Jonathan H. Ray

"Adam J. Barrone - Monroeville Democrat and Monroeville Weekly Breeze - Genealogy Information Extract June 1874- March 1885

Ray, Jonathan published 08/22/1878 3 3 Death 08/14/1878 age 96y; bur: Maples Cem.

From: David G Smith [mailto:beekeeper@baybroadband.net] July 14, 2008

Several years ago someone asked about the Ray line and since I am only two counties from Cecil County, Maryland, I drove up there for a day and read lots of documents. The parents of Jonathan were George and Margaret Hill Rhea. Here is the Ray/Williams connection.

The Cecil County Assessment records for the Sixth District, 1786, list George Rhea, assessed for 400 acres of land valued at £100. No other individuals are listed in his family, indicating that he married after the assessment.

It is noted that the 1790 census for Cecil County shows George Ray living in West Nottingham Hundred, which was located on the border with Chester County, PA, and just West of the center of Cecil County. The Ray family consisted of one male over the age of 16 (George) one under the age of 16 and two females. A Thomas Williams family was located in North Millford Hundred, also on the border with Pennsylvania, in the northeast corner of Cecil County. That family consisted of three males over 16 and two females. Two HILL families were located in East Nottingham Hundred and three in North Milford Hundred.

The Poor House Records, 1789-1848, contain an entry dated Wednesday, March 7, 1792, that may relate to this Ray family. A three-member board met and considered the following petition: "The pettition of James Bigham and Samuel Rhea in behalf of Patrick Rhea and wife was read and rejected unless said Rhea and wife will come to the Poor House."

On July 5, 1807, George Ray sold to Thomas Robinson, for five shillings, one small black mare, about six or seven years old. (CCLC J.S. 3 - 144)

~Recorded the 11th of January 1810: "I George Ray of Cecil County ... for the consideration of the sum of Seventy Dollars current money to me in hand paid by Thomas Robinson ... have granted bargained, sold and delivered ...the following property to wit, one small black mare being ten years old, one red and white cow, three feather beds and bedding, Six Walnut Chairs, four Rush Bottomed ditto, three tables, one Chest of Drawers and one cupboards which said property I will warrant and defend ..." Signed 28 Dec 1809 George X Ray, his mark.(CCLC J.S. 5 - 362)

On June 30, 1812, George Ray sold to Robert W. Armstrong, for the sum of $120.50, one dark brown or black mare with blase face and right hind foot white, fourteen years old, and her colt which now suckles, three head of ___ cattle, one red and ____ with brown and white, three feather beds, bedsteads and bedding, two chests, one Walnut table, and three chairs. (CCLC J.S. 8-181)

George Ray went to Harrison County Ohio in about 1838. He first applied for a Rev War pension in 1841 and was by then in Jefferson county. He was 82 in 1843 on another document and said he was born in Kent County, Delaware in 1761. He had a personal acquaintance be his witness who was a Methodist Episcopal minister. He states that he came to Ohio because his children were all of age and he followed them to Ohio and lived for a time in his son's house in Harrison County. (Jonathan lived in Jefferson County in 1827 and by 1833 was in Harrison County and was finally in Adams County in the early 1840s as he was named a County trustee in 1848). George's last request for a pension was in 1846, now he is 85 years old.

As for children of Jonathan, I have nine of the ten."

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