Bray Family of Randolph Co. NC

Family sites on line take the Bray family back to London in the mid-1600s. The immigrant ancestor is thought to be Henry Bray, born about 1705, who died in 1794 in Chatham County, NC. His wife was Mary Wilson.

Their son Henry was reportedly born in Virginia about 1742, and died in Chatham County in 1812. His wife Sarah Yokley died around the same time. On-line trees name 11 children for Henry and Sarah, one of whom was Matthias, sometimes listed as Josiah, who married Isabella Edwards. Matthias and Isabella were the parents of Henry Bray (1801-1874), whose wife was Mary Craven (1796-1875), daughter of Peter Craven and Mary Kennedy.


First Generation

Children of Henry Bray and Mary Craven
Orlando W. Bray (1827-1854) m. Rosannah Moffitt (1830-?)
Henry Winston Bray (1834-?) m. Elizabeth Brown (1839-1918), a granddaughter of Joshua Brown and Mary Rains
? P.H. Bray (ca. 1835-?)

P.H. Bray age 15 is living with Henry and Mary in 1850, but is replaced in 1860 by Henry W. age 26. In 1870 Henry W. age 36 and his wife Elizabeth age 30 are still living with Henry and Mary. I wonder therefore if "P.H. Bray" in 1850 is a census taker's error, and was in fact Henry.

After Orlando Bray's death in 1854, his widow Rosannah married William Carr Bray, a first cousin of Orlando's.


Second Generation

Child of Orlando Bray and Rosannah Moffitt
Henry Thomas Bray (1851-1925) m. 1) Artemishie Adelaide Trogdon (ca. 1853-?), 2) unknown, 3) Mary Rebecca Newlin (?)
Mary A. Bray (ca. 1854-?)

In 1910 Henry is living with Mary Rebecca. The census states that they have been married 12 years, and that this is Henry's third marriage, Mary Rebecca's first.

Was his second wife Martha Scotten, married 1891?

Children of Henry Winston Bray and Elizabeth Brown
Cora Bray (1874-?)
Augustus General Pettigrew Bray (1876-1944)
Henry Hampton Bray (1881-1948)


Third Generation

Children of Henry Thomas Bray and Artemishie Adelaide Trogdon
Ometa Allie Bray (1874-1919) m. Benjamin F. Brown (1871-1954)
Abijah Herbert Bray (1878-?) m. Mary Eliza Ritter (1876-1943)


Fourth Generation

Children of Abijah Bray and Mary Eliza Ritter
Mamie E. Bray (1889-?) m. Howard Williams
Arthur Worth Bray (1896-1970)
Herbert Thomas Bray (1900-1974)
Shella Russell Bray (1905-1957)
Cordie Blanche Bray (1911-?)
Lewis Ritter Bray (1914-1987)


Resources

K.B. Keeley's "SHULERS, Related Families, and many others unrelated" site

This is an extensive, well-documented site that includes many branches of the Bray family.


This page was created on February 17, 2008 and extensively revised June 7, 2008.


 

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Elizabeth Harris, ncgen@mindspring.com