Dorothy Bell Ray was born March 23 1884 in Duwamish Washington to Lucretia Jane Julian Ray, age 21, and Thomas Kosciusko Ray, age 31. She was the 2nd child of seven born in Duwamish.
While growing up, Dora and siblings worked on their farmstead and family fruit and vegetable marketing business. Money from the endeavor enabled the children to attend college and business school. There was a strong feeling of family connection, sharing holidays, and support in times of need.
1902 After high school, Dora roomed with her sister while both continued their education – Dora at the University of Washington and Clara at Wilson’s Modern Business College.
Dora completed nursing studies and then rode a train to Chicago for post-graduate training.
1908 – 1910 While attending Illinois Training School for Nurses in Chicago, Dora works at the Cook County Contagious Hospital. Early spring, Dora wrote to sisters Rhoda and Eldra (nursing students at Providence Hospital Training School in Seattle) that CCCH didn’t have many bad measles or scarlet fever cases so was poor for contagious training. Come fall, she writes it was hot in Chicago and she complains that night nurses have the noise and heat equal to Hades to contend with and people are out mowing the lawns. March 1910 Dora graduates the Illinois Training School for Nurses, class of 1910.
1912 Nurses’ Journal of the Pacific Coast, Pub Jan 1912, vol 8 pg 489, King County. Dora Ray, a graduate of the Illinois Training School, Chicago, class 1910, has accepted the position as nurse in charge of the Obstetrical Department of the New Providence Hospital.
1914 October 4th Dora writes “At last, after poking our noses into every inlet and taking on tons of canned salmon and unloading it at some other port where the larger vessels can take it, we have reached Haines and Ft. Seward only an hour from Skagway. I never knew there were so many “cannon sameries” along the coast before. We have visited them all I know. There have only been 18 first class passengers, 7 decent women, two indecent the latter remained in their state rooms all the time.” Skagway is an hour away and she intends to arrive in Whitehorse by train a full day later. Then will continue on to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
According to Dora’s brother Eugene, Dora's was a “mail-order romance. Through Edith Clark, who sold all her black walnut ‘parlor furniture’ to the Rays before going to the Klondike, Dora began correspondence with a widowed Dawson Butcher by the name of Henry Duke. They seemed to hit it off all right, and be darned if she didn’t up and go to Alaska to marry him. But Henry, they called him Harry, just about spoiled things” Eugene recalled. “He met the Yukon steamer smoking a cigarette and Dora was so shocked she postponed the wedding two months.” Apparently Dora relented on the 2 months delay as 2 weeks later on October 19 Dora married Henry “Harry” Dook in Dawson City.
1916 Dora did not shy away from politics. As an Executive Member of a newly formed Yukon Women’s Protective League, Dora signed a petition politely declaring that League members “do not intend to be the last to place ourselves on record in demanding the rights that have so long been withheld from us”. Their Manifesto seeks equal rights to all, especial privileges to none. Because they couldn’t vote, women of the Yukon organized and petitioned for the franchise. The vote, they argued, “would lift from mothers, wives, and daughters of men the shame and degradation of being legally classed with idiots and criminals”.
1917 January 21 “Another day & night of 40 degrees below weather making our 4th cold spell but hardly a spell as it was so short. Today it is 20 degrees below. Harry & I walked about 2 miles. My face gets so cold but I never let it freeze”. In Dawson, Dora tended to children and adults that were in need of critical or extended nursing care. Babies would stay in her home until well enough to return to local family or be transported to the relatives in the states.
1919 Dora writes “Dawson is just about gone, all the good gold bearing ground has been worked out, and a few of the men who are left broke are trying to start something so they can get a job”. That fall, Dora and Harry return to Washington via Whitehorse and then train to Skagway followed by boat to Washington and in 1920 both petition to regain US Citizenship.
Early 1920’s Harry is employed at the Queen Anne Meat Market as a butcher and Dora is his help-mate and a homemaker. Harry continues employment as a butcher until he passes away March 18, 1938 at age of 72. Harry and Dora had been married 23 years.
1950’s Comstock Triplets – Dora lived at Woodmont (just south of Des Moines) and helped care for triplet newborns who lived a few houses north of her home. Back then, triplets were so unusual that when Dora heard of the triplets, she went to their home, knocked on the door, and asked if she could help the new mom care for them. The answer was yes; so Dora helped out every other day. For Dora, those 3 boys came as close to family as anyone could have.
1960’s finds Dora living life pretty much as a naturalist in Des Moines, Washington. Her property includes an apple orchard where she has worked to create new species with plans to obtain patents for same. She experimented grafting different kinds of apples onto one tree. Her keen interest and vast knowledge of plants, trees, and wild animals was extensive.
1968 Dora moved into assisted living. Her mind remained sharp enough that she would write siblings Eldra and Clara numerous times a month and call siblings Cecil and Gene even more often. Her interest in nature never waned and her kindness towards others continued (holding onto a blind resident so they could enjoy a walk outside in fresh air, writing letters home for a disabled resident, sharing fruits and veggies with other residents).
1970 Dora passed away September 8, 1970 in Enumclaw, Washington, at the age 86.
While growing up, Dora and siblings worked on their farmstead and family fruit and vegetable marketing business. Money from the endeavor enabled the children to attend college and business school. There was a strong feeling of family connection, sharing holidays, and support in times of need.
1902 After high school, Dora roomed with her sister while both continued their education – Dora at the University of Washington and Clara at Wilson’s Modern Business College.
Dora completed nursing studies and then rode a train to Chicago for post-graduate training.
1908 – 1910 While attending Illinois Training School for Nurses in Chicago, Dora works at the Cook County Contagious Hospital. Early spring, Dora wrote to sisters Rhoda and Eldra (nursing students at Providence Hospital Training School in Seattle) that CCCH didn’t have many bad measles or scarlet fever cases so was poor for contagious training. Come fall, she writes it was hot in Chicago and she complains that night nurses have the noise and heat equal to Hades to contend with and people are out mowing the lawns. March 1910 Dora graduates the Illinois Training School for Nurses, class of 1910.
1912 Nurses’ Journal of the Pacific Coast, Pub Jan 1912, vol 8 pg 489, King County. Dora Ray, a graduate of the Illinois Training School, Chicago, class 1910, has accepted the position as nurse in charge of the Obstetrical Department of the New Providence Hospital.
1914 October 4th Dora writes “At last, after poking our noses into every inlet and taking on tons of canned salmon and unloading it at some other port where the larger vessels can take it, we have reached Haines and Ft. Seward only an hour from Skagway. I never knew there were so many “cannon sameries” along the coast before. We have visited them all I know. There have only been 18 first class passengers, 7 decent women, two indecent the latter remained in their state rooms all the time.” Skagway is an hour away and she intends to arrive in Whitehorse by train a full day later. Then will continue on to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
According to Dora’s brother Eugene, Dora's was a “mail-order romance. Through Edith Clark, who sold all her black walnut ‘parlor furniture’ to the Rays before going to the Klondike, Dora began correspondence with a widowed Dawson Butcher by the name of Henry Duke. They seemed to hit it off all right, and be darned if she didn’t up and go to Alaska to marry him. But Henry, they called him Harry, just about spoiled things” Eugene recalled. “He met the Yukon steamer smoking a cigarette and Dora was so shocked she postponed the wedding two months.” Apparently Dora relented on the 2 months delay as 2 weeks later on October 19 Dora married Henry “Harry” Dook in Dawson City.
1916 Dora did not shy away from politics. As an Executive Member of a newly formed Yukon Women’s Protective League, Dora signed a petition politely declaring that League members “do not intend to be the last to place ourselves on record in demanding the rights that have so long been withheld from us”. Their Manifesto seeks equal rights to all, especial privileges to none. Because they couldn’t vote, women of the Yukon organized and petitioned for the franchise. The vote, they argued, “would lift from mothers, wives, and daughters of men the shame and degradation of being legally classed with idiots and criminals”.
1917 January 21 “Another day & night of 40 degrees below weather making our 4th cold spell but hardly a spell as it was so short. Today it is 20 degrees below. Harry & I walked about 2 miles. My face gets so cold but I never let it freeze”. In Dawson, Dora tended to children and adults that were in need of critical or extended nursing care. Babies would stay in her home until well enough to return to local family or be transported to the relatives in the states.
1919 Dora writes “Dawson is just about gone, all the good gold bearing ground has been worked out, and a few of the men who are left broke are trying to start something so they can get a job”. That fall, Dora and Harry return to Washington via Whitehorse and then train to Skagway followed by boat to Washington and in 1920 both petition to regain US Citizenship.
Early 1920’s Harry is employed at the Queen Anne Meat Market as a butcher and Dora is his help-mate and a homemaker. Harry continues employment as a butcher until he passes away March 18, 1938 at age of 72. Harry and Dora had been married 23 years.
1950’s Comstock Triplets – Dora lived at Woodmont (just south of Des Moines) and helped care for triplet newborns who lived a few houses north of her home. Back then, triplets were so unusual that when Dora heard of the triplets, she went to their home, knocked on the door, and asked if she could help the new mom care for them. The answer was yes; so Dora helped out every other day. For Dora, those 3 boys came as close to family as anyone could have.
1960’s finds Dora living life pretty much as a naturalist in Des Moines, Washington. Her property includes an apple orchard where she has worked to create new species with plans to obtain patents for same. She experimented grafting different kinds of apples onto one tree. Her keen interest and vast knowledge of plants, trees, and wild animals was extensive.
1968 Dora moved into assisted living. Her mind remained sharp enough that she would write siblings Eldra and Clara numerous times a month and call siblings Cecil and Gene even more often. Her interest in nature never waned and her kindness towards others continued (holding onto a blind resident so they could enjoy a walk outside in fresh air, writing letters home for a disabled resident, sharing fruits and veggies with other residents).
1970 Dora passed away September 8, 1970 in Enumclaw, Washington, at the age 86.
Dorothy Bell Ray was born March 23 1884 in Duwamish Washington to Lucretia Jane Julian Ray, age 21, and Thomas Kosciusko Ray, age 31. She was the 2nd child of seven born in Duwamish.
While growing up, Dora and siblings worked on their farmstead and family fruit and vegetable marketing business. Money from the endeavor enabled the children to attend college and business school. There was a strong feeling of family connection, sharing holidays, and support in times of need.
1902 After high school, Dora roomed with her sister while both continued their education – Dora at the University of Washington and Clara at Wilson’s Modern Business College.
Dora completed nursing studies and then rode a train to Chicago for post-graduate training.
1908 – 1910 While attending Illinois Training School for Nurses in Chicago, Dora works at the Cook County Contagious Hospital. Early spring, Dora wrote to sisters Rhoda and Eldra (nursing students at Providence Hospital Training School in Seattle) that CCCH didn’t have many bad measles or scarlet fever cases so was poor for contagious training. Come fall, she writes it was hot in Chicago and she complains that night nurses have the noise and heat equal to Hades to contend with and people are out mowing the lawns. March 1910 Dora graduates the Illinois Training School for Nurses, class of 1910.
1912 Nurses’ Journal of the Pacific Coast, Pub Jan 1912, vol 8 pg 489, King County. Dora Ray, a graduate of the Illinois Training School, Chicago, class 1910, has accepted the position as nurse in charge of the Obstetrical Department of the New Providence Hospital.
1914 October 4th Dora writes “At last, after poking our noses into every inlet and taking on tons of canned salmon and unloading it at some other port where the larger vessels can take it, we have reached Haines and Ft. Seward only an hour from Skagway. I never knew there were so many “cannon sameries” along the coast before. We have visited them all I know. There have only been 18 first class passengers, 7 decent women, two indecent the latter remained in their state rooms all the time.” Skagway is an hour away and she intends to arrive in Whitehorse by train a full day later. Then will continue on to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
According to Dora’s brother Eugene, Dora's was a “mail-order romance. Through Edith Clark, who sold all her black walnut ‘parlor furniture’ to the Rays before going to the Klondike, Dora began correspondence with a widowed Dawson Butcher by the name of Henry Duke. They seemed to hit it off all right, and be darned if she didn’t up and go to Alaska to marry him. But Henry, they called him Harry, just about spoiled things” Eugene recalled. “He met the Yukon steamer smoking a cigarette and Dora was so shocked she postponed the wedding two months.” Apparently Dora relented on the 2 months delay as 2 weeks later on October 19 Dora married Henry “Harry” Dook in Dawson City.
1916 Dora did not shy away from politics. As an Executive Member of a newly formed Yukon Women’s Protective League, Dora signed a petition politely declaring that League members “do not intend to be the last to place ourselves on record in demanding the rights that have so long been withheld from us”. Their Manifesto seeks equal rights to all, especial privileges to none. Because they couldn’t vote, women of the Yukon organized and petitioned for the franchise. The vote, they argued, “would lift from mothers, wives, and daughters of men the shame and degradation of being legally classed with idiots and criminals”.
1917 January 21 “Another day & night of 40 degrees below weather making our 4th cold spell but hardly a spell as it was so short. Today it is 20 degrees below. Harry & I walked about 2 miles. My face gets so cold but I never let it freeze”. In Dawson, Dora tended to children and adults that were in need of critical or extended nursing care. Babies would stay in her home until well enough to return to local family or be transported to the relatives in the states.
1919 Dora writes “Dawson is just about gone, all the good gold bearing ground has been worked out, and a few of the men who are left broke are trying to start something so they can get a job”. That fall, Dora and Harry return to Washington via Whitehorse and then train to Skagway followed by boat to Washington and in 1920 both petition to regain US Citizenship.
Early 1920’s Harry is employed at the Queen Anne Meat Market as a butcher and Dora is his help-mate and a homemaker. Harry continues employment as a butcher until he passes away March 18, 1938 at age of 72. Harry and Dora had been married 23 years.
1950’s Comstock Triplets – Dora lived at Woodmont (just south of Des Moines) and helped care for triplet newborns who lived a few houses north of her home. Back then, triplets were so unusual that when Dora heard of the triplets, she went to their home, knocked on the door, and asked if she could help the new mom care for them. The answer was yes; so Dora helped out every other day. For Dora, those 3 boys came as close to family as anyone could have.
1960’s finds Dora living life pretty much as a naturalist in Des Moines, Washington. Her property includes an apple orchard where she has worked to create new species with plans to obtain patents for same. She experimented grafting different kinds of apples onto one tree. Her keen interest and vast knowledge of plants, trees, and wild animals was extensive.
1968 Dora moved into assisted living. Her mind remained sharp enough that she would write siblings Eldra and Clara numerous times a month and call siblings Cecil and Gene even more often. Her interest in nature never waned and her kindness towards others continued (holding onto a blind resident so they could enjoy a walk outside in fresh air, writing letters home for a disabled resident, sharing fruits and veggies with other residents).
1970 Dora passed away September 8, 1970 in Enumclaw, Washington, at the age 86.
While growing up, Dora and siblings worked on their farmstead and family fruit and vegetable marketing business. Money from the endeavor enabled the children to attend college and business school. There was a strong feeling of family connection, sharing holidays, and support in times of need.
1902 After high school, Dora roomed with her sister while both continued their education – Dora at the University of Washington and Clara at Wilson’s Modern Business College.
Dora completed nursing studies and then rode a train to Chicago for post-graduate training.
1908 – 1910 While attending Illinois Training School for Nurses in Chicago, Dora works at the Cook County Contagious Hospital. Early spring, Dora wrote to sisters Rhoda and Eldra (nursing students at Providence Hospital Training School in Seattle) that CCCH didn’t have many bad measles or scarlet fever cases so was poor for contagious training. Come fall, she writes it was hot in Chicago and she complains that night nurses have the noise and heat equal to Hades to contend with and people are out mowing the lawns. March 1910 Dora graduates the Illinois Training School for Nurses, class of 1910.
1912 Nurses’ Journal of the Pacific Coast, Pub Jan 1912, vol 8 pg 489, King County. Dora Ray, a graduate of the Illinois Training School, Chicago, class 1910, has accepted the position as nurse in charge of the Obstetrical Department of the New Providence Hospital.
1914 October 4th Dora writes “At last, after poking our noses into every inlet and taking on tons of canned salmon and unloading it at some other port where the larger vessels can take it, we have reached Haines and Ft. Seward only an hour from Skagway. I never knew there were so many “cannon sameries” along the coast before. We have visited them all I know. There have only been 18 first class passengers, 7 decent women, two indecent the latter remained in their state rooms all the time.” Skagway is an hour away and she intends to arrive in Whitehorse by train a full day later. Then will continue on to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
According to Dora’s brother Eugene, Dora's was a “mail-order romance. Through Edith Clark, who sold all her black walnut ‘parlor furniture’ to the Rays before going to the Klondike, Dora began correspondence with a widowed Dawson Butcher by the name of Henry Duke. They seemed to hit it off all right, and be darned if she didn’t up and go to Alaska to marry him. But Henry, they called him Harry, just about spoiled things” Eugene recalled. “He met the Yukon steamer smoking a cigarette and Dora was so shocked she postponed the wedding two months.” Apparently Dora relented on the 2 months delay as 2 weeks later on October 19 Dora married Henry “Harry” Dook in Dawson City.
1916 Dora did not shy away from politics. As an Executive Member of a newly formed Yukon Women’s Protective League, Dora signed a petition politely declaring that League members “do not intend to be the last to place ourselves on record in demanding the rights that have so long been withheld from us”. Their Manifesto seeks equal rights to all, especial privileges to none. Because they couldn’t vote, women of the Yukon organized and petitioned for the franchise. The vote, they argued, “would lift from mothers, wives, and daughters of men the shame and degradation of being legally classed with idiots and criminals”.
1917 January 21 “Another day & night of 40 degrees below weather making our 4th cold spell but hardly a spell as it was so short. Today it is 20 degrees below. Harry & I walked about 2 miles. My face gets so cold but I never let it freeze”. In Dawson, Dora tended to children and adults that were in need of critical or extended nursing care. Babies would stay in her home until well enough to return to local family or be transported to the relatives in the states.
1919 Dora writes “Dawson is just about gone, all the good gold bearing ground has been worked out, and a few of the men who are left broke are trying to start something so they can get a job”. That fall, Dora and Harry return to Washington via Whitehorse and then train to Skagway followed by boat to Washington and in 1920 both petition to regain US Citizenship.
Early 1920’s Harry is employed at the Queen Anne Meat Market as a butcher and Dora is his help-mate and a homemaker. Harry continues employment as a butcher until he passes away March 18, 1938 at age of 72. Harry and Dora had been married 23 years.
1950’s Comstock Triplets – Dora lived at Woodmont (just south of Des Moines) and helped care for triplet newborns who lived a few houses north of her home. Back then, triplets were so unusual that when Dora heard of the triplets, she went to their home, knocked on the door, and asked if she could help the new mom care for them. The answer was yes; so Dora helped out every other day. For Dora, those 3 boys came as close to family as anyone could have.
1960’s finds Dora living life pretty much as a naturalist in Des Moines, Washington. Her property includes an apple orchard where she has worked to create new species with plans to obtain patents for same. She experimented grafting different kinds of apples onto one tree. Her keen interest and vast knowledge of plants, trees, and wild animals was extensive.
1968 Dora moved into assisted living. Her mind remained sharp enough that she would write siblings Eldra and Clara numerous times a month and call siblings Cecil and Gene even more often. Her interest in nature never waned and her kindness towards others continued (holding onto a blind resident so they could enjoy a walk outside in fresh air, writing letters home for a disabled resident, sharing fruits and veggies with other residents).
1970 Dora passed away September 8, 1970 in Enumclaw, Washington, at the age 86.
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