James M. Christy

JAMES M. CHRISTY, head of the Grand View Furniture Company, a flourishing concern dealing in furniture and carpets, is one of the honored and enterprising citizens of Kansas City, Kansas, and plays a prominent part in the many-sided life of the community, commercially, fraternally and as a public spirited citizen. Mr. Christy is a native of the state of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Fairfield county of the Buckeye state on March 8, 1863. His parents were Joseph and Hannah (Steward) Christy, the former born in Maryland, in the year 1834, and passing on to the Undiscovered Country in the month of February, 1909. The mother, who was born in Burks county, Pennsylvania, still resides there, this venerable lady being over eighty years of age. Joseph Christy was a farmer and dealer in live stock and he and his wife became the parents of a large family of children - twelve in number - he whose name inaugurates this review, being the seventh in order of birth.

Mr. Christy was educated in the district schools of Fairfield county and in his youth learned through actual experience the many secrets of agriculture. However, he was not drawn to adopt the great basic industry as a life work and in December, 1886, when about twenty-three years of age he bade farewell to the home roof and started forth like the proverbial hero of romance to seek his fortunes. He went far afield, Kansas City being the haven of his desires and his first work in the new scenes was in the round house of the Union Pacific railroad in which he was employed for seven months. He then engaged with the Kansas City & North Western railroad as fireman and remained in that capacity for some time, in September, 1890, being promoted to the position of engineer.

In March, 1905, Mr. Christy made a radical change of occupation, for he abandoned railroading and adopted a mercantile pursuit, establishing himself in the furniture and carpet business at Tenth and Central avenue. He carries a full line of furniture and carpets and in the seven years of his career has enjoyed the most thorough prosperity and has built up a large and enthusiastic patronage. His store is known in the city under the caption of the Grand View Furniture Company. For a number of years C. A. McCampbell was in partnership with the subject, this association continuing in a satisfactory manner until March, 1910, when Mr. Christy bought out his partner and has since continued independently.

On October 3, 1894, Mr. Christy established a happy and congenial life companionship by his union with Miss Leah M. Crawford, a native of Washington Court House, Ohio, and a daughter of Samuel H. and Atlanta (Smith) Crawford, both natives of the Buckeye state. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford removed to Kansas City, Kansas, at an early day and both are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Christy are the parents of a promising quartet of children, namely: Harold Bryan, born June 23, 1896; Howard C., born September 1, 1898; Myrtle L., born December 3, 1901; and Horace J., born February 7, 1910.

Mr. Christy is affiliated with the Christian Science church, attending the services held in the Portsmouth Building. In politics he is an Independent Democrat, ever giving his support to the man and the measures he believes to be worthiest. He is an enthusiastic member of the time-honored Masonic fraternity, belonging to Lodge No. 3, of Kansas City, Kansas, and he is also a Royal Arch Mason, with membership in the Chapter of Seneca, Kansas. He is also popular in the ranks of Division No. 491, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.