WAYNE COUNTY, TENNESSEE
TOM S. RAY CEMETERY #78

Enumerated by Bob Rains

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Mr. Bob Rains gave me permission to list his enumeration of the Tom S. Ray Cemetery on my web site. This is his updated and corrected enumeration. All additional information has been added by Mr. Rains.

The “RAY” Cemetery is located on a hill overlooking the old Tom S. RAY home place. There are two RAY Cemeteries. One is called the Ray Cemetery (West) and the other is called the Ray Cemetery (East.) This listing is the west cemetery. Most of these listed are in some way related to the RAY family, either directly or indirectly. The old farm is now owned by T.B. GARTH.

There are a few graves that are identified by native stone only. On one there appears to be the name CLAY. This writers mother believes this to be Lester CLAY, son of Cary CLAY.

Listed in order of burial:

RAY, William; b. 22 Dec 1805, d. 19 Jul 1885, son of Hezekiah RAY who was born in South Carolina. William was also born in South Carolina and he is the father of Tom S. RAY.

RAY, Rebecca MITCHELL; b. 25 Oct 1846, d. 07 Jul 1888, daughter of Grief & Catherine MORRIS MITCHELL, first wife of Tom S. RAY, her middle name was Jane.

McCOLLUM, Sarah M.; b. 30 Oct 1863, d. 29 May 1890, wife of J.F. McCOLLUM, daughter of John A. & Ana Tamer COLE TALLEY. John A. Talley was the son of George H. & Nancy S. CYPERT TALLEY who moved to Iowa in 1848. Ana Tamer COLE TALLEY was the daughter of Bennett & Nancy KERWIN COLE.

McCOLLUM, infant; b. & d. 21 May 1890, child of Sarah & J.F. McCOLLUM who was born dead. Sarah M. TALLEY McCOLLUM died as a result of complications from this birth.

SMITH, Mary Anne; b. 05 May 1883, d. 15 Aug 1894, daughter of J.C. & N. SMITH.

DICUS, Iona S.; b. 1870, d. 16 Jun 1895, daughter of Andrew & Emily McMILLAN COLE, wife of William Porter DICUS.

PRINCE, Mary E. CREWS; b. 1852, d. 16 Nov 1896, wife of John PRINCE.

PRINCE, infant; Evidently died at birth. Probably the child of Mary and they both died at or about the same time.

BUNDRANT, Keren H.; b. 27 Mar 1843, d. 04 Apr 1897, daughter of John & Sarah Lynn McMILLAN. She first married John A. MELSON. They had one son, John F. MELSON. Later, she married John W. BUNDRANT. They also had one son, William BUNDRANT. Keren’s middle name was Happock.

RAY, Tamer COLE; b. 22 May 1866, d. 26 Dec 1898, daughter of Andrew & Emily COLE. Second wife of Tom S. RAY, mother of Willie & Vera RAY. Tamer died as a result of a typhoid epidemic. Ironically, her brother, John Bennett COLE, died from the same epidemic.

COLE, John Bennett; b. 12 Nov 1876, d. 18 Nov 1899. Son of Andrew & Emily COLE, brother of Tamer COLE RAY. Supposedly died the same year as his sister, but tombstone has different date.

DICUS, Willie Cole; b. 15 Mar 1894, d. 05 Nov 1899, son of W.P. & Iona COLE DICUS. Probably a victim of the same epidemic.

COLE, Andrew; b. 24 Mar 1837, d. 18 Sep 1902, son of Bennett & Nancy KERWIN COLE, husband of Emily McMILLAN COLE.

MELSON, Jennie Ray; b. 01 Jan 1874, d. 12 Oct 1906, daughter of Tom & Rebecca MITCHELL RAY, wife of John Frank MELSON, mother of Keren & Frankie MELSON.

RAY, Tom S.; b. 20 Feb 1834, d. 17 Feb 1908, son of William RAY, husband of three wives (all listed in this article.)

LUTTS, Rebecca RAY; b. Jul 1836, d. 29 May 1909, daughter of Tom & Rebecca MITCHELL RAY, wife of Adam LUTTS, mother of Mary J. LUTTS. (LUTTS is often spelled LOOTS.)

RAY, Elizabeth W.; b. 13 Sep 1847, d. 26 Nov 1914, third wife of Tom S. RAY, from Olive Hill area. “W” is for WELLS, she first married a Mr. FLEMING.

BUNDRANT, John W.; b. 03 Mar 1840, d. 21 Aug 1916, second husband of Keren McMILLAN MELSON. They had one son, William BUNDRANT.

COLE, Emily McMILLAN; b. 01 Oct 1838, d. 02 Sep 1917, daughter of John & Sarah LYNN McMILLAN, wife of Andrew COLE.

MELSON, Nannie BECKHAM; b. 12 Dec 1881, d. 09 Nov 1917, second wife of John Franklin MELSON. They had one son, William. She died a short time after the birth of the child & the child died soon after her death.

MELSON, William; b. 21 May 1917, d. 24 Feb 1918 (child mentioned above)

LYNN, Emily; b. 03 Apr 1890, d. 28 Dec 1920, wife of George A. LYNN, granddaughter of Andrew & Emily McMILLAN COLE, daughter of Pogue & Fannie COLE.

LYNN, George A.; b. 19 Sep 1876, d. 10 Jul 1932, husband of Emily LYNN, son of J.C. & M.A. LYNN.

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