Samuel Ray and Margaret Jane Johnston
Husband Samuel Ray 1 2
Born: 1816 - Cherry Hill Twp, Indiana Co, PA 2 3 Christened: Died: 1907 - Blairsville, Indiana Co, PA 2 Buried:
Father: Matthew Ray (Abt 1775-1817) 2 3 Mother: Mary Mathews (Abt 1778-1861) 4
Marriage: 1841 3
Wife Margaret Jane Johnston 1 2
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: William Johnston (1782-1841/1844) 5 6 7 Mother: Jane Parker (1783-1849) 5 7
Children
1 F Jane Parker Ray 3 8
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Cyrus Stouffer (1842- ) 3 9 Marr: 1867 8
2 M George Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Jennie Paull ( - ) 3
3 M Lyman S. W. Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Mary Catharine "Kate" Scott ( - ) 10
4 F Mary M. Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
5 F Sarah Black Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1880 Buried:
6 F Margaret J. Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
7 F Ada F. Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
8 F Cornelia I. Ray 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Samuel Ray
He commenced mercantile life as a clerk in 1828, at Frederick Leydie's general store at Armagh, Pennsylvania. After a continuance of about sixteen months, he became associated with William Rankin, at a salary of forty-eight dollars per year. In 1836, he removed to Blairsville, and began, at a salary of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, to clerk for Mulhollan and Waterman. He remained with the firm and its successor George Mulhollan, for ten years. He then became a junior member of the house, having a half interest, and succeeded to the business at the death of Mr. Mulhollan. The firm afterward became (1854) Ray & Poor, then Ray, Hill & Co., of which John Hill was a member, as well as I. D. Poor. Mr. Poor retired and formed a new partnership with Mr. Ray, at Latrobe, Westmoreland County, under the style of I. D. Poor & Co., to which Mr. Poor succeeded in a few years. The firm of Ray & Hill continued till the beginning of the Civil war. It was followed by Ray and (Jesse A.) Cunningham, which was in operation from October 1, 1862, to March 18, 1867, when a new firm of Ray & Son (George M.) commenced. A brick storehouse was erected in 1864. Ray & Son gave way to S. & L. S. W. Ray, the association having begun on the 1st of October, 1870.
He had none of the privileges of free education and was early taught to work and to support himself. In 1828, when twelve years of age, he entered upon a business career, as a clerk in the general store of Frederick Leyda, at Armagh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, where he remained about sixteen months. He then went into the employ of William Rankin, who agreed to pay him forty-eight dollars per year. In 1836 he moved to Blairsville and engaged with Mulhollan & Waterman for $150 per year. This house was succeeded by that of George Mulhollan, and Mr. Ray's connection with the two concerns as an employee covered a decade. At the expiration of that time he became the junior member of the firm, purchasing a half interest, and succeeded to the business upon the demise of Mr. Mulhollan. Later the style was changed to that of Ray & Poor, who were succeeded by Ray, Hill & Co., the partners being Mr. Ray, John Hill and I. D. Poor. The latter retired to give his attention to another store at Latrobe which he and Mr. Ray operated, under the name of I. D. Poor & Co. In the meanwhile Mr. Ray was doing business with Mr. Hill under the title of Ray & Hill, and they remained together until the outbreak of the Civil war. On March 18, 1867, Mr. Ray took his son, George M., in with him, the firm becoming known as Ray & Son. Meantime, in 1864, the substantial brick storehouse of the concern was built. A larger business was carried on, the firm changing to S. & L. S. W. Ray in October, 1870. L. S. W. Ray later became sole owner, his father's successor in the hardware business.
During his seventy years of business life in Blairsville, he saw many changes. He entered, a boy, the warehouse on the bank of the Conemaugh when the larger part of produce carried in and out of the town was by the canal. He saw the entrance of the Pennsylvania railroad; the organization of the cemetery corporation, of which he was first president; the installment of the electric light plant (his residence was the first completely wired house in the town); the water system, and the graded public schools. He started as cashier with the First National Bank upon its opening, and served as president one year. During these busy years Samuel Ray found time to help many others in the struggle of life; found time to read, was well versed in politics and the general history of public events, a lover of good poetry and literature, known to be one of the best Bible students in the community. He left behind him-as a precious heritage to his children-"a good name," and the example of a well-spent life.
1 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 365, 366.
2 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 1024.
3 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 365.
4 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 365, 462.
5 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 366.
6 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 1352.
7 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 348.
8 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 1127.
9 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 1126.
10
—, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 365, 369.
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