James T. O’pry, one of the representative and enterprising merchants of Colton, has a well equipped general merchandise store, centrally located on Front street opposite the Southern Pacific Railroad depot. Captain O’Pry came to Colton in February 1888, after years spent in active business pursuits in New Orleans, and in the next month established himself in mercantile pursuits. He also purchased a five-acre tract of orange land from the Colton Water Company and commenced horticultural industries by planting it with budded orange trees; and he is also interested in real estate in Colton, Glendora and other places. He is a popular man, straightforward in his dealings, and has gained a liberal support and patronage from the Colton community. Captain O’Pry is a native of Georgia, dating his birth in 1849. His parents, James and Nancy E. (Brown) O’Pry, are also natives of that State. During the days of his infancy his parents moved to New Orleans, and he was reared and schooled in that city. Early in life, in his boyhood days, he was schooled in mercantile life, but when twenty years of age chose steam boating as his calling, and entered upon a three years’ apprenticeship as a pilot. He was ambitious and quick to learn, and rose rapidly in his profession until he was licensed as a master, and was then placed in command of various steamers on the Mississippi river. As he accumulated means he became an owner of steamers, and became one of the prominent figures in steamboat circles in New Orleans. Among the well-known and popular boats that he owned and commanded were the Oriole, Isabel, Alvin, Sunbeam, Daisy, and later the steamers Martha and Neptune. He incorporated and was the president of the New Orleans and Gulf Transportation Company. He was also the president of and owned a controlling interest in the New Orleans and Perriaux Beouff Transportation Company. A man of sound practical knowledge, keen business instincts, prompt and straightforward in his dealings, Captain O’Pry successfully inaugurated and conducted some of the soundest transportation enterprises of New Orleans. Years of active business pursuits finally so undermined his health that it became imperative that he seek a change of climate and comparative rest, and in 1888 he came to Southern California, and locating in Colton established his present occupation.
He is at this writing (1889) still largely interested in transportation companies in New Orleans, and is also president of the Western and Southern Steamboatmen’s Association of that city. In politics he is a supporter of the Democratic Party. He is a member of Colton L No. 37, Knights of Pythias, and Colton Lodge, No. 255, A. O. U. W. He also retains his memberships with the Pickwick and Commercial clubs of New Orleans. The Captain, in. 1872, married Miss Isabel Kouns: a native of Ohio, the daughter of Captain John Kouns, a well-known resident of that State. The three children from that marriage are: Alvin, Hattie Belle and James T.