Genesee-Wayne County MI Archives Biographies.....Ray, William 1846 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 26, 2006, 10:17 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) WILLIAM RAY. We here present a sketch of one of the well-known and leading citizens of Mundy Township, Genesee County, who has long been an influential man in this community. His fine farm is located on section 34, and here his thoroughly cultivated acres and excellent buildings speak strong words in praise of his thrift and management. His father was M. Ray who was born in the north of Ireland and died in Detroit when our subject was quite young. His mother, whose maiden name was Emily Skinner, was a native of Detroit and born June 11, 1812. After the death of his father she was united in marriage with George Judson and they made their home in 1835 in Mundy Township, where Mr. Judson had previously resided. Here the mother died March 29, 1874. The mother of William Ray had two children by her first marriage, our subject and his brother Joseph who died in Ft. Scott, Kan., in 1869. William was born on the St. Clair River, January 5, 1832. He grew to manhood in Mundy Township which has ever been his home. In 1853 he went to California and entered the mines, where he was engaged for about sixteen months meeting with reasonable success, but with that exception he has continued in the line of farming and stock-raisin o-, both of which he has carried on extensively. Substantial improvements have been made upon his farm and he has cleared away many acres of timber. The marriage of William Ray with Miss Sarah J. Gage took place in Oakland County, this State in February, 1855. This lady was a native of the town where she was reared and married. Four children were born to them, the eldest, Nellie, is the wife of Walter Waddley, of Argentine Township; Betsey J. married Seward Chaffee, of Byron, Mich.; Mina C, is Mrs. James L. Cross, of Fen ton, and Virginia T. is the wife of J. Fred Starrer. Mrs. Sarah Ray passed from this life, September 5, 1870. The second marriage of our subject took place in Burton Township, this county, July 28, 1872 and his bride was Miss Julia Gage, a native of that township, and born July 28, 1850. They have two children, Lillian and Flora. Mr. Ray has served as Highway Commissioner three years and has taken an active part in political affairs, being a thorough and stanch Democrat. In the fall of 1885 he was a candidate for the Legislature but was defeated by his Republican opponent. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Blue Lodge and Commandery No. 14, at Fenton. The father of Mrs. Julia Gage is the Hon. John L. Gage, a native of New Hampshire, and her mother, Mary Tufts, was born in New York. They came to Pontiac, Mich., early in the '30s and some four or five years later removed to Burton Township, where he has since been a resident and where she died. He has been Supervisor of his township and Treasurer of Genesee County. During one term he was a member of the State Legislature where he served the Commonwealth with judgment and discretion. Their children were one son and six daughters of whom Mrs. Ray was the sixth in. order of age. Mr. Gage's ability and character made him a marked man in the community, and he was of service in many ways in all public affairs. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/ray55nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb