Samuel Perkins Ray

PERKINS, RAY, TOMPKINS

Posted By: Esther Breeden (email)
Date: 2/5/2002 at 06:00:02

The obituary of Samuel Perkins Ray. He died Mar. 25, 1902 in Lewis County, near La Belle, Missouri. The obituary was printed April 4, 1902.

LIVED NEARLY A CENTURY

Death Removes one of Lewis County's Old
and Highly Respected Citizens

In the death of Samuel P. Ray Lewis County loses one of its oldest and honored citizens. In his death another of the county's oldest inhabitants has crossed the bourne. The illness was the result of old age. For several years he was unfitted for the walks of life in which his friends and acquaintances were accustomed to find him. Now that death has overtaken him he will be missed by those with whom he associated. He was conscious almost to the last and finally passed peacefully away without suffering any pain Tuesday, March 25.

"Uncle Sammy", as he was familiarly known, was an upright, honorable citizen, who believed in building character, by good works and upright living, and he succeeded admirably. The deceased was a native of New Hampshire, where he first saw the light in the year 1806. In 1827 he moved to Lyons, New York, where he resided until 1833 when he moved to Michigan and from there to Iowa. In 1840, when the following year he married Elizabeth Tompkins, to whom three children were born, viz: John, Charles, and Samuel Sarles. The latter died in 1850. Mrs. Ray also passed away in 1854. The deceased was one of the Forty-niners, crossing the plains with the other hardy pioneers of the far west. He returned home and again recrossed the plains in 1853, taking a drove of cattle across with him. He was again married in 1857, when he moved to Lewis county and settled upon the farm upon which he died. Interment took place at Deer Ridge, by the side of his last wife who preceded him several years ago.

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Samuel Ray's obituary says he was married the second time in 1857, however this was wrong. He was married the second time in 1858 as is evidenced by the marriage record in Clark County, Missouri. viz:

State of Missouri
County of Clark
I Joseph F. Murphy certify that Samuel P. Ray and Contenty Tompkins on the 11th day of August 1858 were at my residence by me legally joined in the bonds of wedlock.

Joseph F. Murphy
Justice of the peace

Filed for record Nov. 5, 1858.
J. P. Hampton, Rec.

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