| 10. | Thomas A. WRAY was born on 15 Dec 1776 in Ashe, Rockingham County, Virginia (son of John WRAY and Susannah UNK); died on 17 Oct 1843 in Lawrence County, Ohio; was buried in 1843 in Flag Springs Cemetery, Sec 19/Walnut Twp., Gallia County, Ohio. Notes:
WFT#3597 date of birth December 12, 1776
Will on file for Thomas Wray in Lawrence County, Ohio, year 1848:
In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I Thomas Wray of the County
of Lawrence and State of Ohio do make and publish this my last will and
testament. Item first I give and devise to my beloved wife in lieu of
her dower the farm on which we now reside situate in the Counties of
Lawrence and Gallia containing about two hundred and ten acres and
bounded and described as follows (to wit) east half of the south east
quarter of section eleven township five and range seventeen also west
half of the southwest quarter of section no. twelve township no. five
and range no. seventeen also about seven or eight acres deeded by
Benjamin Nelson to Thomas Wray out of the east half of the northeast
quarter section fourteen township five and range seventeen that lies
north east of Symmes Creek and on the north east corner of said lot also
the north end of the west half of the northwest quarter of section
thirteen township five and range no. seventeen beginning at the
northwest corner and run south to Symmes Creek then down Symmes Creek
till just below a small field at the lower end of Thomas Wrays farm to a
large poplar to Corner & run east to the line of said lot thence north
to the northeast corner thence west to the place of beginning also about
five or six acres & is all that part of the east half of the northeast
quarter of Section Eleven Township five & Range no. seventeen that lies
south of Sym's Creek during her natural lifetime & all the household
furniture & two horses to be selected by her & such other stock & tools
as she shall see fit to select & as she pleases both in Quantity &
Quality She however selling so much there as will pay all my just debts.
I do hereby appoint my wife guardian of my son Volentine until he
becomes twenty one years of age & further Volentine is to live with his
mother during her life time or until he becomes of age to be provided
for off the farm by his mother. At the death of my said wife the real
estate aforesaid I give and devise to my son John Wray in consideration
he pays each of my other sons the sums of money hereafter described to
each of them, Volentine Wray two hundred dollars so soon as he becomes
of twenty one years of age, to pay James Wray one hundred dollars at the
end of one year after he gets possession of the aforesaid land, Eli Wray
one hundred dollars in two years, and Jackson Wray one hundred dollars
in three years and Thomas Wray one hundred dollars in four years and
Edwin Wray one hundred dollars in five years and William Wray one
hundred dollars in six years after he gets possession of the land
aforesaid. And my son John Wray being bound also to pay my daughters the
following sums to Matilda Garten twenty dollars to Lucinda Corrington
ten dollars.
Deposition of J.L. Armstrong:
J.L. Armstrong one of the said witnesses being duly sworn saith that he
was called by at request of testator to write his last will that when he
came over, he found the testator unwell, that he was able to go out and
in the house when called by necessity; that he wrote a will according to
the direction of the testator, and which when nearly finished was read
by witness to testator in presence of his son John Wray and when said
reading came to the part willed to said John Wray to pay James Wray one
hundred dollars John Wray said to his father if you give me nothing or
little don't think me to pay anything argued with his father that he was
deprived by the will of father and a suitable house seat and if his
father saw fit give him one hundred dollars or nothing and he would
shift for himself said John Wray not my will but thine be done at same
time telling his father that when he came to live with him he told him
he never should be put out of a home and that he had promised him that
what he would give him should be worth a thousand dollars. His father
answered what he had given him was worth a thousand dollars. John Wray
said during the conversation that some of his children had not done as
much for him as he had done. Witness then left the room and heard no
more conversation between testator and said John Wray till he was called
an hour or two afterwards to write a new will. The testator said that it
must be fixed at that time he had allotted for some time past to come to
see him that is witness me to get him to write his said will and that he
felt very unwell and something must be done. Then witness believes
testator to be at his decease about sixty five or six years of age and
believes he was as much in his right mind as he would have been under
similar circumstances when he was well. Witness considers testator
easily interrupted in the transaction of his business when well. Witness
said testator signed and heard him acknowledge the will and testator see
witness sign his witnesses name to said will at the request of said
testator and also at the request of said testator the will was retained
by witness to be safely kept till needed. Further the witness says the
last will was worth one thousand dollars more to said John Wray then the
first will wrote by witness was. Said witness says he signed the will in
presence of testator, and of the other witness and that he believes that
testator was of a sound mind and under no further influence than the
conversation.
Deposition of Adam Coulter:
In the case of will made by Thomas Wray my understanding was as follows
- after being requested to go to said ranch to be witness a will there
was a will wrote and read to Thomas Wray in the presence of myself and
John Wray. John Wray objected to said will and said that the will would leave him without any
house or stable and that it was not according to the promise that his
father had made him but said your will be done not mine father, and said
further that he could not get to a piece of land he had lying joining
the old man's farm. The old man then made answer and said he never
thought of that and said John Wray said that his father had promist him
a house if he would leave where he was and come and live on his farm and
help him to take care of his farm and himself and that his father had
promist as good as a thousand dollars at his death. He then spoke to his
father and said, father you know that you promised me that if I would
come and live with you and help to take care of your farm and you that
you would give as good as a thousand dollars at your death. Then his
father said I thought that it was as good as a thousand dollars. Then
John Wray said your will be done not mine and said he would be out of a
house on the mercies of other people and said if you will give me one
hundred dollars will you and shift for myself and started out of the
house, and the old man called to him and said come back John this matter
must be fixt for it is only burning daylight. John came back and there
was something said how the will had better be fixt. John then said that
if his father would give him the farm he would be willing to pay the
rest of the heirs something but I did not recollect what it was. Then
John and the rest who was in the house went out of the house all but
myself I then remarked to the old man and said Uncle Thomas if I was a
going to make a will and had a farm to give I would give it to one if it
was only calculated for one farm and he might give the rest of the heirs
what was right and if the farm was calculated for two farms involved
give it to two and they might pay the balance
Symmes Township, Data compiled by Ralph E. Lunsford from "Atlas of
Lawrence County, Ohio, Hardesty - 1882, Lake __ 1887" and "Symmes Creek"
by Wayne B. Ingles. Symmes Township lies in the northern part of
Lawrence County. This township contains 34 sections and was named for
Symmes Creek which flows through its eastern part. The surface of the
township is rough and hilly; the highest elevation being 1,012 feet at
Stewart Knob. Symmes Township was originally heavily forested and
supported a variety of wild animals including buffalo, bear, panther,
deer and wild turkey. The principal streams are Symmes, Buffalo and
Johns creeks. Symmes township was organized in 1820. George Pine, John
C. Stewart, William G. Robinson and Silas Spurlock were the first
settlers. Silas Spurlock made the first cabin in 1820. The first
settlement was made at the mouth of Johns Creek, the next at Yates Fork
on Buffalo. Other early settlers were: Constantine Handley, Thomas and
John Wray, Caleb McDaniel, Benjamin and Solomon Nelson, George Irwin,
William Burke and R. Cooper. The early settlers cleared most of the
timber and killed or drove off most of the wild animals. By 1870, all of
Symmes was owned by individuals or companies. However, in 1989 the
Federal Government has regained 61% of the township and many deer, wild
turkey and some beaver have returned. The first school was 1834, taught
in a log cabin on Johns creek by Andrew Burke. The twelve students came
from Symmes, Aid, Mason and Walnut townships. The next school was on
Buffalo near Rehoboth Church. By 1887 there were eight schools with a
total enrollment of 407. In the 1920's, The Waterloo Local School
District was formed consisting of Symmes and parts of Aid, Mason and
Walnut Townships. High school was conducted in an old church until a new
school was built in 1929 housing grades one through twelve.
Notes for Thomas Wray:
"Neals of Bedford County, Virginia", Chester I. Miller, 1992:
The first recorded mention of his name that I have been able to find of my great great grandfather, Thomas Wray, is in the marriage records of Monroe County, Virginia (Jacket #46) when on 09 Sep 1800 he acted as witness, along with Elizabeth Feagon as witnesses to the marriage of Obediah Neel and Sarah Miller. Another Thomas Wray lived a the same time in Monroe County, Virginia. The other Thomas lived on Hans Creek several miles westward and a little south of the Dropping Lick community. The name of the wife of the Hans Creek Thomas was Priscilla (Gold) Wray. In 1785 a certain Joseph Wray had received a patent for 154 acres of land on Hans Creek, and in 1809 Thomas and Priscilla Wray sold land on Hans Creek that seems to fit the other description. Thomas Wray died on the 17th day of October 1843. On his gravestone, "Beneath his feet and o'er his head - Is equal warning given - Around him lies the silent dead - Above him is the heaven."
Gallia Co. Ohio It's People in History:
One of the first teachers in Walnut Twp. Fell and hurt his back while working in an orchard. Rachel finished raising the children. 6 sons were in the Civil War, 1 died in service. 3 were Methodist Preachers.
1810 Census, Monroe Co., Virginia: Thomas Wray, 2 males under 5, 1 male 26-45, 3 females under 5, 1 female 16-25. John Wray & Mathias McGlammery are neighbors.
From Donna Bott, Valdese, NC:
- 21 Dec 1812 witness to a land transaction from Agnes Neal to John Wiseman, Bedford Co., VA.
- 23 Dec 1820 Deed Book Vol G, pg 299, Monroe Co., VA, sells Rachels 1/10th share of Walter Neal's 285 acres to brother-in-law, Charles Neal.
- Lawrence Co., Ohio Deed Book 5, page 399, 23 Aug 1831, purchased land on east side of Symmes Creek from Benjamin and Delphina Nelson for $1. Lived on adjacent land at the time. On 1 Nov 1844, Deed Book 18, page 60, John Wray (son of Thomas and exec. of estate) sold this land to James Armstrong with the stipulation that his mother, Rachel, should live on the land until her death.
20 Apr 1813, Monroe Co., Virginia, Deed Book D, Page 30: Thomas Wray for one dollar to Benjamin Harvie 100 acres on the north side of Peter's Mountain in Monroe Co., VA. part of survey 7,570 acres and deeded to said Arbuckle by Joseph Scott and by him to Lively McGhee & by him to Benjamin Harvie & John Mann & by Mann to said Harvie by nature of an act of Congress for selling lands for taxes lying in Monroe County. Thomas paid taxes in 1815 for 40 acres on north side of Peter's Mtn., about 9 miles from the courthouse. This same 40 acres was sold to John Mann in 1840 for delinquent taxes.
Symmes Creek; Wayne B. Ingles; Gallipolis Library:
Robert Armstrong, Mr. Petty, Thomas Wray and Jacob Bosworth taught school, commencing in 1818, in a round log building near Henry McDaniel.
Owned land in both Gallia and Lawrence Counties, Ohio. The family joked that they ate dinner in one county and slept in another. Land was 210 acres in east 1/2 of southeast quarter of section 11, township 5 range 17 and west 1/2 of southwest 1/2 of section 12 township 5 range 17 also 7 or 8 acres out of the east 1/2 of northeast quarter of section 14 township 5 range 17 that lies northeast of Symmes Creek and northeast corner of said lot also north end of west 1/2 of northwest quarter of section 13 township 5 range 17 beginning at northwest corner and run south to Symmes Creek till just below a small field.
1830 Census, Symmes Twp., Lawrence Co., Ohio - 2 males under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 2 males 15-20, 1 male 50-60, 3 females 10-15, 2 females 15-20, 1 female 40-50.
There is a will on file for Thomas Wray in Lawrence County, Ohio, year 1848:
In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I Thomas Wray of the County of Lawrence and State of Ohio do make and publish this my last will and testament. Item first I give and devise to my beloved wife in lieu of her dower the farm on which we now reside situate in the Counties of Lawrence and Gallia containing about two hundred and ten acres and bounded and described as follows (to wit) east half of the south east quarter of section eleven township five and range seventeen also west half of the southwest quarter of section no. twelve township no. five and range no. seventeen also about seven or eight acres deeded by Benjamin Nelson to Thomas Wray out of the east half of the northeast quarter section fourteen township five and range seventeen that lies north east of Symmes Creek and on the north east corner of said lot also the north end of the west half of the northwest quarter of section thirteen township five and range no. seventeen beginning at the northwest corner and run south to Symmes Creek then down Symmes Creek till just below a small field at the lower end of Thomas Wrays farm to a large poplar to Corner & run east to the line of said lot thence north to the northeast corner thence west to the place of beginning also about five or six acres & is all that part of the east half of the northeast quarter of Section Eleven Township five & Range no. seventeen that lies south of Sym's Creek during her natural lifetime & all the household furniture & two horses to be selected by her & such other stock & tools as she shall see fit to select & as she pleases both in Quantity & Quality She however selling so much there as will pay all my just debts. I do hereby appoint my wife guardian of my son Volentine until he becomes twenty one years of age & further Volentine is to live with his mother during her life time or until he becomes of age to be provided for off the farm by his mother. At the death of my said wife the real estate aforesaid I give and devise to my son John Wray in consideration he pays each of my other sons the sums of money hereafter described to each of them, Volentine Wray two hundred dollars so soon as he becomes of twenty one years of age, to pay James Wray one hundred dollars at the end of one year after he gets possession of the aforesaid land, Eli Wray one hundred dollars in two years, and Jackson Wray one hundred dollars in three years and Thomas Wray one hundred dollars in four years and Edwin Wray one hundred dollars in five years and William Wray one hundred dollars in six years after he gets possession of the land aforesaid. And my son John Wray being bound also to pay my daughters the following sums to Matilda Garten twenty dollars to Lucinda Corrington ten dollars to Nancy Smith ten dollars to Rachael Storgill ten dollars to Winna Miller ten dollars to Rebecca Rose ten dollars the sums given to the girls to be paid the seventh year after he gets possession. ____ mistake Thomas Wray is to be paid at the time specified to pay Jackson Wray and Jackson to be paid at the time specified to pay Thomas as the intention is to pay the oldest first. I do hereby nominate and appoint John Wray and James Wray executors of this my last will and testament.
Deposition of J.L. Armstrong:
J.L. Armstrong one of the said witnesses being duly sworn saith that he was called by at request of testator to write his last will that when he came over, he found the testator unwell, that he was able to go out and in the house when called by necessity; that he wrote a will according to the direction of the testator, and which when nearly finished was read by witness to testator in presence of his son John Wray and when said reading came to the part willed to said John Wray to pay James Wray one hundred dollars John Wray said to his father if you give me nothing or little don't think me to pay anything argued with his father that he was deprived by the will of father and a suitable house seat and if his father saw fit give him one hundred dollars or nothing and he would shift for himself said John Wray not my will but thine be done at same time telling his father that when he came to live with him he told him he never should be put out of a home and that he had promised him that what he would give him should be worth a thousand dollars. His father answered what he had given him was worth a thousand dollars. John Wray said during the conversation that some of his children had not done as much for him as he had done. Witness then left the room and heard no more conversation between testator and said John Wray till he was called an hour or two afterwards to write a new will. The testator said that it must be fixed at that time he had allotted for some time past to come to see him that is witness me to get him to write his said will and that he felt very unwell and something must be done. Then witness believes testator to be at his decease about sixty five or six years of age and believes he was as much in his right mind as he would have been under similar circumstances when he was well. Witness considers testator easily interrupted in the transaction of his business when well. Witness said testator signed and heard him acknowledge the will and testator see witness sign his witnesses name to said will at the request of said testator and also at the request of said testator the will was retained by witness to be safely kept till needed. Further the witness says the last will was worth one thousand dollars more to said John Wray then the first will wrote by witness was. Said witness says he signed the will in presence of testator, and of the other witness and that he believes that testator was of a sound mind and under no further influence than the conversation.
Deposition of Adam Coulter:
In the case of will made by Thomas Wray my understanding was as follows - after being requested to go to said ranch to be witness a will there was a will wrote and read to Thomas Wray in the presence of myself and John Wray. John Wray objected to said will and said that the will would leave him without any house or stable and that it was not according to the promise that his father had made him but said your will be done not mine father, and said further that he could not get to a piece of land he had lying joining the old man's farm. The old man then made answer and said he never thought of that and said John Wray said that his father had promist him a house if he would leave where he was and come and live on his farm and help him to take care of his farm and himself and that his father had promist as good as a thousand dollars at his death. He then spoke to his father and said, father you know that you promised me that if I would come and live with you and help to take care of your farm and you that you would give as good as a thousand dollars at your death. Then his father said I thought that it was as good as a thousand dollars. Then John Wray said your will be done not mine and said he would be out of a house on the mercies of other people and said if you will give me one hundred dollars will you and shift for myself and started out of the house, and the old man called to him and said come back John this matter must be fixt for it is only burning daylight. John came back and there was something said how the will had better be fixt. John then said that if his father would give him the farm he would be willing to pay the rest of the heirs something but I did not recollect what it was. Then John and the rest who was in the house went out of the house all but myself I then remarked to the old man and said Uncle Thomas if I was a going to make a will and had a farm to give I would give it to one if it was only calculated for one farm and he might give the rest of the heirs what was right and if the farm was calculated for two farms involved give it to two and they might pay the balance for I think it would be the best way to fix such offures and the old man said that is afterward rather it was fixt that way. I then left house and thought that the old man was pleased with that plan and that he was perfectly in his right mind. In a short time J.L. Armstrong was called in the house where the old man stayed and in a short time I went in to the house and J.L. Armstrong was writing a will in the presence of John Wray and his father, John Wray then was ast how soon he was willing to pay the several sums to the rest of heirs. Father mentioned the times that is in the will first made by Thomas Wray. The old man said that he must have plenty time he must not be crowded. The will was finished in their presence and read to them. The will then was signed in the presence of J.L. Armstrong and myself by the said Thomas Wray and we signed the will in the presence of the said Thomas Wray as witnesses. This is as near the conversation by and between the parties I can recollect at this time. It now comes to my recollection that the old man said he did not know that John would be willing to pay so much to the rest. _____Signed by Adam Coulter on Oct 24, 1848.
Symmes Township, Data compiled by Ralph E. Lunsford from "Atlas of Lawrence County, Ohio, Hardesty - 1882, Lake __ 1887" and "Symmes Creek" by Wayne B. Ingles. Symmes Township lies in the northern part of Lawrence County. This township contains 34 sections and was named for Symmes Creek which flows through its eastern part. The surface of the township is rough and hilly; the highest elevation being 1,012 feet at Stewart Knob. Symmes Township was originally heavily forested and supported a variety of wild animals including buffalo, bear, panther, deer and wild turkey. The principal streams are Symmes, Buffalo and Johns creeks. Symmes township was organized in 1820. George Pine, John C. Stewart, William G. Robinson and Silas Spurlock were the first settlers. Silas Spurlock made the first cabin in 1820. The first settlement was made at the mouth of Johns Creek, the next at Yates Fork on Buffalo. Other early settlers were: Constantine Handley, Thomas and John Wray, Caleb McDaniel, Benjamin and Solomon Nelson, George Irwin, William Burke and R. Cooper. The early settlers cleared most of the timber and killed or drove off most of the wild animals. By 1870, all of Symmes was owned by individuals or companies. However, in 1989 the Federal Government has regained 61% of the township and many deer, wild turkey and some beaver have returned. The first school was 1834, taught in a log cabin on Johns creek by Andrew Burke. The twelve students came from Symmes, Aid, Mason and Walnut townships. The next school was on Buffalo near Rehoboth Church. By 1887 there were eight schools with a total enrollment of 407. In the 1920's, The Waterloo Local School District was formed consisting of Symmes and parts of Aid, Mason and Walnut Townships. High school was conducted in an old church until a new school was built in 1929 housing grades one through twelve.
Thomas married Rachel NEAL on 26 Sep 1802 in Monroe County, Virginia. Rachel (daughter of Walter NEAL, Sr. and Winifred WOOD) was born on 08 Feb 1784 in Bedford County, Virginia; died on 10 Sep 1852 in Gallia County, Ohio; was buried in 1852 in Flag Springs Cemetery, Sec 19/Walnut Twp., Gallia County, Ohio. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1889 - 1986 (97 years)