John PRAY
Birth:
6 Oct 1783
Gloucester, Providence, R.I.
Death:
18 Oct 1872
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Marriage:
21 Mar 1809
Father:
Mother:
Notes:
Benn's Rhode Island Families, vol. 3, pp. 114, 275
Ballou Genealogy
Heath Record pp. 79-159, 178
Mt. Morris Cemetery, Groveland, New York
Hammond's History, Madison, New York, p. 702
Foster Bk. 3, p. 143: Will of Deborah Wade
History of Toledo and Lucas Co. by Waggoner,mp. 919
More special mention than has been given seems due to memory of Waterville's chief pioneer. John Pray was born in Rhode Island 6 Oct 1783. At 12 years of age he went to Saratoga, NY. In May 1817, with his brother James and 5 others he set out for the West in search of a site for a colony, traveling by stage to Buffalo, and by a small sloop to Detroit, thence by pack horses they proceeded to the Maumee Valley.
Following the river up to Fort Defiance to Dayton, Ohio and thence to Cleveland. At this point, not having found a satisfactory place for the proposed settlement, all of the party save John Pray returned to New York, while he, not disposed to abandon his pursuit of a western home, came back to Maumee Valley, and soon determined to settle at Waterville.
Returning to New York, he remained there until 1818 when he set out on his return with his wife, four children and a nephew. they traveled in a wagon to Buffalo, ane there took a 15 ton schoomer, the "Captain Charter" for Maumee. So scant was the supply of sails, that the passengers were required to use their clothes for such.
A passage of 9 days took them to Waterville where they found temporary quarters in an unfinished log cabin of Mr. Adams who was among the few settlers who had arrived since Mr. Pray's visit the previous year, all of whom gave cordial welcome to the recruits.
In 1821 John Pray built the first gristmill on the Lower Maumee. In 1821 he laid out the village of Waterville. In 1837 he built the Columbian House, then the best hotel in the section. He purchased large quantities of land in Lucas, Wood and Fulton Counties.
In 1820 he was one of the first board of commissioners of Wood County. For
nine years he was Justice of the Peace. He was the first postmaster of Waterville. He was well educated and thus specially fitted to promote both moral and material interests of the community. (Genealogy given.)
Until 47 years old he adhered to the religious belief of the Universalists, but in 1840 he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1888 the following were still living. Paris H Pray at Whitehouse, Orzo D. Pray at Grizzly Flats, Colo. and thomas Pray at Waterville.
John and Lucy Pray may have had more children who died as infants. He was buried at Wakeman Cemetery, Waterville, Ohio.
Lucy DUNHAM
Birth:
28 Mar 1789
Fort Edward, New York
Death:
11 Aug 1874
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Father:
Mother:
Notes:
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Lucy was from Smithfield, New York. She and her husband apparently had two more children who died as infants.
Children
Marriage
1
Birth:
9 Oct 1810
Peterboro, Madison, New York
Death:
29 Oct 1839
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
Waggnor's History of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, p. 914
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p. 275
Unpublished Pray genealogy by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911), p. 159, 171
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Lived in Waterville, Ohio.
2
Birth:
25 Jan 1812
Smithfield, Madison, New York
Death:
20 Dec 1838
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
Unpublished Pray genealogy by John Lansing (1839-1911) p. 919
Waggnor's History of Toledo and Lucas Co., Ohio, p. 919
Benn's Rhode Island Families, vol 3., pp. 114-115, vol. 2, p. 275
Virkus Comp. American Gen., vol. 2, pp. 259-260
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
3
Birth:
19 Jan 1814
Peterboro, Madison, New York
Death:
8 Jan 1870
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
Waggnor's History of Toledo & Lucas Co., Ohio, p. 941
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p 275
Unpublished Pray gen. by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911) p. 159, 171
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Source: Jean Gimbut, 81 Chalfield Drive, Painesville, Ohio 44077.
4
James Remson ? PRAY
Birth:
14 Feb 1817
Peterboro, Madison, New York
Death:
24 Feb 1835
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Marr:
Notes:
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
5
Birth:
5 May 1819
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
24 Jun 1901
Whitehouse, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
Unpublished Pray genealogy by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911) pp. 159, 171
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p. 275
Maumee Valley Ohio Pioneer Association, 1897-1901, Memorial of John Pray, esq.
Waggoner's History of Toledo and Lucas County, p. 919
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Family burial plot is in Waterville, Ohio. Lived in Waterville, Ohio., Michigan, Whitehouse, Ohio and went to California in 1850. Served in Co. I, 14th O.V.I. in the Civil War. Was a clothier, farmer and merchant.
6
Birth:
26 Nov 1821
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
19 Feb 1861
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
History of Toledo and Lucas county, Ohio by Waggnor, p. 941
Vital Records of Lucas County, Ohio
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p. 275
Unpublished Pray gen. by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911) pp. 159, 171
Heath Pub. record
Lucas County records
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Married Catherine Gleason and lived on a farm in Swanton. When married Emeline Smith he lived in Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio.
7
Ozro Dunham PRAY
Birth:
6 Mar 1824
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
6 Mar 1900
Stockton, California
Marr:
Notes:
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Ozro was unmarried.
8
Birth:
9 Apr 1828
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
Waggnor's History of Toledo and Lucas Cc., Ohio, p. 914
Unpublished Pray genealogy by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911) pp. 159, 171
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p. 275
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Was a farmer and lived in the old Pray home on the homestead on the corner of Farnsworth Road and 4th Street in Waterville, Ohio.
9
Birth:
13 Oct 1831
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
5 Oct 1853
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Notes:
The Rhode Island Branch of the Pray Family,
compiled by Marjorie Bucher Shufelt, Waterville, Ohio
Lived in Waterville, Ohio.
10
Birth:
18 Mar 1835
Waterville, Lucas, Ohio
Death:
18 Mar 1879
Grizley Flats, El-Drd., California
Notes:
Waggnor, History of Toledo and Lucas Co., Ohio, p. 914
Benn's Rhode Island Families, p. 275
Records of Maumee Valley Pioneer Association
Unpublished Pray genealogy by John Lansing Pray (1839-1911) pp. 159, 171
FamilyCentral Network
John Pray - Lucy Dunham
John Pray
was born at Gloucester, Providence, R.I. 6 Oct 1783.
His parents were John Pray and Deborah Wade.
He married Lucy Dunham 21 Mar 1809 . Lucy Dunham was born at Fort Edward, New York 28 Mar 1789 .
They were the parents of 10
children:
Harriet Pray
born 9 Oct 1810.
John Lansing Pray
born 25 Jan 1812.
Mary Caroline Pray
born 19 Jan 1814.
James Remson ? Pray
born 14 Feb 1817.
Paris Huntington Pray
born 5 May 1819.
William Kent Pray
born 26 Nov 1821.
Ozro Dunham Pray
born 6 Mar 1824.
Thomas B. Pray
born 9 Apr 1828.
Lucy Pray
born 13 Oct 1831.
Caroline Pray
born 18 Mar 1835.
John Pray died 18 Oct 1872 at Waterville, Lucas, Ohio .
Lucy Dunham died 11 Aug 1874 at Waterville, Lucas, Ohio .