http://www.rootsweb.com/~mochrist/rhorb.htm#braytaylor A Reminiscent History of the Ozarks Region Christian County Missouri Histories ARREN BRAY Among the families who have been residents of Christian County since 1840 we are pleased to name the one represented by our subject. Mark Bray, the father of our subject, brought his family to this country from North Carolina in 1840 and became one of the wealthy and influential citizens of the county. Arren Bray was born in the old North State November 15, 1835, and was fifth in order of birth of nine children. He was but five years of age when his parents came to Missouri and he attended the first school in this part of the county, it being on his father’s farm. When twenty-one years of age he stated out to farm for himself, but later began working in his father’s mill at Linden, where he remained for about nine years. In the year 1858 he married Miss Ann Wrightman, daughter of Joseph and Keziah (Beckner) Wrightman, natives of Virginia. Her parents moved to Illinois and resided there until 1856, when they came to Christian County, Mo., and located near Linden, on a farm where they remained a number of years. Mr. Wrightman was drowned in 1883, when seventy-two years of age. For many years he was a worthy member of the Baptist Church. The mother died in 1863. They were the parents of eleven children, as follows: Sarah, deceased, was the wife of David Grayston; Julia is the wife of James Agnew; Timothy, a resident of Springfield; Mrs. Bray; George, residing in this county; Leah, died young; William is probably deceased; Abigail, resides in Kansas, and is the wife of Steve Lawing; Susan resides in Bond County, Ark., and is the wife of Louis Suitzer; Rebecca, the wife of John Taylor, resides at Shell City, and Edward died four years of age. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bray resided at Linden until 1860 and then moved on a farm, where they resided until the breaking out of the Civil War, after which they moved to Sangamon County, Ill. After the war Mr. Bray re-located on his farm and remained on the same until he came to the farm where he now lives in 1873. He has been unusually successful in his chosen occupation and is well and favorably known all over the county. He owns 100 acres where he now lives and eighty acres south of this place. His attention is given to farming and stockraising and he is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance. Formerly a Democrat is now with the People’s party. He and family attend the Baptist Church. To his marriage have been born nine children; George, a prosperous farmer of the neighborhood, is the owner of eighty acres. He married Miss Davidson and has four children: Lynn, Minnie, Iva and Ross; Anna married Andrew Fargey and they own a farm of 100 acres near the old home. They have four children as follows: Herbert, Cora, May and Lou; Frank married Miss Russell and has three children: Effie, Mark and an infant unnamed. They reside in the Ozark Region; Mary married James Tindle and has one child, Lois. They live near Ozark; Sidnia, Nellie, Susie, Barbara and Overton are the other children. Mr. Bray is a public-spirited citizen and no worthy movement is allowed to fail for want of support on his part. TAYLOR BRAY The Bray family is of Irish extraction and the family tree took root on American soil at an early date. Our subject’s grandfather, William Bray, was a native of North Carolina, in which State he passed his entire life. His son, Mark Bray, father of our subject, was also a native of the Old North State, born December 21, 1796, and died December 19, 1869. The latter was married in his native State to Miss Margaret Patterson, also a native of North Carolina, and there their nine children were born. About 1840 or 1841 they, in company with about sixty of their friends, among whom were the McDaniel and Marley families and others, emigrated to Christian County, Mo., and settled near Sparta. The McDaniels and Marleys settled near Ozark. Mr. Bray, who settled near Sparta also, bought a tract of land, which was afterward known as the Bray settlement, and subsequently became the owner of a large tract of land and one of the wealthiest men in the county. The Bray family became very prominent in this section and were highly esteemed by all. Mr. Bray was an excellent shot and killed many deer and turkeys, for the woods abounded in game at that time. Mrs. Bray did her own spinning and weaving. In political matters Mr. Bray was a Democrat and previous to the Civil War he voted against secession. In connection with farming he carried on the Old Linden Mill, but the principal part of his time was given to farming and stockraising. The mother died in July 1887. They were the parents of nine children as follows: Loesa, deceased, was the wife of T. Tillman Patterson; Arren; Cadmus, single, was killed in the Confederate Army; Merrica, died young; Lynn, a soldier, was killed at the close of the war; William, resides in Greene County, north of Springfield; Taylor (subject); Isaac, who is living on the old home place. William was also a soldier, enlisting in Company H, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry. Taylor Bray, the original of this notice, was born in the neighborhood where he now lives, near Sparta, March 31, 1844. His early life was spent amid the rude surroundings of pioneer life and he attended the district school until the breaking out of the war, being at that time seventeen years of age. In 1864, when twenty years of age, he enlisted in Company H., Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He was in Gen. Price’s raid and was in the battle at Booneville and in many skirmishes. He was never wounded or taken prisoner and was discharged at Springfield in July 1865. After the war Mr. Bray came home and engaged in farming. In 1867 he was married to Miss M. J. Marley, daughter of Eli Marley and Tennessee (Wisener) Marley. Eli Marley was born in North Carolina and is a son of Benjamin Marley, who came to this county with the company in 1840 or 1841 and took up a home west of Ozark. He was in the Southern Army during the Civil War and died of wounds received at Vicksburg. He had sons in Gen. Price’s army. Mrs. Bray was born on the old home place in this county August 22, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Bray have had ten children, five of whom are living: William A., Mettie E., Della A., Howard M. and Jessie E. Those deceased are: James C., Samuel E. and three who died in infancy. Our subject moved to the place where he now lives soon after the war. He has 158 acres of good farming land in connection with agricultural pursuits is actively engaged in stockraising. He has made a complete success of his chosen occupation. In political matters he was formerly with the Democratic party, but is now with the Labor party. Mr. and Mrs. Bray are both members of the Baptist Church and the family is well respected in the community.