Memorials › Mariah E Selby Ray

Mariah E Selby Ray

8 Dec 1843 – 7 May 1933

Birth	8 Dec 1843
Death	7 May 1933
Cemetery	Greenhill Cemetery Sullivan , Moultrie County , Illinois , USA
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175109870

Bio

Mariah E Selby Ray, the daughter of Nicholas Selby and Sarah Goodwin, and spouse of James B Ray, was buried in Greenhill Cemetery on May 9, 1933 per Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index. OBITUARIES Sullivan Newspaper 5/1933 Mrs. Mariah E. Ray died in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Behen in Lovington Sunday morning. She was past 90 years of age. She was born on a farm north of Cushman, Dec 8, 1842, a daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Selby. She was married four times and was the mother of ten children. Her first husbands name was Brown. There were two children of which one survives, a son in Colorado. Her second marriage was to John Minor. Of this union three children survive. They are Leonard of Walsonville, Colorado; Clara, wife of Scott Harris, of Rock Island; Cordia, wife of Jim Cook of this city. Her third marriage was with Emerson Rhodes. From this marriage one daughter, Grace, wife of Harry Behen of Lovington survives her. After the death of Mr. Rhodes she married James Beardon Ray who preceded her in death. Besides her own children, she had a number of step children whom she cared for and loved as her own. There are 15 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She also leaves three brothers, William of Sullivan, Ben of Lovington and Erastus of Cowden. In recent years she would spend from April to October of each year with her daughter, Mrs. cook and the rest of the year with Mrs. Behen. In her advanced years she took great delight in piecing quilts and leaves many as an evidence of her skilled needlework. In early life she became a member of the Christian church. Funeral services were held here Tuesday from the McMullin funeral home. Interment was in Greenhill cemetery. Lovington Reporter 5/12/1933 Mrs. Mariah Ray passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Behen, Sunday evening about 7 o'clock. Her death was not unexpected as she had been in failing health since coming to her daughters home about two months ago. Another daughter, Mrs. Scott Harris of Rock Island and a step daughter, Mrs. R. V. Weatherly, have also assisted in caring for her. Mrs. Ray was formerly Mariah E. Selby,the daughter of Nicholas and Sara Selby and one of a family of eight children. She was born on a farm south of Lovington, on Dec. 8,1842, making her at the time of her death 90 years and 6 months old. She lived her entire life in this county. At an early age she became a member of the Christian church and lived a faithful and devoted life. She was married four times. The deceased was the mother of 10 children, five of whom have preceded her in death. Those surviving are Leonard of Fowler; Col. E. Bert, of Longmont,Colo.; Mrs. Scott Harris of Rock Island; Mrs. Harry Behen of Lovington and Mrs.James Cook of Sullivan. Also the following step children, whom she cared for and loved as dearly as her own, Mrs. H. V. Weatherly and John E.Rodes of Lovington; William Rhodes of Sullivan; Mrs. Sallie Henderson of Wichita, Texas and Theodore (Doc) Rhodes of Glen Rose, Texas, There are 15 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and three brothers: Ben Selby of Lovington; Bill Selby of Sullivan and Ray Selby of Shelbyville. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the McMullins funeral home in Sullivan at 2 o'clock. In charge was R. C. Barnett, pastor of the Sullivan Christian church. The pall bearers were John Foster, Harry Foster, Willard Foster, Ames Rhodes, Will Rhodes and Fred Hoffman. Interment was in the Sullivan cemetery. Mrs. Rays long life in one community gave her a wealth of memories on the growth and development of Moultrie county. She boarded the construction crew that built the first railroad through Lovington. As a young girl she recalled the night that Abraham Lincoln and his family passed the night at her home, south of Lovington. The Lincoln family was on its way from Old Nelson to Sangamon county. Deer and other wild game now extinct in this county were plentiful in those days. Mrs. Ray enjoyed recalling the days when her father could go only a short distance from his home and bag a deer with the ease that a hunter now kills a rabbit. Obituaries furnished by Janet Donner

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