Last Updated 9/1/00

Sylvester Henry RAY
b. 19 Oct 1869 in Mantua Township, Monroe Co., IA, the son of Daniel and Isabell (SHUTTO) RAY
m. 15 Mar 1896 in Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL
d. 26 Mar 1941 in Rockford; bur. in Harlem Cemetery, Rockford

Jennie Bessie PETERSON
b. 15 Jul 1869 in Rockford, the daughter of George and Eliza Anne (VIBBARD) PETERSON
d. 12 May 1937 in Rockford; bur. in Harlem Cemetery

Sylvester was the youngest of five children. His mother died at his birth, or soon after. A short time later, his father remarried and moved across the county line to Wapello Co. Sylvester was raised by his maternal grandmother Priscilla Ray, and after her death, by his sister Martha Grooms. He moved to Rockford about 1894, taking a job in George Peterson's manufactoring plant. He started dating the boss' daughter Jennie, who also worked at the plant, and in 1896 they were married. Sylvester and Jennie settled in the northern part of the city, in an area known as Harlem. They had three children.

Jennie and Sylvester were members of the Spiritualist Church.

Children of Sylvester and Jennie Ray:

1. Marian Maude Ray, b. 29 Dec 1896.
2. Audree Georgene Ray, b. 5 Jan 1906. She m. William Henry ROGERS on 15 May 1920 in Rockford. They had children William, Ray,and Phyllis.
3. Lynn Charles Ray, b. 9 Sep 1907; d. 10 Mar 1977 in Friendship, WI. He m. (1) Margaret SCHOLER. They had children Donald, Marianne, Maxwell, and Kelvin. He m. (2) Violet Marie BRYDEN.

Family gathering, Mother's Day 1933
Sylvester, Jennie, Marian, Rowena July 1934
Sylvester and Jennie
Sylvester, Jennie, and their pumpkin
Group photo at the spiritualist camp, August 1937
Family photo at the spiritualist camp, August 1937

From Harlem Cemetery, Machesney Park, IL:
    Ray monument
    Sylvester's gravestone
    Jennie's gravestone

Sylvester's obituary, and another
Jennie's obituary from a Rockford newspaper
Jennie's obituary from a Spiritualist publication
A 'letter of respect' from the Spiritualist Church

Five-Generation Pedigree Chart
 

References

To be added - check back in a bit.
 
 

Genealogy of Stephen R. Moore - Family Page of Sylvester Ray and Jennie Peterson © 2000 Stephen R. Moore, 8504 Enochs Dr., Lorton, VA 22079