Locations: St. Andrew's Parish, Mehrin Parish, Brunswick Co, VA, Surry Co, VA
INFORMATION ON 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.
Wife: FRANCES OHER BAILEY
Children...
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1. F Child: REBECCA WRAY
Spouse: CULVER
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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 - 289
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4. F Child: AVIS WRAY - 290 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 [email protected]; 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
Husband: JOHN WRAY JR
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Father: JOHN WRAY - 284 (1700-1774)
Mother: FRANCES OHER BAILEY - 285 (1720-)
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Wife: daughter JARRETT - 377
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Father: THOMAS JARRETT - 434 (1708-)
Mother: REBECCA ____ - 437
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Children...
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1. M Child: BAXTER WRAY
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
Joel Mize, e-mail: [email protected]
Pat Scheele, P.O. Box 9, Mead, Ne 68041 or e-mail: [email protected]