Wife of Carl Raymond GRAY
~ Her given names are from each grandmother.
NOTE: Click on pictures for informative caption.
Birth: William G Culter's 1883 published history book stated she was: first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas! ~ She was 2nd born of four known children when mother was eighteen, in a frontier Log Home on Osage Indian Ceded Land in Verdigris, Liberty after January 1871, township, Montgomery, formerly Wilson till 3 June 1869, county, Kansas. ~ ~ she was extremely devoted to her entire family, including me ~ ~ also, ~ ~ a year later, across the river, on Indian land, was born Carrie INGALLS, of "Little House On The Prairie".
~ Daughter of Mary Elizabeth SCHULTS whose g,grandfather, according to hubby's research, was veteran of Revolutionary War, Colonel Heinrich STARRING (1730-1808), & John Andrew FLORA, both early pioneers to Kansas Territory, he a Union army Civil War veteran ~ ~
Her sister Jennie is a complete mystery to us, the family.
Harriette's mother died November 1874 while "Hattie A" was lying in bed with her, buried, for some unknown reason, at Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas with her month old daughter, (Harriette & Carl were at my mother's bedside when she died April 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) ~ ~ ~ following as told by her first great, grandchild, Sandra Stuart GRAY, so shared 8/12/05:
"Harriette ["Hattie A"] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile...."
Harriette's father and his two older brothers, V P & Cpl D B R, as had their father, at age sixty-one, served the Union forces during Civil War. The three brothers in defeating Gen Sterling Price, with his greatly outnumbering forces, October 1864 at the Mine Creek Battle in Kansas, where six, past or future, State governors did battle, while two Confederate General's were captured. Gen Price had broken bread with her husbands mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray, in Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas before embarking on this ill-fated raid through Missouri & Kansas, while her husband's father was serving as an officer at Atlanta AUG 1864, in the Confederate forces, captured November 1864.
~ Married when barely seventeen, "Hattie", mother of three sons (each with one son & one daughter), serving in a different branch during WW II (oldest in WW I), the oldest & youngest in "Who's Who in America", husband on page 497 in Vol I and page 713, Vol 4 of "Who was Who in America"
Harriette was chosen: 1)- "Amercia Mother of 1937" by Golden Rule Foundation of New York, preceded a few years by Mrs James Roosevelt (Sara Ann Delano) and followed in 1938 by Grace N Crowell, all, so noted throughout our nation's newspapers, 2)- recipient of the prestiges "Cross of Honor" from U S Flag association in 1937, 3)-Doctor of Letters from Sioux Falls College of South Dakota, as later stated, 4)- elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association and 5)- chosen president of Mothers for Christ, an interdenominational organization, plus enjoying many, many more honors.
~ CHILDREN:
Major General Carl Raymond, jr (1889KS-1955MN) (army, recipient of nations second highest military award)
NOTE: His fifth, youngest of four granddaughters, "Suzi" with hubby Joe, ventured from home in Franconia, Minnesota to Franconia, New Hampshire where they met with "Suzi's" fourth cousin once removed, Barbara HOLT, transcriber of forty letters written by Suzi's g.g,grandmother "Jennie", Carl GRAY's "Little Mudder", from 1857 to 1886, then on to Thomaston, Maine to see g,grandparents summer home "Gray Rocks", at 250 Stoney Point road, Pleasant Point, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine first visit June 24, 2012, now owned by artists & Yale professors, Ann CRAVAN and Peter HAILEY who purchased it in 2011 and had invited them to visit the home, found without its portico, that was added around 1922, Harriette's last home at 25, now 64, Hyler street, and to attend church where Harriette once donated its organ.
Russell Davis (1899KS-1975NJ) (Marine, executor of mother's will) Note: daughter "Ellie" born at 25 Hyler street, Thomaston, Maine, and her hubby viewed 'Gray Rocks' sailing by on a 42 foot Hinkley sail boat, later by land.
Dr Howard Kramer (1901MO-1955MN) (Navy) Note: His daughter "Wint" and hubby visited 'Gray Rocks' by land, as had his son "Howdie"
~ SIBLINGS:
"Hattie A" had three siblings: a nineteen month older brother, Clarence Morton , a shirt factory owner, married three times, third with two sons, last living in Oklahoma City, a two year younger brother, William Walter, a dentist, last living in Colorado Springs, having two daughters and the unknown sister, Jennie G, a total mystery, who survived but one month, mysteriously buried with their mother in the Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas.
"Hatti A", who spent her first twenty-three years in Kansas, and siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother Harriet SHULTS/Z upon the 1874 death of their mother till 1878, who continued raising brother "Will" till adulthood, around 1885 when she moved in with "Hatti"'s maternal aunt Sarah Jane in Independence, Montgomery county, Kansas, and with whom she spent her remaining twenty years.
Year following her mother's demise, her two paternal uncles, Wolney Pulaski ("V P") and Daniel Rice Boone FLORA with their families from Liberty, formerly Verdigrus township, Kansas in 1875 struck out for Colorado territory's high country, the Lake City, Hinsdale county area, where silver and gold had been discovered. Grant E HOUSTON, President, Hinsdale County, Colorado Historical Society, wrote (12/30/05):
"Both families [Flora & Borie] are well known here in Lake City and were among the real pioneers of our region, particularly up around Capitol City and Rose's Cabin, both of which are now ghost towns. Mrs. ["V P"] FLORA was also extensively interested at various times in Lake City hotels and boarding houses, including the boarding house of the Ute-Ulay Mine on Henson Creek. Her Second Street boarding house between Gunnison and Silver Streets still exists, although it has been moved about a block from its original location."
Her father remarried in 1878, four years following loss of first wife Mary. "Hattie A", at age nine, with older brother Clarence, moved east 30 miles to Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, with her father, new step-mother, older step-brother & step-sister but ~ ~ without younger brother "Will", who remained behind being raised by their maternal grandmother near Liberty until around 1885, who then moved to Oswego, year before sister "Hattie A" married.
THE OSWEGO INDEPENDENT
Friday, December 10, 1886, page 5, col. 1:
Mr. Carl Gray and Miss Hattie Flora were married at the Condon House, the home of the bride, on last Monday morning. They left immediately for Wichita, where Mr. Gray has a good position as a telegraph operator. The happy couple have the best wishes of a host of friends.
THE OSWEGO REPUBLICAN
Saturday, December 11, 1886, page 3, col. 1:
Carl Gray, of Wichita, and Miss Hattie Flora were married in this city on Monday, December 6th (sic), Rev. C.J. Bowles, of the Baptist church, officiating. They departed at once for their new home at Wichita, where Carl is working for the Western Union Telegraph Company (sic).
"When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, dark-haired girl named Harriette Flora."
above found written on page 17 of Time Magazine, May 3, 1937.
She married when barely seventeen, nineteen days before Christmas, 6 December 1886 to "Frisco's" Carl Raymond GRAY, who had boarded in her father's hotel, The Condon House, of Oswego. Labette county, Kansas, ~ ~ having all of $4 dollars in pocket with $60/month job. Harriette spending some fifty-two of Carl's fifty-six plus year railroad career, with him, birthing three sons, first son Carl claiming to have moved 42 times in first 50 years. City of Oswego honored both nearly one-hundred-three years later, 9 October 1989, with a "Katy" RR Caboose #109, attending were three of four living, of their six grandchildren and one of their sixteen great,grandchildren.
Harriette, years later, became first women to have a nation-wide radio Bible class on WOW in Omaha, Nebraska. She was, as afore noted, elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association in 1937, with meetings held annually in Los Angeles, California and monthly in Kansas City, Missouri(ah) from her Omaha, Nebraska home. Reported by one who had heard her give a serman, a Mr WYLLIE, of Thomaston, Knox county Maine, told her great, granddaughter, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, July 1, 2012, she "...had a deep and commanding voice – ‘she didn't need a microphone to be heard'."
While living in Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri from July 1890 until March 1896 (their third longest residency), she & hubby, were the first listed at her younger brother's, my grandfather's, wedding 21 August 1892, with Rev William Sims KNIGHT, D D of the Presbyterian church, officiating. Once residents of the grand Harrington Hotel overlooking the county courthouse built while residents. August 1898, on her way to Monett, Barry county, Missouri from Neodasha, Wilson county, Kansas, where hubby was again promoted and transferred, she dropped their son off at her brother's where he fell out of their cherry tree, later, September 1898, not finding suitable housing at Monett, rented from widow of William P MILLER his home, The Miller House - now 1422 Grand avenue - Richardsonian Romanesque built in 1890 by Mr. Miller, a grocer. This style emphasized arches, lintels, and sills by using a different stone from the walls. Straight-topped windows were used in addition to the round arched type. The belt of brick corbels beneath the upper gable and the 3 story polygonal tower are typical Romanesque features, ~ for a period, later, it becoming home of her Oswego childhood friend, Geneva (Condon) RAMSAY for over fifty years, now 1422 Grand avenue, whose father's Condon hotel in Oswego, was once managed by her father, John Andrew FLORA.
15 OCT 1900 they left their Monett home, next to Christine Luscombe Blair for Saint Louis, living at 3939 west Belle place when third son Howard was born in 1901, then back to western Missouri to a home on Benton avenue in Springfield, Greene county, Missouri.
Harriette in June 1903, while oldest son was a high school student, invited a dozen of her lady friends from far & near, to her Benton avenue, Springfield, Missouri home to spend a week, according to articles in Carthage [Missouri] Evening Press, dated the 3rd & 15th June 1903 discovered by Nancy BREWER of Carthage, ~ ~ included were mesdames: Elmer CLARK of Oswego, Kansas, her step-sister, C M FLORA, sister-in-law, of Independence, Kansas, from Carthage, Missouri, W W FLORA, her other sister-in-law (my grandmother), J E LANG, C T HALL, E J BURCH, C B STICKNEY, Charles BLAIR, C W RINEHART, Thomas FRANKS, M C SHIPLEY, both of Joplin, Burt K BLAIR, of Saint Louis and S B FRANKLIN of New York City, assisted by sister-in-law, Mrs LeRoy KRAMER, Mrs H H BROWN, Mrs LaFAVOR and Mrs Andrew O'HARA, with hubby Carl having the fair damsels removed to Arkansas aboard his railroad car for a two day excursion.
Her poetic invitation read, to wit:
You are cordially invited
~ To spend a week with me;
Only women will be present,
~ I assure you. not a " he."
You may bring your trunk or band box,
~ And likewise the little "bird,"
Just so you join the company
~ I will not say a word.
There'll be others at this party,
~ So come prepared to be
The very gayest lady
~ That this "town" will ever see.
I'll expect you in the evening,
~ Upon the eighth of June.
The house will be in order
~ And the music all in tune.
We will have a jolly outing
~ And a breakfast, dinner, tea.
If your answer is but "yes'm"
~ In your R. S. V. P.
(Rest assured, they were all her guests and arrived aboard a "Frisco" train)
April 1904 returned to Saint Louis later building their home at 52 Westmorland Place which was remodeled in 1945 by removal of portco, dormers, car port and smoothing the face of the rough limstone, found again on the market January 2014 for $1,100,000.
Years later, 7 June 1934, Carthage citizens honored Col Carl R & Harriette (Flora) GRAY, who had lived and contributed so much to Carthage from July 1890 to March 1896 while he was with the "Frisco" railroad, making long term friendships.
The Drake Hotel became the site for the Thursday evening reception (following Carl's February's successful introduction to United States of its first streamline passenger train), followed by a dinner with many prominent citizens, and friends, of the town, with their fifty-one member Reception Committee, chaired by the Honorable Judge Howard GRAY (1861IA-1939MO) (no relation, former president pro tem of Missouri senate), with around 300 people reportedly attending, to honor Carl and Harriette who lived there nearly nine years starting July 1890, their 2nd longest home, following 17 years at Omaha. She stayed at our 1218 south Maple street home while visiting with a front page spread in Carthage Evening Press. Then two and one half years later, in Omaha, Nebraska, honored with 1,400 guests for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Husband Carl (1867AR-1939DC), now president, Union Pacific Railroad since 1920, a "railroader" since March 1883. He had upon his 1890 arrival at Carthage, organized a battalion of Uniformaed Ranks of Knights of Pythias, selected as its leader in 1892 as Colonel while in Carthage, then selected Captain of what had been the famous Carthage Light Guards since 1876, in 1894 with their former Captain William K CAFFEE's (1856OH-1923MO) Colonel, regimental commander ~ ~ Carl's wife, Harriette, being sister to my maternal grandfather, a prominent Carthage dentist till 1904, Dr W W FLORA (1871KS-1922CO).
As aforementioned, Harriette and hubby celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a party of 1,400 friends at Omaha, Nebraska, featured in Life Magazine's four page spread 21st December 1936.
She, hubby and son Carl, for many years, are listed in; The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Aunt Harriette remembered me and others with presents for birthdays, Easter & Christmas as well as being included in her will.
~ January 2015 was sent me, by a gracious granddaughter Jewell Hess Albright of Jewell Lovina Whittenberg Parker, a seventy-eight year old newspaper article (also found in many other of the our nation's newspapers) saved from a Cropus Chisti, Texas newspaper regarding aunt Harriette's explanation of a women's life as she saw and lived it. "My mother, Evelyn, took care of the scrapbook and diaries for 33 years after my grandmother died". Harriette had just been selected as the New York State's Golden Rule's, ~ Mother of 1937. This lengthy article was in response to a question posed to her about her views on marriage and home. (VIEW the 13th image of twenty-one, at the upper-right of page)
~ Reportedly Harriette always stopped at Grant's Tomb to show it to her servants on their trip from New York home, 1035 Fifth avenue (Google street address for street view), to summer home, known first in 1919 as "Friendship Cottage" then following 1922's remodeling, "Gray Rocks" at 250 Stones Point road (Google, street address search "Truila" for views), situated to view southeasterly down "The Georges", at Pleasant Point in Cushing, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine as close as he could find, to his mother's birth place, being, near Davis Point on Muscongus Bay.
Description of her New York home is, to wit:
In 1926, this handsome building, in the style of an Italian Renaissance Palazzo, is one of Fifth Avenue’s finest white-glove cooperatives, converted in 1954. The handsome, four-story limestone base complements the buff-colored brick of the floors above, and the building integrates seamlessly within the context of its stately, well-heeled Fifth Avenue neighbors. The elegant lobby looks onto a landscaped interior courtyard, and the building staff includes a doorman, hallman, porters and elevator attendants. Each apartment comes with its own storage. Located just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 85th Street, 1035 Fifth has 16 floors and approximately 72 apartments, making 1035 one of the larger coops on this stretch of Fifth Avenue. Many of the apartments have stunning views west of Central Park, including the reservoir. The apartments are notable for the grand scale of the rooms, high ceilings and fine pre-war detailing. The building allows pets, but no subletting and the building does not permit financing. 1035 Fifth does not have a garage but is located proximate to several garages. There is no gym in the coop but several world class gyms are located within walking distance.
SOURCE: by Cathy Taub
Aunt Harriette disposed of "Gray Rocks" around 1943, following loss of Carl, (on the market with only 3 acres, in 2008) spending her last years living at 25, now 64, Hyler street in Thomaston, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine, a house, once, before tree growth, with a view southeasterly down "The Georges" where some thirty years earlier, her second son and wife birthed their two children while operating his boat yard nearby on The Georges", in a town with its history of boat building and of sea captains.
Varies family members, as afore mentioned, have re-visited "Gray Rocks" from time to time, including "Wint" (Gray) BONES, "Howdie" Gray, "Ellie" (Gray) KNUTSON, Barbara (Gray) VEST and during July 2012, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, who with hubby, Joe, with invitation from the new owners, Ann CRAVEN, and Peter HAILEY, then Sunday they attended Baptist church which Harriette attended and donated an organ, meeting many who remembered Harriette, one whose sister worked for her whom Harriette sent to college. I too had been invited to stay at "Gray Rocks" by the former owner a few years ago, but didn't make the trip from Naples, Florida.
Obituaries were published across the nation where she had had a positive impact, such as her hometown of Oswego, Kansas, Carthage, Missouri in the Carthage Evening Press where they resided for third longest period of their married life, included below is obituary from where she last lived, to wit:
THE COURIER-GAZETTE
Tuesday, June 19, 1956:
Mrs. Carl R. Gray --
Mrs. Carl R. Gray, 87, of Thomaston, widow of Carl R. Gray, formerly president of the Union Pacific Railroad, died at Rockland, Sunday after a short illness.
Mrs. Gray was born in Liberty, Kansas, September 17, 1886 (sic, 1869), was one of the first white children born in that area. Surviving are a son, Russell D. Gray of Baltimore, Md.; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Two of Mrs. Gray's sons, Major General Carl R. Gray, Jr., director of the Veteran's Administration and Dr. Howard K. Gray, chief of the surgical section of the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., died last year.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday (today) at 2 p.m. at the Thomaston Baptist Church with the Rev. John B.S. Fitzpatrick officiating. Services will also be held at the Eutaw Place Baptist Church in Baltimore, Wednesday, 2 p.m. Interment will be in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore.
Revised: 02/03/15
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
~ Her given names are from each grandmother.
NOTE: Click on pictures for informative caption.
Birth: William G Culter's 1883 published history book stated she was: first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas! ~ She was 2nd born of four known children when mother was eighteen, in a frontier Log Home on Osage Indian Ceded Land in Verdigris, Liberty after January 1871, township, Montgomery, formerly Wilson till 3 June 1869, county, Kansas. ~ ~ she was extremely devoted to her entire family, including me ~ ~ also, ~ ~ a year later, across the river, on Indian land, was born Carrie INGALLS, of "Little House On The Prairie".
~ Daughter of Mary Elizabeth SCHULTS whose g,grandfather, according to hubby's research, was veteran of Revolutionary War, Colonel Heinrich STARRING (1730-1808), & John Andrew FLORA, both early pioneers to Kansas Territory, he a Union army Civil War veteran ~ ~
Her sister Jennie is a complete mystery to us, the family.
Harriette's mother died November 1874 while "Hattie A" was lying in bed with her, buried, for some unknown reason, at Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas with her month old daughter, (Harriette & Carl were at my mother's bedside when she died April 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) ~ ~ ~ following as told by her first great, grandchild, Sandra Stuart GRAY, so shared 8/12/05:
"Harriette ["Hattie A"] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile...."
Harriette's father and his two older brothers, V P & Cpl D B R, as had their father, at age sixty-one, served the Union forces during Civil War. The three brothers in defeating Gen Sterling Price, with his greatly outnumbering forces, October 1864 at the Mine Creek Battle in Kansas, where six, past or future, State governors did battle, while two Confederate General's were captured. Gen Price had broken bread with her husbands mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray, in Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas before embarking on this ill-fated raid through Missouri & Kansas, while her husband's father was serving as an officer at Atlanta AUG 1864, in the Confederate forces, captured November 1864.
~ Married when barely seventeen, "Hattie", mother of three sons (each with one son & one daughter), serving in a different branch during WW II (oldest in WW I), the oldest & youngest in "Who's Who in America", husband on page 497 in Vol I and page 713, Vol 4 of "Who was Who in America"
Harriette was chosen: 1)- "Amercia Mother of 1937" by Golden Rule Foundation of New York, preceded a few years by Mrs James Roosevelt (Sara Ann Delano) and followed in 1938 by Grace N Crowell, all, so noted throughout our nation's newspapers, 2)- recipient of the prestiges "Cross of Honor" from U S Flag association in 1937, 3)-Doctor of Letters from Sioux Falls College of South Dakota, as later stated, 4)- elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association and 5)- chosen president of Mothers for Christ, an interdenominational organization, plus enjoying many, many more honors.
~ CHILDREN:
Major General Carl Raymond, jr (1889KS-1955MN) (army, recipient of nations second highest military award)
NOTE: His fifth, youngest of four granddaughters, "Suzi" with hubby Joe, ventured from home in Franconia, Minnesota to Franconia, New Hampshire where they met with "Suzi's" fourth cousin once removed, Barbara HOLT, transcriber of forty letters written by Suzi's g.g,grandmother "Jennie", Carl GRAY's "Little Mudder", from 1857 to 1886, then on to Thomaston, Maine to see g,grandparents summer home "Gray Rocks", at 250 Stoney Point road, Pleasant Point, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine first visit June 24, 2012, now owned by artists & Yale professors, Ann CRAVAN and Peter HAILEY who purchased it in 2011 and had invited them to visit the home, found without its portico, that was added around 1922, Harriette's last home at 25, now 64, Hyler street, and to attend church where Harriette once donated its organ.
Russell Davis (1899KS-1975NJ) (Marine, executor of mother's will) Note: daughter "Ellie" born at 25 Hyler street, Thomaston, Maine, and her hubby viewed 'Gray Rocks' sailing by on a 42 foot Hinkley sail boat, later by land.
Dr Howard Kramer (1901MO-1955MN) (Navy) Note: His daughter "Wint" and hubby visited 'Gray Rocks' by land, as had his son "Howdie"
~ SIBLINGS:
"Hattie A" had three siblings: a nineteen month older brother, Clarence Morton , a shirt factory owner, married three times, third with two sons, last living in Oklahoma City, a two year younger brother, William Walter, a dentist, last living in Colorado Springs, having two daughters and the unknown sister, Jennie G, a total mystery, who survived but one month, mysteriously buried with their mother in the Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas.
"Hatti A", who spent her first twenty-three years in Kansas, and siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother Harriet SHULTS/Z upon the 1874 death of their mother till 1878, who continued raising brother "Will" till adulthood, around 1885 when she moved in with "Hatti"'s maternal aunt Sarah Jane in Independence, Montgomery county, Kansas, and with whom she spent her remaining twenty years.
Year following her mother's demise, her two paternal uncles, Wolney Pulaski ("V P") and Daniel Rice Boone FLORA with their families from Liberty, formerly Verdigrus township, Kansas in 1875 struck out for Colorado territory's high country, the Lake City, Hinsdale county area, where silver and gold had been discovered. Grant E HOUSTON, President, Hinsdale County, Colorado Historical Society, wrote (12/30/05):
"Both families [Flora & Borie] are well known here in Lake City and were among the real pioneers of our region, particularly up around Capitol City and Rose's Cabin, both of which are now ghost towns. Mrs. ["V P"] FLORA was also extensively interested at various times in Lake City hotels and boarding houses, including the boarding house of the Ute-Ulay Mine on Henson Creek. Her Second Street boarding house between Gunnison and Silver Streets still exists, although it has been moved about a block from its original location."
Her father remarried in 1878, four years following loss of first wife Mary. "Hattie A", at age nine, with older brother Clarence, moved east 30 miles to Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, with her father, new step-mother, older step-brother & step-sister but ~ ~ without younger brother "Will", who remained behind being raised by their maternal grandmother near Liberty until around 1885, who then moved to Oswego, year before sister "Hattie A" married.
THE OSWEGO INDEPENDENT
Friday, December 10, 1886, page 5, col. 1:
Mr. Carl Gray and Miss Hattie Flora were married at the Condon House, the home of the bride, on last Monday morning. They left immediately for Wichita, where Mr. Gray has a good position as a telegraph operator. The happy couple have the best wishes of a host of friends.
THE OSWEGO REPUBLICAN
Saturday, December 11, 1886, page 3, col. 1:
Carl Gray, of Wichita, and Miss Hattie Flora were married in this city on Monday, December 6th (sic), Rev. C.J. Bowles, of the Baptist church, officiating. They departed at once for their new home at Wichita, where Carl is working for the Western Union Telegraph Company (sic).
"When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, dark-haired girl named Harriette Flora."
above found written on page 17 of Time Magazine, May 3, 1937.
She married when barely seventeen, nineteen days before Christmas, 6 December 1886 to "Frisco's" Carl Raymond GRAY, who had boarded in her father's hotel, The Condon House, of Oswego. Labette county, Kansas, ~ ~ having all of $4 dollars in pocket with $60/month job. Harriette spending some fifty-two of Carl's fifty-six plus year railroad career, with him, birthing three sons, first son Carl claiming to have moved 42 times in first 50 years. City of Oswego honored both nearly one-hundred-three years later, 9 October 1989, with a "Katy" RR Caboose #109, attending were three of four living, of their six grandchildren and one of their sixteen great,grandchildren.
Harriette, years later, became first women to have a nation-wide radio Bible class on WOW in Omaha, Nebraska. She was, as afore noted, elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association in 1937, with meetings held annually in Los Angeles, California and monthly in Kansas City, Missouri(ah) from her Omaha, Nebraska home. Reported by one who had heard her give a serman, a Mr WYLLIE, of Thomaston, Knox county Maine, told her great, granddaughter, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, July 1, 2012, she "...had a deep and commanding voice – ‘she didn't need a microphone to be heard'."
While living in Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri from July 1890 until March 1896 (their third longest residency), she & hubby, were the first listed at her younger brother's, my grandfather's, wedding 21 August 1892, with Rev William Sims KNIGHT, D D of the Presbyterian church, officiating. Once residents of the grand Harrington Hotel overlooking the county courthouse built while residents. August 1898, on her way to Monett, Barry county, Missouri from Neodasha, Wilson county, Kansas, where hubby was again promoted and transferred, she dropped their son off at her brother's where he fell out of their cherry tree, later, September 1898, not finding suitable housing at Monett, rented from widow of William P MILLER his home, The Miller House - now 1422 Grand avenue - Richardsonian Romanesque built in 1890 by Mr. Miller, a grocer. This style emphasized arches, lintels, and sills by using a different stone from the walls. Straight-topped windows were used in addition to the round arched type. The belt of brick corbels beneath the upper gable and the 3 story polygonal tower are typical Romanesque features, ~ for a period, later, it becoming home of her Oswego childhood friend, Geneva (Condon) RAMSAY for over fifty years, now 1422 Grand avenue, whose father's Condon hotel in Oswego, was once managed by her father, John Andrew FLORA.
15 OCT 1900 they left their Monett home, next to Christine Luscombe Blair for Saint Louis, living at 3939 west Belle place when third son Howard was born in 1901, then back to western Missouri to a home on Benton avenue in Springfield, Greene county, Missouri.
Harriette in June 1903, while oldest son was a high school student, invited a dozen of her lady friends from far & near, to her Benton avenue, Springfield, Missouri home to spend a week, according to articles in Carthage [Missouri] Evening Press, dated the 3rd & 15th June 1903 discovered by Nancy BREWER of Carthage, ~ ~ included were mesdames: Elmer CLARK of Oswego, Kansas, her step-sister, C M FLORA, sister-in-law, of Independence, Kansas, from Carthage, Missouri, W W FLORA, her other sister-in-law (my grandmother), J E LANG, C T HALL, E J BURCH, C B STICKNEY, Charles BLAIR, C W RINEHART, Thomas FRANKS, M C SHIPLEY, both of Joplin, Burt K BLAIR, of Saint Louis and S B FRANKLIN of New York City, assisted by sister-in-law, Mrs LeRoy KRAMER, Mrs H H BROWN, Mrs LaFAVOR and Mrs Andrew O'HARA, with hubby Carl having the fair damsels removed to Arkansas aboard his railroad car for a two day excursion.
Her poetic invitation read, to wit:
You are cordially invited
~ To spend a week with me;
Only women will be present,
~ I assure you. not a " he."
You may bring your trunk or band box,
~ And likewise the little "bird,"
Just so you join the company
~ I will not say a word.
There'll be others at this party,
~ So come prepared to be
The very gayest lady
~ That this "town" will ever see.
I'll expect you in the evening,
~ Upon the eighth of June.
The house will be in order
~ And the music all in tune.
We will have a jolly outing
~ And a breakfast, dinner, tea.
If your answer is but "yes'm"
~ In your R. S. V. P.
(Rest assured, they were all her guests and arrived aboard a "Frisco" train)
April 1904 returned to Saint Louis later building their home at 52 Westmorland Place which was remodeled in 1945 by removal of portco, dormers, car port and smoothing the face of the rough limstone, found again on the market January 2014 for $1,100,000.
Years later, 7 June 1934, Carthage citizens honored Col Carl R & Harriette (Flora) GRAY, who had lived and contributed so much to Carthage from July 1890 to March 1896 while he was with the "Frisco" railroad, making long term friendships.
The Drake Hotel became the site for the Thursday evening reception (following Carl's February's successful introduction to United States of its first streamline passenger train), followed by a dinner with many prominent citizens, and friends, of the town, with their fifty-one member Reception Committee, chaired by the Honorable Judge Howard GRAY (1861IA-1939MO) (no relation, former president pro tem of Missouri senate), with around 300 people reportedly attending, to honor Carl and Harriette who lived there nearly nine years starting July 1890, their 2nd longest home, following 17 years at Omaha. She stayed at our 1218 south Maple street home while visiting with a front page spread in Carthage Evening Press. Then two and one half years later, in Omaha, Nebraska, honored with 1,400 guests for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Husband Carl (1867AR-1939DC), now president, Union Pacific Railroad since 1920, a "railroader" since March 1883. He had upon his 1890 arrival at Carthage, organized a battalion of Uniformaed Ranks of Knights of Pythias, selected as its leader in 1892 as Colonel while in Carthage, then selected Captain of what had been the famous Carthage Light Guards since 1876, in 1894 with their former Captain William K CAFFEE's (1856OH-1923MO) Colonel, regimental commander ~ ~ Carl's wife, Harriette, being sister to my maternal grandfather, a prominent Carthage dentist till 1904, Dr W W FLORA (1871KS-1922CO).
As aforementioned, Harriette and hubby celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a party of 1,400 friends at Omaha, Nebraska, featured in Life Magazine's four page spread 21st December 1936.
She, hubby and son Carl, for many years, are listed in; The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Aunt Harriette remembered me and others with presents for birthdays, Easter & Christmas as well as being included in her will.
~ January 2015 was sent me, by a gracious granddaughter Jewell Hess Albright of Jewell Lovina Whittenberg Parker, a seventy-eight year old newspaper article (also found in many other of the our nation's newspapers) saved from a Cropus Chisti, Texas newspaper regarding aunt Harriette's explanation of a women's life as she saw and lived it. "My mother, Evelyn, took care of the scrapbook and diaries for 33 years after my grandmother died". Harriette had just been selected as the New York State's Golden Rule's, ~ Mother of 1937. This lengthy article was in response to a question posed to her about her views on marriage and home. (VIEW the 13th image of twenty-one, at the upper-right of page)
~ Reportedly Harriette always stopped at Grant's Tomb to show it to her servants on their trip from New York home, 1035 Fifth avenue (Google street address for street view), to summer home, known first in 1919 as "Friendship Cottage" then following 1922's remodeling, "Gray Rocks" at 250 Stones Point road (Google, street address search "Truila" for views), situated to view southeasterly down "The Georges", at Pleasant Point in Cushing, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine as close as he could find, to his mother's birth place, being, near Davis Point on Muscongus Bay.
Description of her New York home is, to wit:
In 1926, this handsome building, in the style of an Italian Renaissance Palazzo, is one of Fifth Avenue’s finest white-glove cooperatives, converted in 1954. The handsome, four-story limestone base complements the buff-colored brick of the floors above, and the building integrates seamlessly within the context of its stately, well-heeled Fifth Avenue neighbors. The elegant lobby looks onto a landscaped interior courtyard, and the building staff includes a doorman, hallman, porters and elevator attendants. Each apartment comes with its own storage. Located just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 85th Street, 1035 Fifth has 16 floors and approximately 72 apartments, making 1035 one of the larger coops on this stretch of Fifth Avenue. Many of the apartments have stunning views west of Central Park, including the reservoir. The apartments are notable for the grand scale of the rooms, high ceilings and fine pre-war detailing. The building allows pets, but no subletting and the building does not permit financing. 1035 Fifth does not have a garage but is located proximate to several garages. There is no gym in the coop but several world class gyms are located within walking distance.
SOURCE: by Cathy Taub
Aunt Harriette disposed of "Gray Rocks" around 1943, following loss of Carl, (on the market with only 3 acres, in 2008) spending her last years living at 25, now 64, Hyler street in Thomaston, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine, a house, once, before tree growth, with a view southeasterly down "The Georges" where some thirty years earlier, her second son and wife birthed their two children while operating his boat yard nearby on The Georges", in a town with its history of boat building and of sea captains.
Varies family members, as afore mentioned, have re-visited "Gray Rocks" from time to time, including "Wint" (Gray) BONES, "Howdie" Gray, "Ellie" (Gray) KNUTSON, Barbara (Gray) VEST and during July 2012, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, who with hubby, Joe, with invitation from the new owners, Ann CRAVEN, and Peter HAILEY, then Sunday they attended Baptist church which Harriette attended and donated an organ, meeting many who remembered Harriette, one whose sister worked for her whom Harriette sent to college. I too had been invited to stay at "Gray Rocks" by the former owner a few years ago, but didn't make the trip from Naples, Florida.
Obituaries were published across the nation where she had had a positive impact, such as her hometown of Oswego, Kansas, Carthage, Missouri in the Carthage Evening Press where they resided for third longest period of their married life, included below is obituary from where she last lived, to wit:
THE COURIER-GAZETTE
Tuesday, June 19, 1956:
Mrs. Carl R. Gray --
Mrs. Carl R. Gray, 87, of Thomaston, widow of Carl R. Gray, formerly president of the Union Pacific Railroad, died at Rockland, Sunday after a short illness.
Mrs. Gray was born in Liberty, Kansas, September 17, 1886 (sic, 1869), was one of the first white children born in that area. Surviving are a son, Russell D. Gray of Baltimore, Md.; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Two of Mrs. Gray's sons, Major General Carl R. Gray, Jr., director of the Veteran's Administration and Dr. Howard K. Gray, chief of the surgical section of the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., died last year.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday (today) at 2 p.m. at the Thomaston Baptist Church with the Rev. John B.S. Fitzpatrick officiating. Services will also be held at the Eutaw Place Baptist Church in Baltimore, Wednesday, 2 p.m. Interment will be in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore.
Revised: 02/03/15
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
Wife of Carl Raymond GRAY
~ Her given names are from each grandmother.
NOTE: Click on pictures for informative caption.
Birth: William G Culter's 1883 published history book stated she was: first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas! ~ She was 2nd born of four known children when mother was eighteen, in a frontier Log Home on Osage Indian Ceded Land in Verdigris, Liberty after January 1871, township, Montgomery, formerly Wilson till 3 June 1869, county, Kansas. ~ ~ she was extremely devoted to her entire family, including me ~ ~ also, ~ ~ a year later, across the river, on Indian land, was born Carrie INGALLS, of "Little House On The Prairie".
~ Daughter of Mary Elizabeth SCHULTS whose g,grandfather, according to hubby's research, was veteran of Revolutionary War, Colonel Heinrich STARRING (1730-1808), & John Andrew FLORA, both early pioneers to Kansas Territory, he a Union army Civil War veteran ~ ~
Her sister Jennie is a complete mystery to us, the family.
Harriette's mother died November 1874 while "Hattie A" was lying in bed with her, buried, for some unknown reason, at Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas with her month old daughter, (Harriette & Carl were at my mother's bedside when she died April 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) ~ ~ ~ following as told by her first great, grandchild, Sandra Stuart GRAY, so shared 8/12/05:
"Harriette ["Hattie A"] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile...."
Harriette's father and his two older brothers, V P & Cpl D B R, as had their father, at age sixty-one, served the Union forces during Civil War. The three brothers in defeating Gen Sterling Price, with his greatly outnumbering forces, October 1864 at the Mine Creek Battle in Kansas, where six, past or future, State governors did battle, while two Confederate General's were captured. Gen Price had broken bread with her husbands mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray, in Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas before embarking on this ill-fated raid through Missouri & Kansas, while her husband's father was serving as an officer at Atlanta AUG 1864, in the Confederate forces, captured November 1864.
~ Married when barely seventeen, "Hattie", mother of three sons (each with one son & one daughter), serving in a different branch during WW II (oldest in WW I), the oldest & youngest in "Who's Who in America", husband on page 497 in Vol I and page 713, Vol 4 of "Who was Who in America"
Harriette was chosen: 1)- "Amercia Mother of 1937" by Golden Rule Foundation of New York, preceded a few years by Mrs James Roosevelt (Sara Ann Delano) and followed in 1938 by Grace N Crowell, all, so noted throughout our nation's newspapers, 2)- recipient of the prestiges "Cross of Honor" from U S Flag association in 1937, 3)-Doctor of Letters from Sioux Falls College of South Dakota, as later stated, 4)- elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association and 5)- chosen president of Mothers for Christ, an interdenominational organization, plus enjoying many, many more honors.
~ CHILDREN:
Major General Carl Raymond, jr (1889KS-1955MN) (army, recipient of nations second highest military award)
NOTE: His fifth, youngest of four granddaughters, "Suzi" with hubby Joe, ventured from home in Franconia, Minnesota to Franconia, New Hampshire where they met with "Suzi's" fourth cousin once removed, Barbara HOLT, transcriber of forty letters written by Suzi's g.g,grandmother "Jennie", Carl GRAY's "Little Mudder", from 1857 to 1886, then on to Thomaston, Maine to see g,grandparents summer home "Gray Rocks", at 250 Stoney Point road, Pleasant Point, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine first visit June 24, 2012, now owned by artists & Yale professors, Ann CRAVAN and Peter HAILEY who purchased it in 2011 and had invited them to visit the home, found without its portico, that was added around 1922, Harriette's last home at 25, now 64, Hyler street, and to attend church where Harriette once donated its organ.
Russell Davis (1899KS-1975NJ) (Marine, executor of mother's will) Note: daughter "Ellie" born at 25 Hyler street, Thomaston, Maine, and her hubby viewed 'Gray Rocks' sailing by on a 42 foot Hinkley sail boat, later by land.
Dr Howard Kramer (1901MO-1955MN) (Navy) Note: His daughter "Wint" and hubby visited 'Gray Rocks' by land, as had his son "Howdie"
~ SIBLINGS:
"Hattie A" had three siblings: a nineteen month older brother, Clarence Morton , a shirt factory owner, married three times, third with two sons, last living in Oklahoma City, a two year younger brother, William Walter, a dentist, last living in Colorado Springs, having two daughters and the unknown sister, Jennie G, a total mystery, who survived but one month, mysteriously buried with their mother in the Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas.
"Hatti A", who spent her first twenty-three years in Kansas, and siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother Harriet SHULTS/Z upon the 1874 death of their mother till 1878, who continued raising brother "Will" till adulthood, around 1885 when she moved in with "Hatti"'s maternal aunt Sarah Jane in Independence, Montgomery county, Kansas, and with whom she spent her remaining twenty years.
Year following her mother's demise, her two paternal uncles, Wolney Pulaski ("V P") and Daniel Rice Boone FLORA with their families from Liberty, formerly Verdigrus township, Kansas in 1875 struck out for Colorado territory's high country, the Lake City, Hinsdale county area, where silver and gold had been discovered. Grant E HOUSTON, President, Hinsdale County, Colorado Historical Society, wrote (12/30/05):
"Both families [Flora & Borie] are well known here in Lake City and were among the real pioneers of our region, particularly up around Capitol City and Rose's Cabin, both of which are now ghost towns. Mrs. ["V P"] FLORA was also extensively interested at various times in Lake City hotels and boarding houses, including the boarding house of the Ute-Ulay Mine on Henson Creek. Her Second Street boarding house between Gunnison and Silver Streets still exists, although it has been moved about a block from its original location."
Her father remarried in 1878, four years following loss of first wife Mary. "Hattie A", at age nine, with older brother Clarence, moved east 30 miles to Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, with her father, new step-mother, older step-brother & step-sister but ~ ~ without younger brother "Will", who remained behind being raised by their maternal grandmother near Liberty until around 1885, who then moved to Oswego, year before sister "Hattie A" married.
THE OSWEGO INDEPENDENT
Friday, December 10, 1886, page 5, col. 1:
Mr. Carl Gray and Miss Hattie Flora were married at the Condon House, the home of the bride, on last Monday morning. They left immediately for Wichita, where Mr. Gray has a good position as a telegraph operator. The happy couple have the best wishes of a host of friends.
THE OSWEGO REPUBLICAN
Saturday, December 11, 1886, page 3, col. 1:
Carl Gray, of Wichita, and Miss Hattie Flora were married in this city on Monday, December 6th (sic), Rev. C.J. Bowles, of the Baptist church, officiating. They departed at once for their new home at Wichita, where Carl is working for the Western Union Telegraph Company (sic).
"When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, dark-haired girl named Harriette Flora."
above found written on page 17 of Time Magazine, May 3, 1937.
She married when barely seventeen, nineteen days before Christmas, 6 December 1886 to "Frisco's" Carl Raymond GRAY, who had boarded in her father's hotel, The Condon House, of Oswego. Labette county, Kansas, ~ ~ having all of $4 dollars in pocket with $60/month job. Harriette spending some fifty-two of Carl's fifty-six plus year railroad career, with him, birthing three sons, first son Carl claiming to have moved 42 times in first 50 years. City of Oswego honored both nearly one-hundred-three years later, 9 October 1989, with a "Katy" RR Caboose #109, attending were three of four living, of their six grandchildren and one of their sixteen great,grandchildren.
Harriette, years later, became first women to have a nation-wide radio Bible class on WOW in Omaha, Nebraska. She was, as afore noted, elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association in 1937, with meetings held annually in Los Angeles, California and monthly in Kansas City, Missouri(ah) from her Omaha, Nebraska home. Reported by one who had heard her give a serman, a Mr WYLLIE, of Thomaston, Knox county Maine, told her great, granddaughter, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, July 1, 2012, she "...had a deep and commanding voice – ‘she didn't need a microphone to be heard'."
While living in Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri from July 1890 until March 1896 (their third longest residency), she & hubby, were the first listed at her younger brother's, my grandfather's, wedding 21 August 1892, with Rev William Sims KNIGHT, D D of the Presbyterian church, officiating. Once residents of the grand Harrington Hotel overlooking the county courthouse built while residents. August 1898, on her way to Monett, Barry county, Missouri from Neodasha, Wilson county, Kansas, where hubby was again promoted and transferred, she dropped their son off at her brother's where he fell out of their cherry tree, later, September 1898, not finding suitable housing at Monett, rented from widow of William P MILLER his home, The Miller House - now 1422 Grand avenue - Richardsonian Romanesque built in 1890 by Mr. Miller, a grocer. This style emphasized arches, lintels, and sills by using a different stone from the walls. Straight-topped windows were used in addition to the round arched type. The belt of brick corbels beneath the upper gable and the 3 story polygonal tower are typical Romanesque features, ~ for a period, later, it becoming home of her Oswego childhood friend, Geneva (Condon) RAMSAY for over fifty years, now 1422 Grand avenue, whose father's Condon hotel in Oswego, was once managed by her father, John Andrew FLORA.
15 OCT 1900 they left their Monett home, next to Christine Luscombe Blair for Saint Louis, living at 3939 west Belle place when third son Howard was born in 1901, then back to western Missouri to a home on Benton avenue in Springfield, Greene county, Missouri.
Harriette in June 1903, while oldest son was a high school student, invited a dozen of her lady friends from far & near, to her Benton avenue, Springfield, Missouri home to spend a week, according to articles in Carthage [Missouri] Evening Press, dated the 3rd & 15th June 1903 discovered by Nancy BREWER of Carthage, ~ ~ included were mesdames: Elmer CLARK of Oswego, Kansas, her step-sister, C M FLORA, sister-in-law, of Independence, Kansas, from Carthage, Missouri, W W FLORA, her other sister-in-law (my grandmother), J E LANG, C T HALL, E J BURCH, C B STICKNEY, Charles BLAIR, C W RINEHART, Thomas FRANKS, M C SHIPLEY, both of Joplin, Burt K BLAIR, of Saint Louis and S B FRANKLIN of New York City, assisted by sister-in-law, Mrs LeRoy KRAMER, Mrs H H BROWN, Mrs LaFAVOR and Mrs Andrew O'HARA, with hubby Carl having the fair damsels removed to Arkansas aboard his railroad car for a two day excursion.
Her poetic invitation read, to wit:
You are cordially invited
~ To spend a week with me;
Only women will be present,
~ I assure you. not a " he."
You may bring your trunk or band box,
~ And likewise the little "bird,"
Just so you join the company
~ I will not say a word.
There'll be others at this party,
~ So come prepared to be
The very gayest lady
~ That this "town" will ever see.
I'll expect you in the evening,
~ Upon the eighth of June.
The house will be in order
~ And the music all in tune.
We will have a jolly outing
~ And a breakfast, dinner, tea.
If your answer is but "yes'm"
~ In your R. S. V. P.
(Rest assured, they were all her guests and arrived aboard a "Frisco" train)
April 1904 returned to Saint Louis later building their home at 52 Westmorland Place which was remodeled in 1945 by removal of portco, dormers, car port and smoothing the face of the rough limstone, found again on the market January 2014 for $1,100,000.
Years later, 7 June 1934, Carthage citizens honored Col Carl R & Harriette (Flora) GRAY, who had lived and contributed so much to Carthage from July 1890 to March 1896 while he was with the "Frisco" railroad, making long term friendships.
The Drake Hotel became the site for the Thursday evening reception (following Carl's February's successful introduction to United States of its first streamline passenger train), followed by a dinner with many prominent citizens, and friends, of the town, with their fifty-one member Reception Committee, chaired by the Honorable Judge Howard GRAY (1861IA-1939MO) (no relation, former president pro tem of Missouri senate), with around 300 people reportedly attending, to honor Carl and Harriette who lived there nearly nine years starting July 1890, their 2nd longest home, following 17 years at Omaha. She stayed at our 1218 south Maple street home while visiting with a front page spread in Carthage Evening Press. Then two and one half years later, in Omaha, Nebraska, honored with 1,400 guests for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Husband Carl (1867AR-1939DC), now president, Union Pacific Railroad since 1920, a "railroader" since March 1883. He had upon his 1890 arrival at Carthage, organized a battalion of Uniformaed Ranks of Knights of Pythias, selected as its leader in 1892 as Colonel while in Carthage, then selected Captain of what had been the famous Carthage Light Guards since 1876, in 1894 with their former Captain William K CAFFEE's (1856OH-1923MO) Colonel, regimental commander ~ ~ Carl's wife, Harriette, being sister to my maternal grandfather, a prominent Carthage dentist till 1904, Dr W W FLORA (1871KS-1922CO).
As aforementioned, Harriette and hubby celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a party of 1,400 friends at Omaha, Nebraska, featured in Life Magazine's four page spread 21st December 1936.
She, hubby and son Carl, for many years, are listed in; The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Aunt Harriette remembered me and others with presents for birthdays, Easter & Christmas as well as being included in her will.
~ January 2015 was sent me, by a gracious granddaughter Jewell Hess Albright of Jewell Lovina Whittenberg Parker, a seventy-eight year old newspaper article (also found in many other of the our nation's newspapers) saved from a Cropus Chisti, Texas newspaper regarding aunt Harriette's explanation of a women's life as she saw and lived it. "My mother, Evelyn, took care of the scrapbook and diaries for 33 years after my grandmother died". Harriette had just been selected as the New York State's Golden Rule's, ~ Mother of 1937. This lengthy article was in response to a question posed to her about her views on marriage and home. (VIEW the 13th image of twenty-one, at the upper-right of page)
~ Reportedly Harriette always stopped at Grant's Tomb to show it to her servants on their trip from New York home, 1035 Fifth avenue (Google street address for street view), to summer home, known first in 1919 as "Friendship Cottage" then following 1922's remodeling, "Gray Rocks" at 250 Stones Point road (Google, street address search "Truila" for views), situated to view southeasterly down "The Georges", at Pleasant Point in Cushing, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine as close as he could find, to his mother's birth place, being, near Davis Point on Muscongus Bay.
Description of her New York home is, to wit:
In 1926, this handsome building, in the style of an Italian Renaissance Palazzo, is one of Fifth Avenue’s finest white-glove cooperatives, converted in 1954. The handsome, four-story limestone base complements the buff-colored brick of the floors above, and the building integrates seamlessly within the context of its stately, well-heeled Fifth Avenue neighbors. The elegant lobby looks onto a landscaped interior courtyard, and the building staff includes a doorman, hallman, porters and elevator attendants. Each apartment comes with its own storage. Located just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 85th Street, 1035 Fifth has 16 floors and approximately 72 apartments, making 1035 one of the larger coops on this stretch of Fifth Avenue. Many of the apartments have stunning views west of Central Park, including the reservoir. The apartments are notable for the grand scale of the rooms, high ceilings and fine pre-war detailing. The building allows pets, but no subletting and the building does not permit financing. 1035 Fifth does not have a garage but is located proximate to several garages. There is no gym in the coop but several world class gyms are located within walking distance.
SOURCE: by Cathy Taub
Aunt Harriette disposed of "Gray Rocks" around 1943, following loss of Carl, (on the market with only 3 acres, in 2008) spending her last years living at 25, now 64, Hyler street in Thomaston, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine, a house, once, before tree growth, with a view southeasterly down "The Georges" where some thirty years earlier, her second son and wife birthed their two children while operating his boat yard nearby on The Georges", in a town with its history of boat building and of sea captains.
Varies family members, as afore mentioned, have re-visited "Gray Rocks" from time to time, including "Wint" (Gray) BONES, "Howdie" Gray, "Ellie" (Gray) KNUTSON, Barbara (Gray) VEST and during July 2012, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, who with hubby, Joe, with invitation from the new owners, Ann CRAVEN, and Peter HAILEY, then Sunday they attended Baptist church which Harriette attended and donated an organ, meeting many who remembered Harriette, one whose sister worked for her whom Harriette sent to college. I too had been invited to stay at "Gray Rocks" by the former owner a few years ago, but didn't make the trip from Naples, Florida.
Obituaries were published across the nation where she had had a positive impact, such as her hometown of Oswego, Kansas, Carthage, Missouri in the Carthage Evening Press where they resided for third longest period of their married life, included below is obituary from where she last lived, to wit:
THE COURIER-GAZETTE
Tuesday, June 19, 1956:
Mrs. Carl R. Gray --
Mrs. Carl R. Gray, 87, of Thomaston, widow of Carl R. Gray, formerly president of the Union Pacific Railroad, died at Rockland, Sunday after a short illness.
Mrs. Gray was born in Liberty, Kansas, September 17, 1886 (sic, 1869), was one of the first white children born in that area. Surviving are a son, Russell D. Gray of Baltimore, Md.; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Two of Mrs. Gray's sons, Major General Carl R. Gray, Jr., director of the Veteran's Administration and Dr. Howard K. Gray, chief of the surgical section of the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., died last year.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday (today) at 2 p.m. at the Thomaston Baptist Church with the Rev. John B.S. Fitzpatrick officiating. Services will also be held at the Eutaw Place Baptist Church in Baltimore, Wednesday, 2 p.m. Interment will be in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore.
Revised: 02/03/15
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
~ Her given names are from each grandmother.
NOTE: Click on pictures for informative caption.
Birth: William G Culter's 1883 published history book stated she was: first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas! ~ She was 2nd born of four known children when mother was eighteen, in a frontier Log Home on Osage Indian Ceded Land in Verdigris, Liberty after January 1871, township, Montgomery, formerly Wilson till 3 June 1869, county, Kansas. ~ ~ she was extremely devoted to her entire family, including me ~ ~ also, ~ ~ a year later, across the river, on Indian land, was born Carrie INGALLS, of "Little House On The Prairie".
~ Daughter of Mary Elizabeth SCHULTS whose g,grandfather, according to hubby's research, was veteran of Revolutionary War, Colonel Heinrich STARRING (1730-1808), & John Andrew FLORA, both early pioneers to Kansas Territory, he a Union army Civil War veteran ~ ~
Her sister Jennie is a complete mystery to us, the family.
Harriette's mother died November 1874 while "Hattie A" was lying in bed with her, buried, for some unknown reason, at Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas with her month old daughter, (Harriette & Carl were at my mother's bedside when she died April 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) ~ ~ ~ following as told by her first great, grandchild, Sandra Stuart GRAY, so shared 8/12/05:
"Harriette ["Hattie A"] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile...."
Harriette's father and his two older brothers, V P & Cpl D B R, as had their father, at age sixty-one, served the Union forces during Civil War. The three brothers in defeating Gen Sterling Price, with his greatly outnumbering forces, October 1864 at the Mine Creek Battle in Kansas, where six, past or future, State governors did battle, while two Confederate General's were captured. Gen Price had broken bread with her husbands mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray, in Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas before embarking on this ill-fated raid through Missouri & Kansas, while her husband's father was serving as an officer at Atlanta AUG 1864, in the Confederate forces, captured November 1864.
~ Married when barely seventeen, "Hattie", mother of three sons (each with one son & one daughter), serving in a different branch during WW II (oldest in WW I), the oldest & youngest in "Who's Who in America", husband on page 497 in Vol I and page 713, Vol 4 of "Who was Who in America"
Harriette was chosen: 1)- "Amercia Mother of 1937" by Golden Rule Foundation of New York, preceded a few years by Mrs James Roosevelt (Sara Ann Delano) and followed in 1938 by Grace N Crowell, all, so noted throughout our nation's newspapers, 2)- recipient of the prestiges "Cross of Honor" from U S Flag association in 1937, 3)-Doctor of Letters from Sioux Falls College of South Dakota, as later stated, 4)- elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association and 5)- chosen president of Mothers for Christ, an interdenominational organization, plus enjoying many, many more honors.
~ CHILDREN:
Major General Carl Raymond, jr (1889KS-1955MN) (army, recipient of nations second highest military award)
NOTE: His fifth, youngest of four granddaughters, "Suzi" with hubby Joe, ventured from home in Franconia, Minnesota to Franconia, New Hampshire where they met with "Suzi's" fourth cousin once removed, Barbara HOLT, transcriber of forty letters written by Suzi's g.g,grandmother "Jennie", Carl GRAY's "Little Mudder", from 1857 to 1886, then on to Thomaston, Maine to see g,grandparents summer home "Gray Rocks", at 250 Stoney Point road, Pleasant Point, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine first visit June 24, 2012, now owned by artists & Yale professors, Ann CRAVAN and Peter HAILEY who purchased it in 2011 and had invited them to visit the home, found without its portico, that was added around 1922, Harriette's last home at 25, now 64, Hyler street, and to attend church where Harriette once donated its organ.
Russell Davis (1899KS-1975NJ) (Marine, executor of mother's will) Note: daughter "Ellie" born at 25 Hyler street, Thomaston, Maine, and her hubby viewed 'Gray Rocks' sailing by on a 42 foot Hinkley sail boat, later by land.
Dr Howard Kramer (1901MO-1955MN) (Navy) Note: His daughter "Wint" and hubby visited 'Gray Rocks' by land, as had his son "Howdie"
~ SIBLINGS:
"Hattie A" had three siblings: a nineteen month older brother, Clarence Morton , a shirt factory owner, married three times, third with two sons, last living in Oklahoma City, a two year younger brother, William Walter, a dentist, last living in Colorado Springs, having two daughters and the unknown sister, Jennie G, a total mystery, who survived but one month, mysteriously buried with their mother in the Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas.
"Hatti A", who spent her first twenty-three years in Kansas, and siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother Harriet SHULTS/Z upon the 1874 death of their mother till 1878, who continued raising brother "Will" till adulthood, around 1885 when she moved in with "Hatti"'s maternal aunt Sarah Jane in Independence, Montgomery county, Kansas, and with whom she spent her remaining twenty years.
Year following her mother's demise, her two paternal uncles, Wolney Pulaski ("V P") and Daniel Rice Boone FLORA with their families from Liberty, formerly Verdigrus township, Kansas in 1875 struck out for Colorado territory's high country, the Lake City, Hinsdale county area, where silver and gold had been discovered. Grant E HOUSTON, President, Hinsdale County, Colorado Historical Society, wrote (12/30/05):
"Both families [Flora & Borie] are well known here in Lake City and were among the real pioneers of our region, particularly up around Capitol City and Rose's Cabin, both of which are now ghost towns. Mrs. ["V P"] FLORA was also extensively interested at various times in Lake City hotels and boarding houses, including the boarding house of the Ute-Ulay Mine on Henson Creek. Her Second Street boarding house between Gunnison and Silver Streets still exists, although it has been moved about a block from its original location."
Her father remarried in 1878, four years following loss of first wife Mary. "Hattie A", at age nine, with older brother Clarence, moved east 30 miles to Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, with her father, new step-mother, older step-brother & step-sister but ~ ~ without younger brother "Will", who remained behind being raised by their maternal grandmother near Liberty until around 1885, who then moved to Oswego, year before sister "Hattie A" married.
THE OSWEGO INDEPENDENT
Friday, December 10, 1886, page 5, col. 1:
Mr. Carl Gray and Miss Hattie Flora were married at the Condon House, the home of the bride, on last Monday morning. They left immediately for Wichita, where Mr. Gray has a good position as a telegraph operator. The happy couple have the best wishes of a host of friends.
THE OSWEGO REPUBLICAN
Saturday, December 11, 1886, page 3, col. 1:
Carl Gray, of Wichita, and Miss Hattie Flora were married in this city on Monday, December 6th (sic), Rev. C.J. Bowles, of the Baptist church, officiating. They departed at once for their new home at Wichita, where Carl is working for the Western Union Telegraph Company (sic).
"When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, dark-haired girl named Harriette Flora."
above found written on page 17 of Time Magazine, May 3, 1937.
She married when barely seventeen, nineteen days before Christmas, 6 December 1886 to "Frisco's" Carl Raymond GRAY, who had boarded in her father's hotel, The Condon House, of Oswego. Labette county, Kansas, ~ ~ having all of $4 dollars in pocket with $60/month job. Harriette spending some fifty-two of Carl's fifty-six plus year railroad career, with him, birthing three sons, first son Carl claiming to have moved 42 times in first 50 years. City of Oswego honored both nearly one-hundred-three years later, 9 October 1989, with a "Katy" RR Caboose #109, attending were three of four living, of their six grandchildren and one of their sixteen great,grandchildren.
Harriette, years later, became first women to have a nation-wide radio Bible class on WOW in Omaha, Nebraska. She was, as afore noted, elected president of the 3,000 national membership Home Bible Study Association in 1937, with meetings held annually in Los Angeles, California and monthly in Kansas City, Missouri(ah) from her Omaha, Nebraska home. Reported by one who had heard her give a serman, a Mr WYLLIE, of Thomaston, Knox county Maine, told her great, granddaughter, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, July 1, 2012, she "...had a deep and commanding voice – ‘she didn't need a microphone to be heard'."
While living in Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri from July 1890 until March 1896 (their third longest residency), she & hubby, were the first listed at her younger brother's, my grandfather's, wedding 21 August 1892, with Rev William Sims KNIGHT, D D of the Presbyterian church, officiating. Once residents of the grand Harrington Hotel overlooking the county courthouse built while residents. August 1898, on her way to Monett, Barry county, Missouri from Neodasha, Wilson county, Kansas, where hubby was again promoted and transferred, she dropped their son off at her brother's where he fell out of their cherry tree, later, September 1898, not finding suitable housing at Monett, rented from widow of William P MILLER his home, The Miller House - now 1422 Grand avenue - Richardsonian Romanesque built in 1890 by Mr. Miller, a grocer. This style emphasized arches, lintels, and sills by using a different stone from the walls. Straight-topped windows were used in addition to the round arched type. The belt of brick corbels beneath the upper gable and the 3 story polygonal tower are typical Romanesque features, ~ for a period, later, it becoming home of her Oswego childhood friend, Geneva (Condon) RAMSAY for over fifty years, now 1422 Grand avenue, whose father's Condon hotel in Oswego, was once managed by her father, John Andrew FLORA.
15 OCT 1900 they left their Monett home, next to Christine Luscombe Blair for Saint Louis, living at 3939 west Belle place when third son Howard was born in 1901, then back to western Missouri to a home on Benton avenue in Springfield, Greene county, Missouri.
Harriette in June 1903, while oldest son was a high school student, invited a dozen of her lady friends from far & near, to her Benton avenue, Springfield, Missouri home to spend a week, according to articles in Carthage [Missouri] Evening Press, dated the 3rd & 15th June 1903 discovered by Nancy BREWER of Carthage, ~ ~ included were mesdames: Elmer CLARK of Oswego, Kansas, her step-sister, C M FLORA, sister-in-law, of Independence, Kansas, from Carthage, Missouri, W W FLORA, her other sister-in-law (my grandmother), J E LANG, C T HALL, E J BURCH, C B STICKNEY, Charles BLAIR, C W RINEHART, Thomas FRANKS, M C SHIPLEY, both of Joplin, Burt K BLAIR, of Saint Louis and S B FRANKLIN of New York City, assisted by sister-in-law, Mrs LeRoy KRAMER, Mrs H H BROWN, Mrs LaFAVOR and Mrs Andrew O'HARA, with hubby Carl having the fair damsels removed to Arkansas aboard his railroad car for a two day excursion.
Her poetic invitation read, to wit:
You are cordially invited
~ To spend a week with me;
Only women will be present,
~ I assure you. not a " he."
You may bring your trunk or band box,
~ And likewise the little "bird,"
Just so you join the company
~ I will not say a word.
There'll be others at this party,
~ So come prepared to be
The very gayest lady
~ That this "town" will ever see.
I'll expect you in the evening,
~ Upon the eighth of June.
The house will be in order
~ And the music all in tune.
We will have a jolly outing
~ And a breakfast, dinner, tea.
If your answer is but "yes'm"
~ In your R. S. V. P.
(Rest assured, they were all her guests and arrived aboard a "Frisco" train)
April 1904 returned to Saint Louis later building their home at 52 Westmorland Place which was remodeled in 1945 by removal of portco, dormers, car port and smoothing the face of the rough limstone, found again on the market January 2014 for $1,100,000.
Years later, 7 June 1934, Carthage citizens honored Col Carl R & Harriette (Flora) GRAY, who had lived and contributed so much to Carthage from July 1890 to March 1896 while he was with the "Frisco" railroad, making long term friendships.
The Drake Hotel became the site for the Thursday evening reception (following Carl's February's successful introduction to United States of its first streamline passenger train), followed by a dinner with many prominent citizens, and friends, of the town, with their fifty-one member Reception Committee, chaired by the Honorable Judge Howard GRAY (1861IA-1939MO) (no relation, former president pro tem of Missouri senate), with around 300 people reportedly attending, to honor Carl and Harriette who lived there nearly nine years starting July 1890, their 2nd longest home, following 17 years at Omaha. She stayed at our 1218 south Maple street home while visiting with a front page spread in Carthage Evening Press. Then two and one half years later, in Omaha, Nebraska, honored with 1,400 guests for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Husband Carl (1867AR-1939DC), now president, Union Pacific Railroad since 1920, a "railroader" since March 1883. He had upon his 1890 arrival at Carthage, organized a battalion of Uniformaed Ranks of Knights of Pythias, selected as its leader in 1892 as Colonel while in Carthage, then selected Captain of what had been the famous Carthage Light Guards since 1876, in 1894 with their former Captain William K CAFFEE's (1856OH-1923MO) Colonel, regimental commander ~ ~ Carl's wife, Harriette, being sister to my maternal grandfather, a prominent Carthage dentist till 1904, Dr W W FLORA (1871KS-1922CO).
As aforementioned, Harriette and hubby celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a party of 1,400 friends at Omaha, Nebraska, featured in Life Magazine's four page spread 21st December 1936.
She, hubby and son Carl, for many years, are listed in; The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Aunt Harriette remembered me and others with presents for birthdays, Easter & Christmas as well as being included in her will.
~ January 2015 was sent me, by a gracious granddaughter Jewell Hess Albright of Jewell Lovina Whittenberg Parker, a seventy-eight year old newspaper article (also found in many other of the our nation's newspapers) saved from a Cropus Chisti, Texas newspaper regarding aunt Harriette's explanation of a women's life as she saw and lived it. "My mother, Evelyn, took care of the scrapbook and diaries for 33 years after my grandmother died". Harriette had just been selected as the New York State's Golden Rule's, ~ Mother of 1937. This lengthy article was in response to a question posed to her about her views on marriage and home. (VIEW the 13th image of twenty-one, at the upper-right of page)
~ Reportedly Harriette always stopped at Grant's Tomb to show it to her servants on their trip from New York home, 1035 Fifth avenue (Google street address for street view), to summer home, known first in 1919 as "Friendship Cottage" then following 1922's remodeling, "Gray Rocks" at 250 Stones Point road (Google, street address search "Truila" for views), situated to view southeasterly down "The Georges", at Pleasant Point in Cushing, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine as close as he could find, to his mother's birth place, being, near Davis Point on Muscongus Bay.
Description of her New York home is, to wit:
In 1926, this handsome building, in the style of an Italian Renaissance Palazzo, is one of Fifth Avenue’s finest white-glove cooperatives, converted in 1954. The handsome, four-story limestone base complements the buff-colored brick of the floors above, and the building integrates seamlessly within the context of its stately, well-heeled Fifth Avenue neighbors. The elegant lobby looks onto a landscaped interior courtyard, and the building staff includes a doorman, hallman, porters and elevator attendants. Each apartment comes with its own storage. Located just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 85th Street, 1035 Fifth has 16 floors and approximately 72 apartments, making 1035 one of the larger coops on this stretch of Fifth Avenue. Many of the apartments have stunning views west of Central Park, including the reservoir. The apartments are notable for the grand scale of the rooms, high ceilings and fine pre-war detailing. The building allows pets, but no subletting and the building does not permit financing. 1035 Fifth does not have a garage but is located proximate to several garages. There is no gym in the coop but several world class gyms are located within walking distance.
SOURCE: by Cathy Taub
Aunt Harriette disposed of "Gray Rocks" around 1943, following loss of Carl, (on the market with only 3 acres, in 2008) spending her last years living at 25, now 64, Hyler street in Thomaston, Knox, formerly Lincoln county, Maine, a house, once, before tree growth, with a view southeasterly down "The Georges" where some thirty years earlier, her second son and wife birthed their two children while operating his boat yard nearby on The Georges", in a town with its history of boat building and of sea captains.
Varies family members, as afore mentioned, have re-visited "Gray Rocks" from time to time, including "Wint" (Gray) BONES, "Howdie" Gray, "Ellie" (Gray) KNUTSON, Barbara (Gray) VEST and during July 2012, "Suzi" (Gray) JOHNSON, who with hubby, Joe, with invitation from the new owners, Ann CRAVEN, and Peter HAILEY, then Sunday they attended Baptist church which Harriette attended and donated an organ, meeting many who remembered Harriette, one whose sister worked for her whom Harriette sent to college. I too had been invited to stay at "Gray Rocks" by the former owner a few years ago, but didn't make the trip from Naples, Florida.
Obituaries were published across the nation where she had had a positive impact, such as her hometown of Oswego, Kansas, Carthage, Missouri in the Carthage Evening Press where they resided for third longest period of their married life, included below is obituary from where she last lived, to wit:
THE COURIER-GAZETTE
Tuesday, June 19, 1956:
Mrs. Carl R. Gray --
Mrs. Carl R. Gray, 87, of Thomaston, widow of Carl R. Gray, formerly president of the Union Pacific Railroad, died at Rockland, Sunday after a short illness.
Mrs. Gray was born in Liberty, Kansas, September 17, 1886 (sic, 1869), was one of the first white children born in that area. Surviving are a son, Russell D. Gray of Baltimore, Md.; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Two of Mrs. Gray's sons, Major General Carl R. Gray, Jr., director of the Veteran's Administration and Dr. Howard K. Gray, chief of the surgical section of the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., died last year.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday (today) at 2 p.m. at the Thomaston Baptist Church with the Rev. John B.S. Fitzpatrick officiating. Services will also be held at the Eutaw Place Baptist Church in Baltimore, Wednesday, 2 p.m. Interment will be in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore.
Revised: 02/03/15
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
