Dodge Family History: Mary Ann (Dodge) Bray (1841-1904)

MARY ANN⁸ (DODGE) BRAY (James⁷, Benjamin⁶, John⁵, Thomas⁴, Josiah³, ‘Lt.’ John², Richard¹) b. Jan 1841 in Rangeley, Franklin County, Maine; d. 24 Nov 1904 in Buena Vista, Chaffee, Colorado. She married Ezekiel B. Bray in 1863. He was b. 6 May 1835 in Maine to Darius and Mary (Ditson) Bray. He d. 15 Nov 1921 in Buena Vista, Colorado.

Mary Ann Dodge is listed in the 1850 Census in Plantation #4 in Franklin County. She was living with her parents and had attended school within the past year. In the 1860 Census, she was listed twice. She was listed in Perkins Plantation with her parents and in Leeds, Androscoggin County as a Domestic for her sister, Emily. Mary had attended school within the past year. In 1863, she married Ezekiel B. Bray. Ezekiel had left home at the age of 18 and spent the next 16 years in lumbering and ship building in Maine and New Hampshire. He later returned to Maine to farm. In the 1870 Census, they are found in Livermore, Androscoggin County, living with her parents James and Rachel Dodge. Ezekiel was listed as a Farm Laborer and Mary was a Domestic.

In 1873, Ezekiel and Mary moved to Colorado and settled in Cottonwood Creek, west of Buena Vista, where he owned 160 acres of land and established a ranch. Mary had recorded her brand on Dec. 2, 1878 and was also a claimant to the first 100 Water Ditches in Chaffee County by 1890. Ezekiel had followed his brother, Josiah Bray, who had settled there in 1860. In 1877, Ezekiel was elected Justice of the Peace and also served several terms on the local School Board. He was often called Judge Bray and was a live, energetic man who was highly respected. When Mary’s parents, James and Rachel Dodge, died on Aug. 6, 1877, her sister, Emily Bean, acted as her attorney and took care of the legal work on her behalf (Androscoggin County Records vol. 86 pg. 178 vol. 90 pg. 547). Mary received $100 for her share of their real estate and $56 for her share of their personal estate.

In the 1880 Census, they are listed in Buena Vista. Ezekiel Bray was a farmer and Mary was keeping house. In the 1885 Colorado Census, Ezekiel had 60 acres of cultivated land, including 18 acres of potatoes which produced 1,200 bushels. They had three horses, three milk cows that produced 300 pounds of butter, 27 swine and 50 poultry. Their livestock was valued at $200 and the farm was valued at $1,280. By 1891, he owned 316 acres of land, 77 acres of which was cultivated. He had 25 acres of grain, which yielded 600 threshed bushels, 10 acres of peas, 15 acres of potatoes, 2 acres of vegetables and 25 acres of hay. He also had a 3-mile long ditch, four horses and 6 cattle. In the 1900 Census, they had been married for 37 years. Mary had one living child out of the three born to them. She died Nov. 24, 1904 in Buena Vista. Her husband remarried. On Feb. 17, 1907, Ezekiel Bray married Emma F. Bragg in Denver. They are found in the 1910 Census in Buena Vista. He died Nov. 15, 1921 at the age of 86. They are both buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Buena Vista. Children:

i. Carroll A. Bray; b. 1 Apr 1864, Maine; d. 4 Apr 1869, Livermore, Androscoggin, Maine.

ii. Ezekiel B. Bray, Jr.; b. 19 May 1880, Buena Vista, Colorado; d. 25 Nov 1947 in California. He m. Una Valeda Willson in 1904. They had two children.

iii. Ezekiel & Mary Bray had three children – one living according to the 1900 Census.