (King) Maerker. She was a 1902 graduate of the Napoleon High School and she attended Ohio State University from which institution she was graduated in 1906. While at O.S.U. she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. In 1954 Grace Morey was presented with a 50 year certificate from that sorority. For several years after her graduation from college, Grace was a teacher of english and history at the Napoleon High School. In the summer of 1907 she took a summer course at Harvard University and traveled in the New England states. While she lived at Napoleon she was active in many Methodist Church organizations, especially the Epworth League, and she was also a member of the Ladies Literary Club, the Shakespeare Class and the Town Club.

Ray Morey died at Napoleon on September 5, 1944 after suffering for many years from T.B. Grace Morey lived at Napoleon until 1946 when she moved to Flint, Mich. to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and

Mrs. Albert Barnes. In Flint, Grace Morey was active in the King's Daughters and the Tri Delta Alliance. Mrs. Morey died at Fenton, Michigan on December 5, 1963. The Morey's are buried in Young's Cemetery at Liberty Center.

Ray and Grace Morey were the parents of one daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who was born at Napoleon on May 11, 1912.

Submitted by: Robert Barnes