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Pioneer - McCREA, James A.
Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County
Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906
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McCREA, James A
. James A. McCrea, son of the late Robert McCrea, was born on the homestead in
the township of Pilkington, in 1856. He was educated at the Alma pubic school.
When eighteen years of age he entered the employment of Mr. J. E. McElderry,
who conducted a large wholesale and retail grocery business at Guelph, of which
it is interesting to note the subject of this sketch is now the proprietor.
After remaining in Mr. McElderry’s services for three years Mr. McCrea took the
management of a store in Thorold. In 1879 he became traveller for Thomas
Mitchell, woodenware and fancy goods, Hamilton, and afterwards at different
periods represented Macpherson, Glasco & Co., wholesale grocers, Hamilton, and
J. C. Fitch, then Fitch & Davidson, and later Davidson & Hay, wholesale
grocers, Toronto. In 1894 Mr. McCrea formed a partnership with Mr. J. E.
McElderry, at Guelph in his long established wholesale and retail grocery
business. Two years later Mr. McCrea acquired Mr. McElderry’s interest and
became the sole proprietor of the business, and has since continued it. To the
grocery business Mr. McCrea has added a line of crockery and china ware so
extensive as to enable him to buy direct from the potteries, and the combined
business has so grown and prospered that no store in Guelph is more widely or
favorably known than "the Noted Tea Store and China Palace." In 1904 Mr. McCrea
established the branch store on Elora road, managed by his son Robert, J. E.,
who has since been admitted into partnership. The business of this branch as
well as the main store continues to extend and prosper. Mr. McCrea takes a keen
interest in civic and municipal affairs. He has been President of the Guelph
Retail Merchant’s Association. He has also been an active member of the Board
of Trade since its incorporation. He was a member of the Guelph Board of
Education for six years, and at the present time is an Alderman of the city.
Mr. McCrea has been closely connected with the affairs of Knox Church for many
years; he has been the Superintendent of the Sunday School for twenty-one years
and an Elder of that church for eighteen years. He is a past President of the
Provincial Sunday School Association. In politics he is a Reformer. He married
Mary J. Elliott, of St. Catherines. They have one child, Robert J. E.
From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906 |
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