Moses Wray Sr (1701 - 1780)

Born 1701 in Henrico, Mecklenburg, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 19 Oct 1780 at about age 79 in Franklin, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1705

Note

Note: Family legend has him coming to Virgina in about 1732 with his wife and oldest son, Moses II. He first settled in the James River area, thus he landed near Jamestown some 100 years after this early settlement. He soon moved to the Boone Mills are in Franklin County which was at that time the "frontier". Land sale records show he bought and sold a considerable amount of property. }

Moses Wray of Amherst Co., Virginia - Deeds & Census Records 1749-1784 Amherst Co., Virginia Records of Moses Wray predate the formation of Amherst County, Virginia. Moses had at least three sons, Moses (II), Thomas and William. Thomas died [after 1780 and before 1783] without issue and left the land given him by his father to his brother William. Based on census records in 1783 and 1784, (copy below) the son's appeared to be was living in Amherst County at this time, and Moses (II) had a slave in 1783.
1783 - William Ray, 1 white, 0 black; Moses Ray, 5 white, 1 black. - Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, Records of State Enumerations: 1782 to 1785, Virginia, 1908, page 47. Heads of Families -Virginia, 1783. Amherst County.

1784 - Moses Ray, 6 white, 0 black; William Ray, 6 white, 0 black. - Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, Records of State Enumerations: 1782 to 1785, Virginia, 1908, page 84. Amherst County.

William's property holdings from his father and his directions to sell this land are recorded in Deed Book F, page 44, Amherst County, on 9 January 1786. They also would seem to indicate that he moved to Georgia and gave power of attorney to his brother Moses (II).

William Ray, State of Georgia, owns 400 acres in Buckingham on branch of Rock Island (Patten to Moses Ray on 15 December 1749) and late property of Thomas Ray. Power of Attorney to my brother Moses Wray to sell it.

This filing also indicates that Moses (I), held land in this area of Virginia in 1749. Other information located indicates that Moses (I) was quite wealthy, and that his wife's name was Elizabeth. For example, the following represents what appear to be patents for four adjoining parcels of land, all purchased by Moses (I) in Albemarle County, before this region was formed into Buckingham County.

15 December 1749. Moses Ray. Albemarle County, Virginia. 9 acres being an island in the Fluvanna River between the plantation of Col. William Mayo, deceased, and William Cabell being the uppermost and largest of Swift Islands. Patents Book #27, 1748-49, page 458. (Note: This is the land Moses left to his son Moses Jr., as part of "the homeplace")

15 December 1749. Moses Ray. Albemarle County, Virginia. 343 (345?) acres on both sides of Gilbert's Creek of the Fluvanna, bounded by William Mayo. Patent Book#27, 1748049, page 459. (Note: This is the land left to William.)

15 December 1749. Moses Ray. Albemarle County, Virginia. 400 acres on both sides of Rock Island Creek of the Fluvanna. Patent Book # 27, 1748-49, page 461. (Note: This is the land left to Thomas.)

25 December 1749. Moses Ray. Albemarle County, Virginia. 400 acres on the south side of James River, bounded by John Goodwins. Patents Book #27, 1748-49, page 458.

On 12 November 1751, the Virginia County Court Records, Deed & Will Abstracts of Albemarle County, Virginia, 1748-1752, Albemarle County Deeds & Wills No. 1, May 1748-21 September 1752 pages 123-124 and pages 390-391 record a transaction between Moses Ray of Parish of St. Anns & County of Albemarle and John Goodwin of the same County and Parish in which Moses's wife, Elizabeth appeared in the Court. This is the only record giving record of Moses's wife's name which has been located.

In other land transactions, Moses (I) acquired 400 acres on Sept. 10, 1755 in Albemarle Co. on the north side of the Fluvanna River adjacent to the late Col. William Mayo and William Cabell (Virginia Land Patent Book 31, p. 707), and in the same month and year, 204 acres in Amelia Co. on the south side of the Appomattox River on 10 Sept 1755 (Virginia Land Patent Book 31, p. 601). On May 19, 1757 he obtained 137 acres in Albemarle Co. on Bear Creek in the Rich Cove on the north side of Rockfish River on a Mountain adjacent to Captain Charles Lewis (Virginia Land Patent Book 33, p. 360), and in 1765, 80 acres on the branches of Gilbert's Creek.

Moses is believed to have had relatives in the area. For example, Fergus Ray, before 1744, was recorded to be living in Augusta County, Virginia, but moved to Goodland (according to Court Records of Augusta County). However, at a later date he was in Albemarle County, where he lost a case originating in Augusta County.

Emigration

Emigration:

Date: 1732

Sources

• Title: Clayton Wray, Descendants of Moses Wray I
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 September 2020), memorial page for Moses Wray Sr. (1701–19 Oct 1780), Find a Grave Memorial no. 204661073, ; Maintained by Stephen Lee Krou (contributor 47690059) Burial Details Unknown.