Clemma Russell Raney (1886 - 1978)

Born 3 Sep 1886 in Douglas, Appanoose, Iowa

Ancestors

Husband of Maude (Austin) Raney — married 21 Mar 1908 in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska

Descendants

Died 8 Feb 1978 at age 91 in Greenville, Darke, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Clemma Raney was born on September 03, 1886 in Douglas, Iowa, the son of Reuben Jack "Link" Raney and Etta Jane Hiatt^[1]. In 1908 Clemma married Maude Austin^[2] and in 1910, the couple made their home in Douglas^[3].

As a young man, Clemma was known as an inventor of farm machinery. He filed his first patent application in 1910 for a grain shocking machine^[4] that he built and operated on his father's farm. In 1911, a public demonstration of that machine was attended by representatives of International Harvester Company, who promptly arranged for manufacture of the machine and for Clemma to be hired at International Harvester's McCormick Works in Chicago. Clemma and Maude moved to the Chicago area in 1911; Maude traveled to her home state to deliver their son Russell, born in 1913^[5].

In the years that followed, Clemma was granted over 140 U.S. patents^[6], the earliest in 1911 and the last in 1943, after he'd retired (~1942^[7]). A small number of those patents are in his name (e.g., record-changing phonograph, a precursor to the 'jukebox') but the preponderance are in Harvester's (e.g., corn picker, thresher, baler, tractor mower, etc.). In addition to his role as engineer, Clemma traveled to South America to discuss design and demonstrate machinery operation.

Clemma and Maude had moved first to Chicago^[8] but later moved to Riverside, Illinois^[9]. After Maude died (1971), Clemma moved to a nursing home near Russell in Greenville, Ohio. Clemma died in1978^[10] and was buried with Maude in Clarendon Hills Cemetery, Darien, Illinois^[11].

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: Iowa, U.S., Births (series) 1880-1904, 1921-1944 and Delayed Births (series), 1856-1940; State Historical Society of Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa; Title: Iowa Birth Records, 1888-1904
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61441 #302545622 (accessed 29 January 2023)
2. ↑ Marriage: Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908; State Library and Archives, Nebraska State Historical Society; Lincoln, Nebraska; Nebraska, Marriage Records
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61335 #33811 (accessed 29 January 2023)
3. ↑ 1910 Census: 1910 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Douglas, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: T624_390; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0018; FHL microfilm: 1374403
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #7088241 (accessed 29 January 2023)
4. ↑ First patent:https://patents.google.com/patent/US1222796A/en?inventor=clemma+raney&oq=clemma+raney&sort=old
5. ↑ Birth: Nebraska, U.S., Birth Ledgers, 1904-1911, Birth Index, 1912-1994; Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; Lincoln, Nebraska; Nebraska Birth Index, 1912-1994
   Ancestry Record 62094 #301229415 (accessed 30 January 2023)
6. ↑ Patent list:https://patents.google.com/?inventor=clemma+raney&oq=clemma+raney&sort=old
7. ↑ Military: U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942; The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration), For the State of Illinois; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Series Number: M2097
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1002 #9897090 (accessed 29 January 2023)
8. ↑ 1920 Census:1920 United States Federal Census; 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 34, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_354; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 2169
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #15650539 (accessed 29 January 2023)
9. ↑ 1930 Census: 1930 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Riverside, Cook, Illinois; Page: 24B; Enumeration District: 2176; FHL microfilm: 2340237
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #25554351 (accessed 29 January 2023)
10. ↑ Death: Ohio, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018; Ohio Department of Health; Columbus, Ohio; Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
    Ancestry Record 5763 #3449250 (accessed 29 January 2023)
11. ↑ Burial: U.S., Find a Grave™ Index, 1600s-Current; Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi; URL: Find A Grave: Memorial #218600836
    Ancestry Record 60525 #188212523 (accessed 29 January 2023)
    Photo of headstone at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/218600836/clemma-raney