Third Generation

44. Thomas P. Bray^1,72,73,74. Birth: 10 March 1835, Kentucky.⁷⁵
Narrative: There is some guesswork involved in establishing Thomas's birth date. His death certificate reports that he was born on 10 Mar 1828. His tombstone reports that he was born on 10 Mar 1840. Birth dates from census data vary just as wildly. His parents were married in April 1834. The most credible censuses suggest that he was born about 1835 or 1836. 1835 seems to be the most likely possibility.

Census: 1840, Anderson County, Tennessee, Age 05-09, enumerated Household of his father Joshua J. Bray.

Missing from census: 1850,. Neither Thomas nor his parents nor the rest of his family can be located.

Missing from census: 1860,. His parents were enumerated in Anderson County, but Thomas was 25 years old and apparently had already moved out of his parents house.

Census: 1870, Knox County, Tennessee, Dist. 3, Knox County, Tennessee, 17 Sep 1870, Knoxville PO; page 113a, dwelling number 168, family number 168; Bray James 26 m w KY cannot R/W; Mary 20 f w TN cannot R/W. Thomas's given name is incorrect in this census entry, but nevertheless I believe that this census entry is for Thomas rather than for an otherwise unknown James Bray. I do not know if Thomas's full name might have been Thomas James Bray or James Thomas Bray. But because there are two records that show Thomas's middle initial was a P, it seems more likely that the given name in this census entry simply was in error.

Census: 1880, Knox County, Tennessee. Dist. 22, Knox County, Tennessee, 9 Jun 1880; page 303c, dwelling number 170, family number 184; Beray Thomas 40 head male married white, farming born KY, father and mother born TN cannot R/W; Mary 29 wife female married white, keeping house TN NC TN disabled (consumption); Robert L. 9 son, male, single, white, TN KY TN; Mary M. 5 daughter, female, single, white, TN KY TN.

Census: 1890, Knox County, Tennessee. Name: Thomas P. Bray, State: TN, County: Knox County, Township: Ed 184, Year: 1890, Page: 001, TN 1890 Veterans Schedule .

Census: 1891, Knox County, Tennessee. Name: Tom Bray State: TN County: Knox County Township: Dist. 17 -Male Voters- Year: 1891 Page: NPL.

Census: 1900, Knox County, Tennessee. Dist. 22, Knox County, Tennessee, 18 & 19 Jun 1900; page 174a, dwelling number 205, family number 206; Bray Thomas 68 head male m11 w Mar 1832 farmer born KY, father and mother born TN; Anna 33 wife female m11 w Jul 1866 VA VA VA 3 children 3 living; William 18 son, male, single, white, Jan 1882 TN KY TN; Cordelia 16 daughter, female, single, white, Dec 1883 TN KY TN; James 11 son, male, single, white, Oct 1888 TN KY TN; Sam 9 son, male, single, white, Feb 1991 TN KY VA; Lucy 9 daughter, female, single, white, Feb 1991 TN KY VA.

Census: 1910, Knox County, Tennessee. Dist. 15, (part of old 22 District), Knox County, Tennessee, 6 May 1910; p.222b, Tuckahoe Road, dwelling number 177, family number 177; Bray Thomas head 72 m m3-37 w own income born KY, father and mother born TN; Anna wife 36 f m2-37 w VA VA VA 4 children, 2 living; Sam son 18 male single white, laborer, home farm TN KY VA.

Census: 1920, Knox County, Tennessee. Dist. 15, Knox County, Tennessee, 2 Jan 1920; p.246a, dwelling number 1, family number 1; Bray Thomas 86 head male married white, born KY, father and mother born TN; Marry B. 45 wife female married white, TN VA TN; Johnson John L. 59 boarder male single white, house carpenter NC NC NC.

Census: 1930, Knox County, Tennessee. Thomas 100 father male widowed white KY Ireland Ireland, enumerated household of his son Samuel (Sam) Bray. The identification in the census that his parents had been born in Ireland is incorrect. Both of them were born in Tennessee. (RGB)

Death: 2 May 1931, age 96, Knox County, Tennessee.⁷⁵

Death Certificate: 10946
1. Place of death - Knox County, Dist. 15
2. Name - Thomas Bray
3. Sex - m
4. Race - w
5. Status - widowed
6. Date of birth - Mar 10th, 1828
7. 103 years, 1 month, 29 days
8. Occupation - farming
9. Birthplace - Ky
10. Father - Joshway Bray
11. Father born - unknown
12. Mother - Amy Hall
13. Mother born - unknown
14. Informant - Joseph Bray, Knoxville, Tenn
15. Filed - May 11, 1931, J. A. Coram
16. Died - May 2nd, 1931
19. Buried - Thorn Grove, May 3rd, 1931
20. Undertaker - E. U. Huffaker, Kodak, Tenn

Burial: 3 May 1931, at Thorn Grove Cemetery Knox County, Tennessee.⁷⁵ Grave marker: Thomas Bray, March 10, 1840.

He was a Civil War soldier in Co. B.1st Tennesse Cavalry (Union). He was one of several Brays from the New River area of Anderson County who later settled on Curtis Road on the east end of Knox County.

Thomas P. Bray and Mary Cloninger Marriage: 4 January 1864, Knox County, Tennessee.⁷⁶ Knox County Marriage Index: Bray, Thomas marr. Cloninger, Mary on 04-Jan-1864.

Mary Cloninger⁷⁷, daughter of Daniel Cloninger and Mary Wilson,. Birth: about 1846, Tennessee.⁷⁷

Census: 1850, Knox County, Tennessee, Mary 4 f w TN.

Missing from census: 1860,.

Census: 1870, Knox County, Tennessee, Mary 20 f w TN cannot R/W.

Census: 1880, Knox County, Tennessee. Mary 29 wife female married white, keeping house TN NC TN disabled (consumption).

Death: about 1881, age 35,. No record of her death can be found. However, she had consumption in the 1880 census and her husband remarried in 1881. (RGB)

Thomas P. Bray and Mary Cloninger had the following children:

Thomas P. Bray and Malinda Pratt Marriage: 19 May 1881, Knox County, Tennessee.⁷⁸ Knox County Marriage Index: Bray, Thos marr. PRATT, Melinda A on 19-May-1881.

Malinda Pratt, daughter of Calvin Pratt and Elizabeth Reed,. Birth: about 1864, Tennessee.

Census: 1870, Knox County, Tennessee, Malinda 6 f w TN.

Census: 1880, Knox County, Tennessee. Malinda 16 daughter, female, single, white, at home, born TN, father and mother born TN.

Death: before 1886, age 22, [Knox County], [Tennessee]. Her husband remaried in 1886.

Thomas P. Bray and Malinda Pratt had the following children:

Thomas P. Bray and Anna (Annie) Crowder Marriage: 25 March 1886, Knox County, Tennessee.⁷³ Knox County Marriage Index: Bray, Thomas P marr. Crowder, Annie on 25-Mar-1886.

Anna (Annie) Crowder⁷⁹. Birth: 25 July 1868, Virginia.⁷⁹

Census: 1900, Knox County, Tennessee. Anna 33 wife female m11 w Jul 1866 VA VA VA 3 children 3 living.

Census: 1910, Knox County, Tennessee. Anna wife 36 f m2-37 w VA VA VA 4 children, 2 living.

Death: 30 November 1910, age 42, [Knox County], [Tennessee].⁷⁹

Burial: about 2 December 1910, at Thorn Grove Cemetery Knox County, Tennessee.⁷⁹ Grave marker: Annie Bray, 7/25/1868 - 11/30/1910.

Thomas P. Bray and Anna (Annie) Crowder had the following children:

Thomas P. Bray and Mary Belle (Belle) Brewer Marriage: after 1910,.

Mary Belle (Belle) Brewer⁸⁰, daughter of James Brewer and Mary Tigg,. Birth: 14 August 1875,.⁸⁰

Census: 1920, Knox County, Tennessee. Marry B. 45 wife female married white, TN VA TN.

Death: before 1930, age 55,. Her husband was a widower in the 1930 census.

Burial: before 1930, at Thorn Grove Cemetery Knox County, Tennessee.⁸⁰ Grave marker: Belle Bray, 8/14/1875, wife of Thomas.