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Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Ray17 February 1884
Possibly Pike, Ohio
2
Andrew Jackson Ray Sr. and wife, Ida (Rhodes)Andrew was born in Jackson, Ohio on June 11, 1861, to parents, Hamilton and Ester Ray.
His wife, Ida was born in Buchannan, Pike, Ohio on February 26, 1864, to Allen and Mary Ann Rhodes.
They were married on February 17, 1884, in Pike, Ohio.
They had sixteen children, four who died. The children are named on the following list>.
In 1902, Andrew came to Alberta to look for homesteads. He filed on the NW 22-41-22 W4th, which was on top of the hill, four miles north of Lamerton. He also filed for a homestead for his son, Charles and son in law, C. Beck.
He returned to Iowa, selling off what he didn't need, and loaded the rest in a stock car to be shipped to Alberta.
On January 8, 1903, Andrew returned to Alberta with his wife, Ida, seven of his sons, three daughters, and one of his son in laws.
They stayed close to Ponoka for awhile, while Andrew and C. Beck built a house on the homestead.
On November 1, 1903, the family moved to their homestead at Lamerton.
3
The Ray Family Tree2000
Mirror, Alberta
4
Andrew Jackson Ray Sr.1930
Mirror, Alberta
5
Andrew Sr., standing in the garden, in the thirties.When the family arrived, there were thousands of ducks, geese, partridges, prairie chickens, and rabbits around the homestead. In those days there were no hunting regulations, or no bag limits, so hunting was easy, and food was plentiful.
They grew a large garden for vegetables, and raised chickens, ducks, turkeys, horses, cattle and pigs.
Andrew bought a livery barn in Ponoka and was a land guide for three years.
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Ida (Rhodes) Ray1930
Mirror, Alberta
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Ida Florence (Rhodes) Ray is standing at the side of their house, in the thirties.Ida baked bread for nearby bachelors, and they paid her with a third of a sack of flour. She baked thirteen to fifteen loaves every other day to feed both her family and these bachelors.
As well, Ida sewed for both her own family and others and grew a large vegetable garden. She also knitted and baked, winning prizes for her work at the fairs.
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The Whole Ray Family1918
Mirror, Alberta
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A 1918 photo of Andrew Sr. and Ida's family.From Left to Right:
Bonnie, Bump (Albert), Andrew Jr., George, Norman, Harold, Leo, Bill, Zella, Charlie and Kid (Clarence) Ray.
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The Whole Ray Family1924
Buffalo Lake
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Another family photo from 1924.Left to Right:
Norman, Harold, Andrew Jr., George, Charlie, Clarence (Kid), Bill, Albert (Bump), Bonnie, Zella, Leo, Ida and Andrew Jackson Sr.
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George Thomas and Zella's (Ray) Wedding1913
Mirror, Alberta
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Zella Ray and George Thomas on their wedding day, September 24, 1913.George arrived in Lamerton with his father, in November, 1902. He and his dad started a store there.
Zella and Ray had three children, Ray, Guy and Bonnie.
14
Zella (Ray) Thomas1913
Lamerton?, Alberta
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