John Ray
and Isabell Foster
Locations: Virginia; Allen Co, KY; Wayne Co, TN; Jackson Purchase, KY; Barry Co, MO
Oklahoma ... and a whole lot more!
John Ray
was born in 1787, Virginia died: 1860-70 Barry Co., Missouri wife: Isabell Foster born in 1802, So Carolina and died 1860-70 Barry Co, Mo. John Ray was born to Nathaniel Ray and his first wife - name unknown.From Goodspeed Publishing, "History of Tennessee - Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, Hickman and Lewis Counties", original copyright 1886, identifies John Ray as an earily settler to Lawrence County. Lawrence County belongs to the natural division know as the Highland Rim, the higher lands lying from the ne to the sw. The book states that the first settlements were on Big Buffalo River, near the crossing of that stream near the Columbia and Waynesboro Turnpike, 1815. The settlers came chiefly from North Carolina and among them was John Ray. I note this information because so many of you like me, think that some of the Brunswick Co, Va Rays may have gone over the boarder to North Carolina. This book further states "that several persons received either military grants or occupants' grants about 1820:...John Ray..."
Census Information:
John can be found on the Wayne Co, Tenn 1830 census, #288 ; 1840 Calloway Co., Ky census shows (#55):10120001-110101., 1850 & 1860 Barry Co, Mo Census, National Archives record of Land Patent 22361, Springfield, Mo. Family record of the John Ray family passed down via Mary I Ray Porter to her daughter Martha Ann Porter Bishop, through her son E Glen Bishop to Loyd M. Bishop.Land Patents:
John Ray was granted a patent on 160 acres west of the Tennessee River, land described as teh NW1/4 S33, T4 R1E. This land is now located in Calloway Co, Ky on the Marshall County border. According to the tax records, these Rays remained in Calloway Co from 1824 to 1848 when they moved to Missouri. John & Isabell's oldest children (Nathaniel and Samuel Ray) both appear on the tax rolls the year that they reached their majority. Isabell's name also appears in 1833 when she apparently acquired a horse that was subject to taxation. After moving to Barry Co, Mo John Ray patented land in the NW part of the county near a town called Gadfly. He patented 40 acres of land from the US Government on 13 May 1857, described as the SW1/4 of the NW1/4 Section 24 Range 28 West. He is listed in the 1860 Barry Co, Mo census but not the 1870.Dorothy Thomas and Loyd Bishop are the authorities on this family
Descendant Report 3 generations:
JOHN RAY
bd. 1787, VIRGINIA
dd. abt 1868, Barry Co, MO
| NATHANIEL Foster RAY
| bd. 6 Mar 1823, KY
| dd. 1855, Barry Co, Mo
| ELIZABETH AMY RAY*
| bd. 21 Sep 1824, KY
| | Adaline McGUFFEE
| | bd. abt 1844, KY
| ELIZABETH AMY RAY*
| bd. 21 Sep 1824, KY
| | Nancy A. MURRY
| | bd. abt 1855, Missouri
| | Frances J. MURRY
| | bd. abt 1857, Missouri
| | John L. MURRY
| | bd. abt 1859, Missouri
| | George MURRY
| | bd. abt 1862, Missouri
| SAMUEL C RAY
| bd. 16 May 1826, KY
| dd. 1870
| | John RAY
| | Elizabeth RAY
| | Samuel RAY
| GEORGE W RAY
| bd. 15 Sep 1828, Calloway Co, KY
| dd. abt 1862, Springfield, Mo
| | Mary Isabel RAY
| | bd. 18 Mar 1851, Barry County, Mo
| | dd. 1 Feb 1929, Lela, Pawnee Co, OK
| | Missouri (Mandy?) RAY
| | bd. abt 1854
| | John W. RAY
| | bd. abt 1855, MO
| | James M. RAY
| | bd. 1856, MO
| | William L. RAY
| | bd. abt 1857, Texas ?
| | Sarah RAY
| | bd. abt 1859, MO
| | Elizabeth RAY
| | bd. 14 Apr 1862, Cassville, Barry Co, MO
| | dd. 3 Feb 1941, Lela, Pawnee OK
| NANCY HANEY RAY
| bd. 7 Jan 1830, KY
| dd. 23 Sep 1899, HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
| | George F. HENSON
| | bd. Sep 1850, Barry Co, MO
| | John Franklin HENSON
| | bd. 27 Oct 1851, Barry Co, MO
| | dd. abt 1873, Red Oak, Garland Co, AR
| | Sam E HENSON
| | bd. 1854, Barry Co, Mo
| | Mariah J. HENSON
| | bd. 1855, Scott Co, Ar
| | Mary Adaline HENSON
| | bd. 1857, Scott Co, AR
| | Nancy A HENSON
| | bd. 1859, Scott Co, AR
| | William Marion HENSON
| | bd. 11 Oct 1866, Boles, Scott Co, AR
| | dd. 21 Jun 1941, San Diego, San Diego Co, CA
| JOHN CASEY RAY
| bd. 6 Jan 1836, CALLOWAY, CO, KY
| dd. 28 Aug 1915, DRUMRIGHT CREEK, OK
| SARAH 'SALLY' GREEN RAY
| bd. 15 Dec 1837, KY
| JAMES A RAY
| bd. 22 Apr 1849, WASHBURN, Barry Co, MO
| dd. 17 Feb 1910, Granby, Newton Co, MO
Nathaniel F. Ray
b: 6 Mar 1823 Ky m: Mary A Frasure 4 Feb 1855 in Barry Co, Mo. Nathaniel was most probably born in Calloway Co, Ky. Researcher Loyd Bishop has been unable to locate him on any census after 1840 when he is with his father in KY. The Barry Co, Mo marriage records lists a marriage for him 1855. Nathaniel died the year he married. N. F. Ray's name appears on family records belonging to Loyd..Elizabeth Amy Ray
b:1825 Ky m: Sep 5, 1850 to William B Jameson. (According to researcher Dorothy Thomas). But Researcher Loyd Bishop believes that Elizabeth married Roland C. McGuffee in Calloway Co, Ky. This Elizabeth is the dau of John & Isabell because there is an Adeline McGuffee, age 16, living with the latter couple in the 1860 census. In 1850 there is an Elizabeth listed with the ray family in Barry County. John & Isabell's child, Elizabeth would be a little older than the Elizabeth listed in the census. Therefore, Loyd believes that the Elizabeth listed is George W. Ray's wife and not his sister. They were probably newly married. Elizabeth, dau to John & Isabell, married in Callowy Co, Ky to Roland McGuffey on 17 Mar 1844. In the 1850 Barry Co census, listed with Samuel C. Ray and Caroline Ray is Adaline ______, 6 years old. The last name is unreadable, but may be Mahaffy. In 1860 Adaline is listed with John & Isabell Ray and is 16 years old. Roland and Elizabeth are not found in 1850 Calloway or Barry Co census. Adeline's parents probably died and she moved to MO with her grandparents.Samuel C Ray
b:1826 Ky m: Caroline Foster in 1845 d: 1870. Caroline Foster & Samuel Ray had children: John, Elizabeth & SamuelGeorge W. Ray
b:1829 Callowy Co, Ky m: Elizabeth Russell 1851. Family legend says that George was killed during the civil war activity in SW MO. Evidence was found that indicated that George was not a civilian when he was killed, but rather a member of the Missouri State Guard and was killed in action during the Battle of Wilson's Creek near Springfield, Mo. His name was mentioned in the United Confederate Vetern's 10th reunion in Joplin, Mo, 26-27 Sep 1906 as being a casualty ofthe war. There is some confusion added to this story by a 1861 tax list which shows the Ray's as favoring the UNION. Most believe that Ray's were Confederates. The youngest child was a baby when George died , since the children were farmed out it is difficult to identify all of them. James M. Ray lived with Mary I and Franklin Porter in 1880, but what happened to him after that is uncertian. Loyd is searching for the marriage record of George and Elizabeth. The record was not recorded in Barry Co, Mo. Records of Newton and McDonald Co do not exist for the 1850 time period. There is also no record in Calloway Co, Ky.Nancy Haney Ray
b:7 Jan 1830 Ky m: Francis Marion Henson 1849 Carroll Co, Arkansas d:Sep 23, 1899 Hot Springs, ArkansasJohn Casey Ray
b:Jan 6, 1836 Calloway Co, Ky 1st m: Apr 20,1859 Mary Zilda Starkey (divorced) 2nd m: Nancy Jane King May 10,1874 Sherman,Grayson Co, Texas Co "D" 1st Reg. Texas Cavalry d:28 Aug 1915 Drumright Creek, Ok Buried in Mars Hill Cem, Pottawatomie, OKSarah "Sally" Green Ray
b: 15 Dec 1837 KyJames A. Ray
b: 22 Apr 1849 Barry Co, Mo m: 2 Jan 1876 in Jasper, Mo to Mary Z (Starkey) Ray - divorced wife of brother John. d: Feb 17,1910 Granby, Newton Co, Mo. Pioneers of Six Bulls, LDS Microfiche #6019138, Vol 21 of the Grandy Mo Cemetery records. Death certificate of James states that he was born in Washburn, MO, a town south of Cassville in Barry Co, Mo. His parents are listed on the certificate as John X. Ray and Isbel Foster. His occupation was listed as a miner, lived in Granby, Newton Co,Mo and married the divorced wife of his brother John Casey Ray..Researchers:
Dorothy Thomas, Loyd Bishop
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