My Genealogy Hound

John McCray, of Fort Smith, Ark., was born in the State of Mississippi in 1835, and is a son of Alexander and Keziah (Perkins) McCray. The father was born in Alabama, and was one of the pioneers of Mississippi. He was a man of more than ordinary education and intelligence, and a wealthy land owner and slave holder. He died when his son John was quite young, and the latter was left to fight the battle of life for himself. Until he attained his majority he remained with his mother and assisted her in caring for the younger members of the family. He has one sister and one half sister, who are now living; they are residents of Sebastian County, Ark., and Texas, respectively. During the late Civil War he cast his fortunes with the Confederacy, and joined the Fort Smith Rifles, under Capt. J. Spark, participating in the battles of Wilson’s Creek, Prairie Grove, Poison Springs, and others too numerous to mention. At the close of the war he began working in the quartermaster’s department, continuing one year, and then re-engaged in agricultural pursuits and merchandising, which occupations he has carried on up to the present time. He was married to Miss Mattie Ingles, who died about fourteen months later, having borne one child, who died at the age of five months. She was a daughter of Capt. Ingles, a hero of the Mexican War. Mr. McCray’s second wife was Miss Martha Collins, who only lived about one year after her marriage. He married his third wife in Arkansas in 1879. She was a Miss Florence Rogers, and became the mother of three children: Clarence, Clifford and Mary. Mr. McCray is a Democrat, and a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F.