Does anyone recognize this James RAY? (Last paragraph)
-------- Original Message --------
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 13:27:49 -0500
From: "Di" <harlan(a)ccrtc.com>
To: "Phyllis Miller Fleming" <plfleming(a)shelbynet.net>
Dear Phyllis:
I am searching for the Ray line in Butler County, Ohio. I found this
reference to I believe our James Ray ancestor. Its in Stillwell
Corners,
Hanover Township, Butler County, Ohio.
History and Biographical Cyclopaedia
of Butler County Ohio,
With Illustrations and Sketches of its
Representative Men and Pioneers
Cincinnati Ohio. Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1882.
Stillwells Corners - Taken from Butler County Web Site. A wonderful
work
done by volunteers in Ohio.
Jacob STILLWELL's corner was known far and wide in Butler County fifty
years
ago. In the forks of the road, one of which takes the direction of the
State
line and the other toward Oxford, in Section 7, was a frame steam grist
and
saw mill and still-house. The still-house was built about 1830, and the
mills in 1835 or 1836. The flouring department was three stories high.
For
many years this mill ground the grain for a large section of the
country.
Mr. STILLWELL was also engaged as a tavern and storekeeper, the former
about
1854. Richard MARTINDALE afterwards rented the property of Mrs. Thomas
McCULLOCH, and carried on the tavern-keeping business for twenty-five or
thirty years. The old tavern stand is now occupied by Thomas ROLL.
In 1837 Thomas and John NICHOL had a horse-mill on Stony Run, which
lasted
for a considerable length of time.
Near the ZEIGLER grave-yard, in 1805, **** JAMES RAY *** carried on
blacksmithing. He is supposed to have been the first resident blacksmith
in
the township. By birth RAY was a Pennsylvanian.