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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Fulton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Dr. G. W. Ray, a prominent medical practitioner of Fulton County, Ark., was born in Davidson County, Tenn., May 8, 1831, being a son of Henry D. and Lamora (Glasgow) Ray, who were born in Brunswick County, Va., and Davidson County, Tenn., January 9, 1800, and 1808, and died in the latter State in 1865 and 1873, respectively. The father removed with his parents to Tennessee when fourteen years of age, his father being Patrick Henry Ray, a native of either Scotland or Ireland—not definitely known which. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and died in Virginia. The maternal grandparents, Jesse and Catherine Glasgow, were of Scotch descent, and were born in North Carolina. Jesse was also a Revolutionary soldier and was an officer in the Continental army. Dr. G. W. Ray is the eldest of seven children, two sons and one daughter now living. After receiving his early education in the academic schools of Tennessee he adopted medicine as his profession and entered upon its practice in his native State in 1856. At the same time he was in the wholesale liquor business, following other occupations at various times until 1877, when he left Tennessee, and moved to Stoddard County, Mo. Seven years later he came to Fulton County, Ark. In 1868 he wedded Miss Susan Browning, who was born in Robertson County, Tenn., but she lived only two years after her marriage. December 18, 1888, he took for his second wife Mrs. A. C. Jeffrey, nee Cunningham. Mr. Jeffrey was a very intelligent and influential citizen, and was the author of a descriptive history of Fulton and Izard Counties, being the editor of a newspaper in the latter county. He and his wife (now Mrs. Ray) became the parents of three sons and one daughter: Curren, Lulu, Robert and Mitchell. In 1862 Dr. Ray recruited a company of soldiers in Robertson County, Tenn., and served as its captain until near the close of the war. He was also assistant surgeon of his regiment, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson and others. He is now a Democrat in his political views, but was formerly a Whig, and cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Scott. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and for many years has been one of the active and successful practitioners of the county. His wife belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 70 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Fulton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Fulton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Fulton County, Arkansas family biographies here: Fulton County, Arkansas Biographies

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