Individual Details
Jesse RAY
(16 Oct 1760 - 10 Feb 1839)
A lot of my information on the Ray family came from Mimi Latham, Sumter,SC
Family Coat of Arms: "Azure on a chief, or three martletts gules."
Crest: An Ostrich.
Motto: Et Juste et vzay -- meaning "both just and true."
Little Jessie Ray was only twelve years old in 1772 when he and hisfather William Ray and a c ouple of uncles left Amherst County, Virginia,and came down into North Carolina. The uncles , Jesse Ray and James Ray,followed their wanderlust and each went his own way but little Jess ie andhis dad William liked the hills of this Carolina country and decided itwas the place th ey wanted to live in from then on. There was a littlevalley they called Beaver Creek that the y especially liked and thought itwas the ideal place in which to live. So by and by when youn g Jessie grewup and they called him just plain "Jesse Ray" like his uncle Jesse andwhen he me t a girl he liked -- a girl named Nellie Eleanor Baker -- thisBeaver Creek Valley was where t hey built a cabin, got married and startedto live and raise a family. They had ten children . The first was a girland they named her Elizabeth. She was born on the 20th of September 1782, when Jesse was just twenty years old.
This family of children, together with the father and mother, Jesse Rayand Nellie Eleanor Bak er Ray are known as the FIRST generation of Rays tolive in North Carolina.
COLONEL JESSE RAY
By all events of history, one is led to believe that Jesse Ray in earlylife began to accept t he responsibilities of a pioneer citizen and to actupon it to a marked degree. He, in all pro bability in cooperation withhis father William, learned the art of smelting iron. And since this was Revolutionary days and there was the need of it, they established ironfurnaces and sup plied the army with pig iron. Since there was anabundance of such minerals in the hills of Ca rolina, this was the naturalthing to do.
Later, when it was manpower the army needed, Jesse Ray was probably thefirst man to volunteer . He leaves a record of seven missions that heserved and the commanding officers under whic h he served.
For his assistance in the cause of the Revolution in furnishing pig ironand for his loyalty t o the cause in serving as a soldier, Jesse wasrewarded with an original land grant of a larg e boundary of land which isnow Ashe County -- and more particularly the broad grassy acres st ill inpossession of the Ray family.
From Avery County Heritage, Vol III by Avery County Historical Society
According to legend Jesse and brothers James and William came to America prior to the Revolutionary War from South West Scotland. They came to North Carolina via Culpeper Co. Va., James went west to Morristown, Tenn. spelling his name Rhea, William settled in themidsection of North Carolina. Jesse came to Wilkes now Ashe Co., and settled in the Beaver Creek area. He served in the Revolutionary War at different periods from 1779 to 1781.
1797 State land grant of 50 ac recorded in Wilkes Co. book D, pg.689
1797 State land grant of 50 ac recorded in Wilkes Co. book D, pg.690
On December 16,1800, He was appointed Colonel of the Militia for the County of Ashe by then Governor Benjamin Williams.
Vacent land enteries made by Jesse on January 18,1808;
#1813- 300 ac in Ashe Co; border: begins at a chestnut in the forks ofPiney Cr:
includes the iron ore bank; entered for the use of iron works.
#1814- 640 ac in Ashe Co; border; begins at a point of rocks on BuffaloCr.
above Mathais Carpenter's line and runs on both sides of the creek;
entered for use of iron works.
On August 9,1826 a State Grant of 5799 acres of land was awarded to JesseRay in consideration
for establishing an iron ore works in the area;
STATE GRANT TO JESSE RAY 5799 ACRES
State of North Carolina (number torn out of old book)
To all to whom these presents shall come greetings, know ye, that we, forand in consideratio n of the sum of to an act of our General Assemblyentitled an act to encourage the building ir on works
in the State have given and granted, and by these presents do give andgrant into the said Jes se Ray a bounty of Ashe, beginning at a hickorynear Benjamin Browns line on the waters of th e north fork of the NewRiver, running north 20 west 92 poles to a large rock, Benjamin Browns corner. Then north crossing the north fork of the New River 80 poles to apoplar, then west 2 4 poles
to a chestnut on Mill Creek ridge, then north with said ridge,60 poles toa cucumber, then nor th forty five west with said ridge 800 poles to amaple, then north 20 east 500 poles to a che stnut on a knob. Then east 10north 600 poles to a large rock, then east 25 north 500 poles t o threewalnuts on the bank of ? (part of one word torn out) creek then down theseveral course s of the creek
900 poles to a sycamore at the mouth of a creek, then up the meanders ofthe north fork of Ne w River 840 poles to a bunch of horn beans at themouth of Buffalo, then south 45 east 386 pol es to a stake, then to thefirst station, containing withen said bounds five thousand seven hu ndredand ninety nine acres of Patent land with is excepted in this grant.
Entered the 9th of August 1826
As by the plat hereunto annexed doth appear,together with all woods, waters,mines,minerals her editaments & appurtenancey hereunto belongingor in anyway appertaining, to him the said Jess e Ray His heirs & assignsforever, yielding & paying to us such sums of money yearly or
otherwise as our General Assembly from time to time may direct providingalways that the sai d grantee shall cause this grant to be registered inthe Registers office of the said County o f Ashe withe twelve months fromthe date hereof, otherwise the same shall be void. In testimon y whereofwe have caused these our letters to be made patent, and our Great Seal tobe hereunt o affixed.
witness; James Iredell Esquire our Governor Capitan General & Commanderin Chief at Raleigh th e 24th of December in the 52nd year of ourIndependence & in the year of our Lord one thousan d eight hundred andseven.
James Iredell Governor
By Command
William Hill Secretary Thomas CallowayT.S.
forMeredith Ballow C.S.
Wm.Weaver
C.C.
Charles Gelly July 4th 1837
Jonathan Stamper C.R.
====================================================================== ==============
The Following is quoted from the application for Pension filed by Col.Jesse Ray of Ashe Co.NC
(Taken from the records of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions)
State of North Carolina,Ashe Co.NC:
On the 20th day of May 1833, Personally appeared before the Court ofPleas and Quarter Session s,Ashe Co., Jesse Ray,a resident of saidCounty,age 73 years. Who being first duly aworn accor ding to law, did onhis oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit ofth e provision of the act of Congress,June 7,1832.
He entered the service of U.S.Patriots under the following namedOfficers,and served as state d herein.
"I was living in Wilkes Co.NC the year before the Gates defeat,I think itwas 1779. I voluntee red in the Light Horse under Capt.Moses Green, calledout by Col.Cleveland, I volunteered for s ix months,but was discharged atthe end of five months, In this tour I was actually engaged i n scouringthe country after Tories. (Capt.Green discharged him and others bydisbanding them,b ut with no written discharge.)
My second tour was in the year 1780 about the last of June. I volunteeredunder Capt. Abraha m Demoss
to go to Ransom Mill, Col. Cleveland,Commander. We got to Ransom Mill theday after the battle .
I saw at Ransom Mill, General Rutherford, on his way with troops to joinGeneral Gates. Genera l Joseph McDowell was there also.
The tour lasted two months, from Ransom Mill, Col. Cleveland marched usin pursuit of Col. Bry ant, a Tory, whom we followed to near Anson County.We were marched back and discharged, but n ot in writing.
The third tour was one month, to the best of my recollection. Ivolunteered under the same Cap t. Demoss, and marched under Col. Clevelandand Gordon to the Virginia line in persuit of Tor y Capt. Cadwell andBrown. We took a Tory Officer who was hung by sentence of a Court Martial.
The fourth tour, I think was three months, I volunteered with the sameCapt. Demoss in the Hor se,but was furloughed to attend my brother, whowas sick. When he got better I went to join m y Company and met them onthe Morgantown road, with prisoners taken at Kings Mountain. I joine dthem and we were marched to the Moravian Town. Col.'sCampbell,Cleveland,Winston,Shelby and S evier were at the Moravian Townpart of the time I was stationed there and at the end of thre e monthsactual servise I was discharged and went home, but no written discharge.
The fifth tour was I think in the winter of the same year. I Volunteeredthe same Capt. Demos s to scour the country of Tories, under the commandof Col. Cleveland and was actually engage d one month. I had no writtendischarge.
The Sixth tour was in the year 1781 before the battle of Guilford. Ivolunteered under Capt. D emoss and for six weeks we were watching LordCornwallis, we were a light foraging party towar d Shallow Ford, and inthat neighborhood. We were discharged, but not in writing.
I was drafted after the battle of Guilgord for the purpose of joiningGen.Green,under Capt. Al exander Gordon. In the middle of July we werecalled out on the winter tour and we were marche d to Salisbury andCharlotte and joined Gen.Green at Camden. Col. Malmaby had then thecomman d of the Regiment
in place of Col. Locke, who started with them. We were foot troops and Iacted as Orderly Ser geant at the time of the battle of Futaw Springs. Iwas twenty five miles from Camden with som e sick men, we packed andjoined the Company and marched with the prisoners to near Salisbury, where we encamped until late November. When Col. Locke who had rejoinedthem gave me a writte n discharge.
This discharge is lost. In this tour I was enrolled six months and inactual service four mont hs.
I was engaged in other short tours during the war but do not recollectthe times as from ag e I am losing my memory.
I never had but one written discharge and that was the last tour. I haveno record of my age,b ut I have seen a record of my fathers bible whichstates me to be born in 1760, I was born i n Amherst Co.VA, but moved toNC when twelve years old. I have lived in this county fifty fiv e years,it was first Wilkes Co. and this part struck off is called Ashe.
I refer to Rev. Drury Senter, the Rev. Joseph Plummer and any otherrespectable citizen of Ash e Co. on my character. I have no means ofproving any but the last tour of service except by m y own oath.
I hereby releinquish any claim to a pension or annuity whatever except torepeat and declare t hat my name is not on the pension roll of the agencyof any state. s/ Jesse Ray
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above said.
T. Calloway clerk of Ashe Co.
by R. Gentry District clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after theinvestigation of the matter,and a fter putting the questions andinterrogations prescribed by the war Department, The above name dapplicant was a Revolutionary War Soldier, and served as he stated, andthe court further cer tifies that it appears to them that Dury Senter andJoseph Plummer who signed the proceeding c ertificate are clergymenresiding in Ashe Co. and are credible persons, and that their stateme ntis entitled to credit.
s/David Miller, J.L.Charles, D.Farthing, Jesse Testerman,Jr.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above said, the 20th. of May, 1833
note: According to National Archives records the pension amount was atthe rate of $37.99 pe r annum,
to commence the 4th.day of March 1831 (rectroactive) received $94.97 onFeburary 10,1839 s/ Wi lliam Miller, clerk
Family Coat of Arms: "Azure on a chief, or three martletts gules."
Crest: An Ostrich.
Motto: Et Juste et vzay -- meaning "both just and true."
Little Jessie Ray was only twelve years old in 1772 when he and hisfather William Ray and a c ouple of uncles left Amherst County, Virginia,and came down into North Carolina. The uncles , Jesse Ray and James Ray,followed their wanderlust and each went his own way but little Jess ie andhis dad William liked the hills of this Carolina country and decided itwas the place th ey wanted to live in from then on. There was a littlevalley they called Beaver Creek that the y especially liked and thought itwas the ideal place in which to live. So by and by when youn g Jessie grewup and they called him just plain "Jesse Ray" like his uncle Jesse andwhen he me t a girl he liked -- a girl named Nellie Eleanor Baker -- thisBeaver Creek Valley was where t hey built a cabin, got married and startedto live and raise a family. They had ten children . The first was a girland they named her Elizabeth. She was born on the 20th of September 1782, when Jesse was just twenty years old.
This family of children, together with the father and mother, Jesse Rayand Nellie Eleanor Bak er Ray are known as the FIRST generation of Rays tolive in North Carolina.
COLONEL JESSE RAY
By all events of history, one is led to believe that Jesse Ray in earlylife began to accept t he responsibilities of a pioneer citizen and to actupon it to a marked degree. He, in all pro bability in cooperation withhis father William, learned the art of smelting iron. And since this was Revolutionary days and there was the need of it, they established ironfurnaces and sup plied the army with pig iron. Since there was anabundance of such minerals in the hills of Ca rolina, this was the naturalthing to do.
Later, when it was manpower the army needed, Jesse Ray was probably thefirst man to volunteer . He leaves a record of seven missions that heserved and the commanding officers under whic h he served.
For his assistance in the cause of the Revolution in furnishing pig ironand for his loyalty t o the cause in serving as a soldier, Jesse wasrewarded with an original land grant of a larg e boundary of land which isnow Ashe County -- and more particularly the broad grassy acres st ill inpossession of the Ray family.
From Avery County Heritage, Vol III by Avery County Historical Society
According to legend Jesse and brothers James and William came to America prior to the Revolutionary War from South West Scotland. They came to North Carolina via Culpeper Co. Va., James went west to Morristown, Tenn. spelling his name Rhea, William settled in themidsection of North Carolina. Jesse came to Wilkes now Ashe Co., and settled in the Beaver Creek area. He served in the Revolutionary War at different periods from 1779 to 1781.
1797 State land grant of 50 ac recorded in Wilkes Co. book D, pg.689
1797 State land grant of 50 ac recorded in Wilkes Co. book D, pg.690
On December 16,1800, He was appointed Colonel of the Militia for the County of Ashe by then Governor Benjamin Williams.
Vacent land enteries made by Jesse on January 18,1808;
#1813- 300 ac in Ashe Co; border: begins at a chestnut in the forks ofPiney Cr:
includes the iron ore bank; entered for the use of iron works.
#1814- 640 ac in Ashe Co; border; begins at a point of rocks on BuffaloCr.
above Mathais Carpenter's line and runs on both sides of the creek;
entered for use of iron works.
On August 9,1826 a State Grant of 5799 acres of land was awarded to JesseRay in consideration
for establishing an iron ore works in the area;
STATE GRANT TO JESSE RAY 5799 ACRES
State of North Carolina (number torn out of old book)
To all to whom these presents shall come greetings, know ye, that we, forand in consideratio n of the sum of to an act of our General Assemblyentitled an act to encourage the building ir on works
in the State have given and granted, and by these presents do give andgrant into the said Jes se Ray a bounty of Ashe, beginning at a hickorynear Benjamin Browns line on the waters of th e north fork of the NewRiver, running north 20 west 92 poles to a large rock, Benjamin Browns corner. Then north crossing the north fork of the New River 80 poles to apoplar, then west 2 4 poles
to a chestnut on Mill Creek ridge, then north with said ridge,60 poles toa cucumber, then nor th forty five west with said ridge 800 poles to amaple, then north 20 east 500 poles to a che stnut on a knob. Then east 10north 600 poles to a large rock, then east 25 north 500 poles t o threewalnuts on the bank of ? (part of one word torn out) creek then down theseveral course s of the creek
900 poles to a sycamore at the mouth of a creek, then up the meanders ofthe north fork of Ne w River 840 poles to a bunch of horn beans at themouth of Buffalo, then south 45 east 386 pol es to a stake, then to thefirst station, containing withen said bounds five thousand seven hu ndredand ninety nine acres of Patent land with is excepted in this grant.
Entered the 9th of August 1826
As by the plat hereunto annexed doth appear,together with all woods, waters,mines,minerals her editaments & appurtenancey hereunto belongingor in anyway appertaining, to him the said Jess e Ray His heirs & assignsforever, yielding & paying to us such sums of money yearly or
otherwise as our General Assembly from time to time may direct providingalways that the sai d grantee shall cause this grant to be registered inthe Registers office of the said County o f Ashe withe twelve months fromthe date hereof, otherwise the same shall be void. In testimon y whereofwe have caused these our letters to be made patent, and our Great Seal tobe hereunt o affixed.
witness; James Iredell Esquire our Governor Capitan General & Commanderin Chief at Raleigh th e 24th of December in the 52nd year of ourIndependence & in the year of our Lord one thousan d eight hundred andseven.
James Iredell Governor
By Command
William Hill Secretary Thomas CallowayT.S.
forMeredith Ballow C.S.
Wm.Weaver
C.C.
Charles Gelly July 4th 1837
Jonathan Stamper C.R.
====================================================================== ==============
The Following is quoted from the application for Pension filed by Col.Jesse Ray of Ashe Co.NC
(Taken from the records of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions)
State of North Carolina,Ashe Co.NC:
On the 20th day of May 1833, Personally appeared before the Court ofPleas and Quarter Session s,Ashe Co., Jesse Ray,a resident of saidCounty,age 73 years. Who being first duly aworn accor ding to law, did onhis oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit ofth e provision of the act of Congress,June 7,1832.
He entered the service of U.S.Patriots under the following namedOfficers,and served as state d herein.
"I was living in Wilkes Co.NC the year before the Gates defeat,I think itwas 1779. I voluntee red in the Light Horse under Capt.Moses Green, calledout by Col.Cleveland, I volunteered for s ix months,but was discharged atthe end of five months, In this tour I was actually engaged i n scouringthe country after Tories. (Capt.Green discharged him and others bydisbanding them,b ut with no written discharge.)
My second tour was in the year 1780 about the last of June. I volunteeredunder Capt. Abraha m Demoss
to go to Ransom Mill, Col. Cleveland,Commander. We got to Ransom Mill theday after the battle .
I saw at Ransom Mill, General Rutherford, on his way with troops to joinGeneral Gates. Genera l Joseph McDowell was there also.
The tour lasted two months, from Ransom Mill, Col. Cleveland marched usin pursuit of Col. Bry ant, a Tory, whom we followed to near Anson County.We were marched back and discharged, but n ot in writing.
The third tour was one month, to the best of my recollection. Ivolunteered under the same Cap t. Demoss, and marched under Col. Clevelandand Gordon to the Virginia line in persuit of Tor y Capt. Cadwell andBrown. We took a Tory Officer who was hung by sentence of a Court Martial.
The fourth tour, I think was three months, I volunteered with the sameCapt. Demoss in the Hor se,but was furloughed to attend my brother, whowas sick. When he got better I went to join m y Company and met them onthe Morgantown road, with prisoners taken at Kings Mountain. I joine dthem and we were marched to the Moravian Town. Col.'sCampbell,Cleveland,Winston,Shelby and S evier were at the Moravian Townpart of the time I was stationed there and at the end of thre e monthsactual servise I was discharged and went home, but no written discharge.
The fifth tour was I think in the winter of the same year. I Volunteeredthe same Capt. Demos s to scour the country of Tories, under the commandof Col. Cleveland and was actually engage d one month. I had no writtendischarge.
The Sixth tour was in the year 1781 before the battle of Guilford. Ivolunteered under Capt. D emoss and for six weeks we were watching LordCornwallis, we were a light foraging party towar d Shallow Ford, and inthat neighborhood. We were discharged, but not in writing.
I was drafted after the battle of Guilgord for the purpose of joiningGen.Green,under Capt. Al exander Gordon. In the middle of July we werecalled out on the winter tour and we were marche d to Salisbury andCharlotte and joined Gen.Green at Camden. Col. Malmaby had then thecomman d of the Regiment
in place of Col. Locke, who started with them. We were foot troops and Iacted as Orderly Ser geant at the time of the battle of Futaw Springs. Iwas twenty five miles from Camden with som e sick men, we packed andjoined the Company and marched with the prisoners to near Salisbury, where we encamped until late November. When Col. Locke who had rejoinedthem gave me a writte n discharge.
This discharge is lost. In this tour I was enrolled six months and inactual service four mont hs.
I was engaged in other short tours during the war but do not recollectthe times as from ag e I am losing my memory.
I never had but one written discharge and that was the last tour. I haveno record of my age,b ut I have seen a record of my fathers bible whichstates me to be born in 1760, I was born i n Amherst Co.VA, but moved toNC when twelve years old. I have lived in this county fifty fiv e years,it was first Wilkes Co. and this part struck off is called Ashe.
I refer to Rev. Drury Senter, the Rev. Joseph Plummer and any otherrespectable citizen of Ash e Co. on my character. I have no means ofproving any but the last tour of service except by m y own oath.
I hereby releinquish any claim to a pension or annuity whatever except torepeat and declare t hat my name is not on the pension roll of the agencyof any state. s/ Jesse Ray
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above said.
T. Calloway clerk of Ashe Co.
by R. Gentry District clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after theinvestigation of the matter,and a fter putting the questions andinterrogations prescribed by the war Department, The above name dapplicant was a Revolutionary War Soldier, and served as he stated, andthe court further cer tifies that it appears to them that Dury Senter andJoseph Plummer who signed the proceeding c ertificate are clergymenresiding in Ashe Co. and are credible persons, and that their stateme ntis entitled to credit.
s/David Miller, J.L.Charles, D.Farthing, Jesse Testerman,Jr.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above said, the 20th. of May, 1833
note: According to National Archives records the pension amount was atthe rate of $37.99 pe r annum,
to commence the 4th.day of March 1831 (rectroactive) received $94.97 onFeburary 10,1839 s/ Wi lliam Miller, clerk
Events
| Birth | 16 Oct 1760 | Amhurst County, VA | |||
| Marriage | 8 Jan 1782 | Wilkes County, NC - Living | |||
| Death | 10 Feb 1839 | Ashe County, NC |
Families
| Spouse | Living |
| Child | William RAY (1784 - 1876) |
| Father | William RAY (1740 - ) |