WILLIAM
& ANN RAY
The Story as I know it
William Ray was born Aug. 31, 1705 in St Barnabas church,
Queen Anne Parish, Prince George County Maryland.
Queen Anne Parish church is called the St. Barnabas and is
in Leeland, near the Patuxent River. At
least there was a William born to William
and Elizabeth Ray on the date given re
Maryland, Births and christenings Index, 1662-1991 film
number 14304. I am not totally sure
there weren't two William's born about the same
time in the same area.
About 1727 William Ray
married Ann, last
name unknown, also of Prince Georges County. They
must have moved as at least some of their children are
also listed in Maryland, Births and christenings
Index, 1662-1991 film number 14304, but at St.
James Parish in Anne Arundel County Maryland.
The children assumed to be by this William and Ann
Ray were:
1. Thomas Ray,
born 1728
2. Ann Ray,
born 1730
3. John Ray,
born Aug 6, 1733
4. William Ray
born Nov. 26, 1734
5. Joseph Ray, born May
29, 1736 wed Mary Scheckles
6. Nicholas Ray,
born 1747 wed Susan Scheckles Deed Book RB #3,
page 605
The first two children were given by The Ray Book by Ann Tyson
Sipes, published in 1993. The last four children
we have St. James
Parish Records to support the date and
parents names. It is not known why the family
switched from Queen Anne Parish to St. James Parish in
Anne Arundel county. Perhaps the family moved across the
Patuxent River. The eleven year gap between Joseph
and Nicholas leads to questions, like; did they
have a number of children who died? Did the first Ann
die and eventually William remarried a 2nd Ann,
or is this a different William and Ann Ray in the
same parish?
On April 25, 1753, William Ray purchased 500
acres of track called Hammond and Giest from William
Cains. Deed Book RB #3, page 605. It
was on the east side of Snowden Branch of the Patuxent
River. This would put it today in southern portion
of Columbia, Howard County Maryland. It was then in
Anne Arundel county. Then two years later,
May 2, 1755 he purchased the rest of the track, 500 acres,
from Samuel Geist,
One of those lovely deeds you dream about, on Dec.
17, 1779 William Ray gave Hammond and Geist
to his two sons Joseph and Nicholas.
Before the deed was made Nicholas sold his share
to Joseph. It definitely ties the three men
together in family. There is also a record on Find
a Grave of Susan Ray in Marion county Ky.
The story given at that site was the Susan and her
sister Mary Scheckles married brothers, Joseph
and Nicholas.
The Anne Arundel county
Rent Roles show that William Ray had patented Resurvey on Oct.
5, 1762. AA liber
13#3. The patent hopefully is in the Maryland
Archives. On August 8, 1792, Nicholas Warfield and
Nicholas Ray, "heir to William Ray Jr." sold The Resurvey,
250 acres. AA Deed NH 6 page 277
In 1778 William Ray Sr
took the Oath of Fidelity, Maryland Census 1772-1890.
One last court document from Anne Arundel county page
207, but I don't have the book, very sorry. It is
dated Aug 15, 1781. John Nichols made a
public statement that he had called William Ray a
pig thief unjustly and that he was sorry to "asperst" the
character to William Ray in that manner.
The Index to Anne
Arundel County Wills by Margaret Roberts Hodges list
folio 80, Book T.G. #34 as the will for William Ray Sr. This
will was probated
Nov. 26, 1782. I really need to get a copy of that will.
If you know what it says, please CONTACT US. It is not known where he was
buried.
It is also not known when his wife Ann died or where she
is buried.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
If you know the answer please CONTACT US.
1.
What
was his mother's birth name?
2. Get an original copy of William's will or go to archives
to read it.
3. When did Ann Ray die?
4. What was Ann's birth name?
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Doc; gsray050.html
Date Created: 5/22/2012
Date updated: 8/11/2013