Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 58. CAREY M. WRAY One of the most important mercantile establishments in Silverton is the implement store owned and operated by C. M. Wray, who has been in the business here continuously for twenty-five years, during which period he has commanded a gratifying trade. Mr. Wray was born in 1858, in Dodge county, Minnesota, and is a son of Milbird and Mahetable (Richardson) Wray. The father, who died in 1911, was born in the Panhandle of Virginia and was descended from old colonial stock, his ancestors having been among the first settlers at Jamestown. Virginia. When three years old he was taken by his parents to Anderson, Indiana. where he was reared and educated. In 1855 he secured a homestead in southern Minnesota and two years later, in northern Iowa, he was married to Mahetable Richardson, who was born in Pennsylvania, of old Yankee and Pennsylvania Dutch stock. She still resides in Dodge county, Minnesota, at an advanced age. Soon after his marriage Mr. Wray took his bride to his land in Minnesota and there spent his remaining years. To him and his wife were born seven children. C. M. Wray secured a good education, attending the public schools and a college at Northfield. Minnesota for three years. On attaining his majority he went to the Red River valley, in that state, where he took up a claim and for twenty-three years was engaged in fanning. Those were the pioneer days of that locality and Mr. Wray remembers that many of the early settlers lived in sod houses. On selling his farm in Minnesota he came to Silverton and in 1902 established a hardware and implement store, which he conducted until 1922, when he sold the hardware department of the business and now confines his attention to farm implements, mostly of the John Deere make, and Myres pumps. He carries a large and complete stock and is the leading dealer in his line of goods in this locality. He has commanded a large trade and has prospered to a degree that he is now desirous of retiring from active business. In 1881 Mr. Wray was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Vinacke, who was born in Minnesota, a daughter of Thomas and Lucy Vinacke, both of whom were early pioneers of Minnesota, and are now deceased, the mother passing away at Silverton at the age of ninety-one years. The family passed through the Indian massacre at New Ulm, Minnesota, from which Mrs. Wray was rescued in babyhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Wray have been born six children: Lawrence died at the age of thirty years; Ethel is the wife of Albert Webb, of Silverton, and has four children: Milbird, who lives in Chico, Oregon, is married and has two children; Frank, who is with the J. C. Penney Company, is married and lives at Tonopah; Robert, who lives in Eugene, is married and has two children; and Paul is married and resides in Silverton. While in Minnesota Mr. Wray was active in local public affairs, having served many years as town clerk, assessor and clerk of the school hoard, lie possesses to a marked degree the essential qualifications of good citizenship and during all die years of his residence in Silverton he has commanded the fullest measure of public confidence and esteem, being regarded as one of the representative men of his community. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2014 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.