Biographical Sketches: GEORGE H. RAY ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ File Contributed by Tina S. Vickery, tsvickery@gmail.com *************************************************************************** The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin Compiled and Published under the direction of Wm. H. Froehlich, Secretary of State 1901. page 752 ASSEMBLYMEN. GEO. H. RAY, Speaker; W. A. NOWELL, Chief Clerk; A. M. ANDERSON, Sergeant-at-Arms. The Assembly consists of 100 members. They are chosen biennially and receive $500 for their service during the term. The Speaker Is chosen by the members and receives an additional $500 for his services as Speaker. The Assembly of 1901 contains 82 Republicans and 18 Democrats. LA CROSSE COUNTY First District. The town of Campbell, and the 1st, 2d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 19th and 20th wards of the city of La Crosse. Population, 1900-291,840. (Unchanged by apportionment of 1901) GEORGE H. RAY (Rep.), of La Crosse, was born at St. Stephens, New Brunswick, Oct. 4, 1847, both his father and mother being American citizens. He was educated in the common schools at St. Stephens, and came to this country at the age of eighteen, residing in Rockland and Gardner, Maine. During his residence at Gardner he served two years in the city council of that place. He came to Wisconsin in 1878, and has, with the exception of a brief period, resided at La Crosse. He served six years upon the county board of La Crosse county, being for two years its chairman. He is a member of the board of trustees of Beloit College, president of the State Bank of La Crosse, and a stockholder and director in the gem City Saw Mill company, of Quincy, Ill. He was elected to the assembly in 1894 and 1896 and again in 1898, And was unanimously elected speaker of the Forty-fourth Assembly, 1899. In 1900 he was again elected to the assembly by 2,734 votes, against 1,808 for Frank S. Walker (Dem.), and 92 for Charles M. Sanderson (Pro.). He was elected speaker of the Forty-fifth Assembly without opposition.