John Wray, Brunswick Co, VA - Family and Will
John Wray died ca 1774, Brunswick County, Virginia: I believe that my GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER IS JOHN WRAY of Brunswick County, Mehrin Parish, Virginia. John may have arrived in Brunswick Co from Surry Co, Va ca 1726. He may have attended church at St Andrew's Parish. Church records exist for St Andrew's Parish, Va State Archives, has anyone researched these? John Wray left a will in 1774 which identifies his children and wife and grandson Benjamin Wray to whom he left 50 sh. He recieved a Royal Land Patent 5/15/1722, on East side of Jeneto Creek, Brunswick Co, Virgina. John was a surveyor, in Brunswick Co, in 1739 and 1748. Information source: Brunswick Co, Va 1720- 1975 by Gay Nealse.
Carl Ray, is looking for information on this grandson, Benjamin Ray (1756-1841) who joined the Revolutionary Army at Wilmington, NC in the Spring of 1776. Carl knows that some of the Brunswick Co Va Wrays migrated south into North Carolina, Georgia & Alabama. According to Arline McGuire, Benjamin was the illegitimate child of Edy Wray (who married Jeremiah Mize). He was probably raised by this grandparents John and Frances Wray.
Family Group Report
John Ray / Wray and Frances Oher Bailey, his wife
Husband: JOHN WRAY
Birth: Circa 1700
Death: 23 May 1774 Place: BRUNSWICK, VA
Father: WILLIAM WRAY SR (1650-)
Mother: MARY WHITSON
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Wife: FRANCES OHER BAILEY
Birth: Circa 1720
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Children...
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1. F Child: REBECCA WRAY
Spouse: CULVER
Does anyone know who this was?
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2. F Child: Edith EDY WRAY
Spouse: JEREMIAH MIZE
Marriage: 29 Apr 1789 Place: BRUNSWICK CO, VA
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3. F Child: MARY WRAY
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4. F Child: AVIS WRAY named for her grandmother Avis Bailey. Proved in Henry Bailey's will.
Spouse: Stephen Mize, son of James and Elizabeth Mize. Stephen signed his will on February 23, 1792.
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5. M Child: JAMES R. RAY
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6. M Child: NATHANIEL RAY SR
Spouse: MOURNEY
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7. M Child: JOHN WRAY JR. (see group sheet below)
Spouse: daughter JARRETT
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I need help on the Mize and Culver women. I don't have a clue as to what became of them.
Interesting Note: There was also an Avas Wray/Ray who married Dennis Mize. Dennis could have been a granddaughter of John and Frances Wray / Ray. Dennis was probably the son of John Mize, born about 1750 who married Keziah (Cissey). John Mize was charged with 2 tithables in 1792, but only 1 in 1794. In 1794 Dennis shows up as a tithable. The Mize and Ray family are woven together in and something of a challenge to figure out. There is a Mize internet site with a great deal of family history on it. Joel Mize e-mail address is JMize54901@aol.com; his site does list a Nathaniel Ray but I do not know how it ties to the Ray family.
Family Group Report Dennis Mize and Amy Ray
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Husband: DENNIS MIZE
Father: John MIZE (ca 1750 - )
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Marriage: 8 Jul 1801 Place: BRUNSWICK CO, VA
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Wife: AVAS WRAY
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Children...
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1. M Child: Williamson MIZE
Birth: 1802 Place: Brunswick Co, VA
Death: Apr 1860 Place: Allen Co, KY
Family Group Report John Wray Jr.
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Husband: JOHN WRAY JR
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Father: JOHN WRAY (1700-1774)
Mother: FRANCES OHER BAILEY (1720-)
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Wife: daughter JARRETT
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Father: THOMAS JARRETT (1708-)
Mother: REBECCA ____
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Children...
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1. M Child: BAXTER WRAY (I do not have any confirming proof of the tie)
Birth: About 1765 Place: Virginia
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2. F Child: ELIZABETH "BETSEY" WRAY
Birth: About 1768 Place: Virginia
Death: SeeNotes Place: Warren Co. Ky.
Burial: Place: Old Drake Cemetery
Spouse: CLAIBORNE LIGHTFOOT
Marriage: 24 Nov 1786 Place: Brunswick Co. Va.
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3. M Child: THOMAS WRAY
Birth: About 1770 Place: Virginia
There is a bit of guess work involved in the family of John Wray Jr. Honestly, I can not remember who the researcher was that provided me this information. Baxter ended up in the Graves / Marshall County, Kentucky area as did my direct line ancestor - Hix Jones Ray.
The Will of John WrayProved 23rd May 1774, Brunswick County, VirginiaIn the Name of God Amen. I Jno Wray of the Parish of Maherrin in the county of Brunswick being weak of Body but of sound & perfect sense (?) & memory Praise be given to almighty God do make and ordain this to be my Last Well & Testament in the Name and form following first & principally I commend my soul unto the hands of God my Creator and my desire is for my Body to be Decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. & as to my Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with I Dispose of as Followith after my Debts & funeral expenses are paid. Item I Lend to my well beloved wife Frances Wray my best Feather Bed & furniture & my roane on ____ mare During her natural Life and then to be Divided as followeth. Item I Give & Bequeath unto my son Nathaniel Wray one shilling. Item I Give & Bequeath to my son Jno Wray one shilling. Item I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Rebeccah Culver one shillling and no more. __ my will & Desire is that my Land wereon I now live shall be sold and all the residue of my Estate be it of what kind soever at publick sale and my daughter Mary Wray to be first paid Fifty shillings out of the money the Land sells for and Fifty shillings to my Grandson Benjamin Wray and the remainder to be Equally Divided between my well Beloved wife Frances Wray and the remainder of my children / to wit, my son James Wray and my Daughter ____ Mize & Edy Mize and at the Death of my said wife my Desire is that the Bed & furniture & mare be sold and equally divided among my three last mentioned children. Also my will & Desire is if my Roane Mare should prove with Fold that my well beloved wife shall comply with my agreement with Jno Powell my neighbor & Deliver to him the said Powell the Foll of the said mare at one years old in good order for the consideration of Forty shillings to be paid by the said Powell to my Exors to be Equally Divided as before entioned & two Barrells of Corn to my wife towards the support of the said Fold I make my son James Wray my ___ & ___ executor of this my last will & testament whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this being the 11th day of May 1773. Signed Sealed & DeliveredIn the Presence of Benj Johnson Jno Powell his John R Wray Mark At a Court held for Brunswick County the 23rd day of May 1774 This will was proved according to Law by the oaths of Benj Johnson & Jno Powell the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the Exor therein named who made oath and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the exor therein named who made oath and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the Exor therein named who made oath thereto according to Law & together with Jeremiah Mize his security entered into & acknowledged his Bond in the Penalty of Two hundred pounds _____ as the Law Dirests certificate is granted him of obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste Peter Pelham
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