Victor Clide Ivie was born to William Curtis and Phebe Lucretia (nee Goslin) Ivie on April 23, 1889 in Lawrence County. Victor married Nora Elm Spicer, born in August 11, 1888, daughter of Robert and Matilda Jane (nee Vallors) Spicer, in November 1907. The 1920 census lists four children: Earl S. (b. abt. 1910); Elma T. (b. abt. 1918); Helen L. (b. 1919); Ellen M. (b. abt. 1919). The Oregon death index shows Nora died October 29, 1979. Victor died in California on September 14, 1972.
(John F. Judy)
Biographical Note:
John Finley Judy was born in Ohio March 18, 1856 to John Skillman and Sarah Jane (nee Hunter) Judy. On December 16, 1877 he was united in marriage to Matilda Hunter, daughter of John Park and Elizabeth Ann (nee Anderson) Hunter. To this union the following children were born: Valerie (b. abt. 1879); Ole R. (b. Nov. 1880); Elsa S. (b. Sept. 1886); Esta E. (b. Sept. 1886). John died October 12, 1931 and Matilda died January, 22, 1943.
They are buried at Riverside Cemetery, Fountain County, Indiana.
Editor’s Note:
John Judy’s obituary describe him as:
“A remarkable man in many respects. There was and never will be but one John F. Judy. Scrupulously honest, full of business and a friend of the man who tried to be honest and square, but likewise the terror of the crook when in his hands. John F. Judy may have made many mistakes, like all of us in life, but he had a big heart for all mankind."
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Judyville, Indiana
February 4, 1918
Editor Press:
Just "Fin" Judy to those who know me best. Arrived from Ohio in Sumner, 1858. Had my family with me, Skillman and Sarah (Sally) Judy. Lived eight years two miles northwest of Sumner, since called the Clemmens place across the old state road from Davenports. Dear Sally Davenport, the youngest, now of Oregon, who writes me occasionally. The prettiest and the most lively girl brought up in "those parts." A useful woman and a strong good character.
I, with pleasure, remember long and long substantial Wallis Vangilder, the acme of local common sense. Tom Hoopes, the poletic and quiet, who visited me at my Indiana home. The Club Brothers, the sturdy sure, safe and strong; "Ella" Club the practical posted and kind, who writes me the news about once a year. The Lewises N. E. and the active businessman of Sumner for 50 years.
My own Judy kin: cousin Charlie Judy, who is yet looking after that B. & O. Southwest Main line and the beyond-if it needs it, so faithful to a trust is he. All the Judys are relatives, good or bad, drunk or sober, no matter where they are. I thus boasted and I had for reply "but the Judy I know is a Negro." He had taken the name of his Judy master in Kentucky during slavery times.
I remember a little old "swimming hole," north part of town, in 1865, with a log across it. I was pushed off the wrong side of the log and a man with citizens clothes yet on, saved my life. Many days I do not know whether I was in the "hole" ‘steen times a day or all day, but I learned to swim and have kept my life longer on two occasions because of that "hole" education. Some Sumner girls stole and hid our clothes. It would be news to some, but if I tell you who did it, some old ladies of Sumner my feel a blush of shame at their "wild oats" boldness.
Up the cut grade west of Sumner the shortest weed obtained by lying close to the track of the .O. & M. told what boy got the game after the downgrade fast lines went. Daredevil practice, needed later on in business with the trains of men and things.
I was transplanted from all those childhood things to a country (Warren County, Indiana) of high productiveness, among rich and arrogant people. The boys tried to lord it over me; some bloody noses they had for it, but I gasp in awe of the great cattleman and land owners. I long thought I was inferior. My father and invalid. I the eldest had a big family to look after. A neighbor girl, the first graduate in Warren County, loaned me books. I dug up $21.25, which was my school cost just 60 days. I got the best certificate given in Indiana later. Taught five years country school, worked on a farm in summer. The wealthiest man in the County, who I did not think knew me, asked me to his home. He just pushed and shoved into my hand $1600 and said, "go by cattle with this I will buy of you at a profit, if you buy right." I bought the first cattle of Club Brothers near Sumner, made $500 did not sleep for a week. Success is harder to bear than failure besides it entails so much responsibility. I sold him thousands of cattle in five years of his life. Later, a man worth half 1 million, signed notes to banks in blank, and trust me to use the notes for as much or as little money as I wanted. I used for little only. A banker invited me to over check. I did for 25 years, until by change of law the bank examiners frown. All had more confidence in me then I had.
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I afterwards twice saved the bank from having to close its doors. I saved the schoolgirls home farm (the one who loan the books) from Sheriff sale, 120 acres, and she afterwards sold it for $225 per acre, $27,000. The man who signed the notes was pleased with his neighbors use of credit notes, and the wealthy man who loaned money to me made piles of money out of cattle I shipped in and sold to him. He died, his farm was worth one and one and a half millions.
The man up likes to help the man down-up. I also know what most help given and becomes such a load, that material prosperity is too big for most people, and to help them only lowers them or nails them down because of the use that is made as a help. That to help is a dangerous game, both to the helper and to helpee, if success is the purpose of help. I have helped a few to fortunes, a lot of people to homes, and plenty money and means to do with.
Much of my effort to help has resulted to the bad. But those who succeeded it is evident the credit all belongs to the helpee and not to me, the would be helper.
Most things, most propositions are all right if you can get on the right side of it and stay right. Most people get under help and stay under wanting to be helped.
The Judys of Sumner and elsewhere in the United States are originally from Switzerland. See Encyclopedia ("Tusda"), but Judy's-not who were our dads but who are we, is the important joke we play on ourselves and on other people. However, heredity is something, and we had something in Switzerland-we might build something here.
We did well in Switzerland, we ought to do well here, and we will do well in that other "There." I know we get a weak start in life, we just must grow-the something.
"Our ingress into this world is naked and bare
Our progress is trouble and care
Egress out of it is-we know not where
But if we do well here, we will do well there."
What is "doing well?" I think doing well means dividing self among three purposes and pushing those purposes all together: the material-(things). People, books, (the intellectual). I am almost 2/3 failure. In this rich country I started poor-and I went to seed almost on dollar chasing the grabbing and neglected high-class cultivation and my fitness for cultivated people and the intellectual acquirements.
Yet I did not wholly fail. Perhaps sometimes yet, I may know more. While I have been able to help friends and folks-sometimes, I have made more mistakes than any person I ever knew, because I have tried often and often tried wrong. I have great energy that sprouted about Sumner, took on big growth in translating to rich, Northern Illinois Prairie, whether Prairie extends into Indiana, I live close to the line.
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(John F. Judy)
Biographical Note:
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