Name: Ray, Nathan Harvey
Burial Date: 1922, 03/23
Age at Death: 73
Plot Location: 344 H
Notes: husband of Mary Elizabeth(Jackson)

Drummer Boy in the Civil War at age 13
War: Civil War

Sterling Kansas Bulletin,  03/13/1922

Mr. Ray Died in Chicago

Former County Treasurer Passed Away in Chicago Last Monday.

Burial Here This Afternoon

Many of the voters of Rice county and the people of Sterling and community especially will be sorry to learn of the death of Nathan Harvey Ray, who until recently has been serving as treasurer of this county.

Last November, after completing his four years of service in the treasurer’s office. Mr. Ray went to Chicago for a visit with his son Robert and for a much needed rest which his advanced age and the heavy work of his office required.  In Chicago he was immediately placed under the care of a specialist but unfortunately this very scientific attention came too late to be of much utility. A paralytic stroke on November 10th and the complications that followed resulted in death on March 20, at the age of seventy three years, eleven months and nine days.

Mr. Ray was born in Cambridge City, Indiana, April 11, 1848. His father, Alexander M. Ray, was a lawyer in Cambridge City, his grandfather Ray was also a lawyer and a brother of Governor Ray, of Indiana. His great grandfather Ray, was a Scotch Irishman who trained the company of soldiers put into service by the father of Anthony Wayne, who was the owner of a tannery in Pennsylvania. The Scotch Irishman was made captain of the company but after training the men, he resigned from the office of captain in favor of young Anthony.

At the age of thirteen Nathan H. Ray entered the service of the United States as a drummer boy. He served with his troops organized to repulse Morgan’s raid.  Although his length of service was sufficient to justify a claim for a pension, Mr. Ray never requested a consideration of his case.

In early life Mr. Ray learned the machinist’s trade and by diligent application, accumulated several thousand dollars. On January 16, 1879, he married Mary Elizabeth Jackson, a daughter of a prominent farmer of Wayne county, Indiana. The first years of their married life were spent in Richmond, Indiana, where Mr. Ray became a member of the wholesale grocery firm of Ray & Harvey.

After the death of his partner Mr. Harvey, Mr. Ray sold his interest in the business and came to Sterling. This was in 1887. Through no fault of his own, Mr. Ray lost his entire wealth soon after coming to Sterling.  With absolutely no knowledge of farming on his part, but with the faithful cooperation of his wife who had been raised on a farm, the couple borrowed heavily, bought land southeast of Sterling and began life anew.

During the years that followed Mr. Ray was occasionally urged to become candidate for some public office but he always refused until after the death of his wife on February 15, 1914.  His four years as county treasurer, 1917-1921, helped him to forget his grief. He thoroughly enjoyed these years of public service. Those who  are in a position to know say that his work was very well done.

Mr. and Mrs. Ray were members of the First Presbyterian church at Sterling. They believed in the higher things of life and were very successful in maintaining high ideals for their family of five children. One daughter, Lillie Ray Fitzpatrick, and four sons, Robert, Fred, Curtis and Lorin were born into the family.  With the exception of Robert, who lives in Chicago, the children are members of this community.

The funeral service was held at the family home southeast of Sterling on Thursday, March 23. The services were conducted by Rev. A. M. Wilkinson of the Methodist church. Burial was made in Cottonwood cemetery beside his wife.

Nathan Harvey Ray

BIRTH	Apr 1848
DEATH	Mar 1922
BURIAL	Sterling Cemetery Sterling, Rice County, Kansas, USA
PLOT	344 H

Mar. 1922

age 73, Drummer Boy in Civil War at age 13 Veteran of: Civil War

Burial: Sterling Cemetery Sterling Rice County Kansas, USA Plot: 344 H

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Created by: Lawcas Record added: Apr 13, 2013 Find A Grave Memorial# 108416730