PRAY, Frederick Hall

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Fred
• Obituary: From the Santa Cruz Evening News, 18 Jun 1910: FRED H. PRAY PASSES OVER DEATH COMES TO END SUFFERINGS OF WELL KNOWN MAN-ABOUT TOWN. SON OF THE LATE AMASA PRAY, A NAME LINKED WITH EARLY LOCAL HISTORY. Fred H. Pray, the well known man-about-town, who has lived in Santa Cruz for over 40 years, died at the Mission Hill sanatorium this morning, after a long Illness, following injuries he receved In a fall from a wagon on the Scotts Valley road a ittle over a year ago. Pray was the son of the late Amasa Pray, one of the pioneers of Santa Cruz, who conducted the Pacific Ocean house In early days. His father and mother are both dead, Mrs. Pray having died here about three years ago. Mrs. Miriam F. Bancroft of Berkeley, a sister, was with him when he died. He was unconscious for some time before he passed away, but before that he frequently wished for death to end his sufferings. The dead man was much beloved by his many friends. He was a native of Massachusetts, 58 years of age, but came to California when he was 13 and lived In Santa Cruz practically ever since. Since his mother died Pray made his home with Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Young, old friends of the family. Further down the page: Died Pray - In Santa Cruz, June 18, Fred H Pray, a native of Massachusetts, aged 58 years. The funeral services for deceased will be held from Wesendorf & Stafflers undertaking parlor tomorrow, Saturday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Friends and acquaintances are invited to attend the services. Interment strictly private.
• Census: 27 Jul 1860, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

A somewhat astonishing tale as told in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, 16 Sep 1908:

FRED PRAY STILL LIVES

PROMINENT MAN THROWN FROM WAGON IN SCOTTS VALLEY.

Fred Pray is not dead, all reports to the contrary. He had a bad fall Tuesday afternoon and is somewhat bruised up, but he is resting comfortably at W. P. Young's Dye Works on on Locust St. He was brought in from Scotts Valley in an ambulance, and immediately after his arrival the report was current that he had breathed his last and was resting at the Pacific Coast Undertaking Parlors. Many kind words were said about Mr. Pray by those who thought him deceased.

"I'm not dead, and you can't kill me off," said Mr. pray with a faint smile to a "Sentinel" reporter, who interviewed the unfortunate man as he rested back on his pillows. "It was Just this way. I wasn't very busy to day, so for the mere pleasure of an outing I accompanied Mr. Miland, of the Seidlinger Transfer Co on his express wagon with a load of furniture for Locke's place In Scott Valley. We had a nice lunch and started home. Near Bert Fagen's place Mr. Miland left me for a few moments, and then the trouble began. One of the horses was a big, buxom colt, a mean critter, who could kick six feet high. This colt kicked sideways with such force as to knock one of the traces loose, and the pole dropped. The horses started on a mad tear. To save my life I ran them into a bank. I fell headlong to the ground, and the wagon fell on top of me. It is a miracle that I am alive today. But I am not yet destined to die, for way back in '76 I fell 42 feet into a well, breaking a leg in two places, but I have lived on. I held on to the reins with a grip of steel, until help came and relieved me".

During his talk Fred Pray gave frequent groans, for his body is badly wrenched. His right arm is so sore that he can hardly use it, and it may be a very long time before he will ever be able to work with it again.

Census:
Frederic H Pray / Age 9 / Sex M / / Birthplace Mass-

Died:
Death records & headstone have 17 Jun 1909, newspaper has 18 Jun 1909

Frederick married RIDDELL, Margaret on 8 Apr 1883 in Oakland, Alameda, CA, USA, and was divorced on 19 Sep 1889 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Margaret (daughter of RIDDELL, John William and Margaret) was born about 1855; died on 13 Apr 1890 in Glen Riddell, Gilroy, Santa Clara, CA USA; was buried in Saint Mary Church Cemetery, Gilroy, Santa Clara, CA USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the SF Examiner, 19 Sep 1889:

Mrs. Pray Deaf to Her Husband's Prayers Decrees and Alimony.
"In the name of all that is good and holy I have begged my wife to quit drinking," said Fred H. Pray to Judge Levy yesterday morning. "It was no use, though, for she was confirmed in the habit, and her excesses have driven us to ruin, financially and every other way."
Mrs. Maggie Pray, the woman accused, made no denial. She was arrested at the Grand Hotel a month aco for being intoxicated. It was disclosed to the court that Mrs. Pray is also addicted to the morphine habit, and a divorce was granted to her husband on tbe ground of intemperance.

Three years earlier, this strange item from the SF Examiner, 22 Nov 1886:

LOOK ON THIS PICTURE.

A Negative Photographer Twice Married but Not Mated.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN-ON AND after this date I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife. FRED H. PRAY.

San Francisco, November 17, 1886.

In order to ascertain the hidden meaning of this public avowal, an Examiner reporter yesterday called on Mrs. Redell, mother of Mrs. Pray. Said Mrs. Redell: " Well. I will not say anything about it, but I think a piece ought to be put in the papers, stating that he was not good for his own debts, even. Yes; the remnants of his photograph gallery have been sold at auction; he owed General Keyes about $1,500 rent; instead of supporting my daughter, she has had to pawn her jewelry and other effects for them to live on; some of her trunks are now at the Donohoe House, some at a lodging-house on Sutter street, and he owes other bills at hotels where they stopped as long as he could get credit. While they lived in Oakland, their gas bill was shut off twice, and he owes the butcher and the druggist.

Well, he left her about three weeks ago when his gallery was closed, and is traveling round the country, camping out. My daughter, Mrs. Pray, heard he was at Congress Springs, and so she and a lady friend went down there to see him. I would not go with her, because I think Mr. Wainright is the proper husband for her. Mr. Wainright was her first husband. He is from Pittsburg, Pa., and is quite wealthy. They came here several years ago; I lived at Gilroy you know. Mr. Wainright,
his initials are J. G., got a divorce from my daughter and went East keeping the decree in his pocket, not recording it in order, I suppose, to keep my daughter from marrying. But she married this man Pray. Then, when Wainright returned, he recorded the divorce, and so the marriage was celebrated over again, she being twice married to Mr. Pray. We thought her first marriage to him was not legal because the divorce had not been recorded. No; I do not know whether there is another woman in the scene or not. I cannot imagine what Pray did with his money -- he did not properly support my daughter, and it is not likely any one will credit him, so there is no danger of her running up bills in his name."

Married:
Reportedly had two ceremonies, the second on or about 8 Nov 1883. This was due to some confusion as to whether Maggie was officially divorced from her first husband.

Divorced:
“Fred Pray has been divorced from Maggie Pray on the ground of habitual intemperance.”

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: Amasa Pray One by one the old landmarks are being swept away, and the last old citizen to be carried to his narrow house was Amasa Pray, who, on Wednesday last, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity, was interred in the Odd Fellow’s cemetery. For two years previous to the day of his death the deceased had been gradually sinking. A native of Maine, a merchant of Boston and an early resident of Santa Barbara, where he owned a large amount of real estate, he sold out and came to Santa Cruz in 1864. In company with his son-in-law, H. H. Hobbs, he opened a storee in the brick building on the hill, the property of Jacques Leslie. Subsequently they moved their goods into the Santa Cruz Hotel. In company with W. H. Moore, Mr. Pray erected the Pacific Ocean House, they being the owners of the wooden building that was burned down, and in fact the landlords as successor to Bradley & Stevens, their successors being Olds & Co. In the room now occupied by Mr. Ostorlaus, Pray & Hobbs merchandised for a number of years. Mr. Pray sold his interest in the Ocean House to H. Holley, he practically having constructed the building that covers the alley way and now occupied on the lower floor by W. H. Hobbs, and which he owned at the time of his demise. The deceased took no active part in the enterprise with which he was identified, but he served the people faithfully and wells school trustee and member of the city counsel, was in candidacy on two occasions as supervisor, once as supervisor at large and once as supervisor of the district in which he lived, and he was a railroad director at the time the Santa Cruz road was transferred to Stanford & Co. For some three years previous to his death he was engaged in the real estate business in company with his brother-in-law, Samuel Drennan. He was a warm-hearted, genial man, and we shall long miss from our streets the pleasant face, so ever ready to give a friendly salutation to all.
• Census: 25 Aug 1850, Dorchester, Norfolk, MA, USA
• Census: 27 Jul 1860, Dorchester, Norfolk, MA, USA
• Arrival: 1864, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Census: 9 Jun 1870, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Residence: 1880, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA

Notes:

Census:
Amasa Pray / 34 / Male / Occu - Wood Warf / Born in Maine-Miriam Pray / 27 / Female / Born in Maine-Charles A Pray / 9 / Male / Born in Mass-Francis A Pray / 7 / Female / Born in Mass-Amasa Pray / 4 / Male / Born in Mass

Census:
Amasa Pray / Age 41 / Sex M / Occupation: Wood & Coal Merchant / Real Estate $10,000 / Personal Estate $11,000 / Birthplace Maine

Census:
Pray Amasa / Age 53 / Male / White / Occupation Retired Merchant / Real Estate Holdings $25,000 / Personal Holdings $5,000 / Born in Maine / Male Citizen over 21

Amasa married FERNALD, Miriam on 2 Oct 1839 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Miriam (daughter of FERNALD, Oliver and HEARD, Olive) was born in Nov 1824 in Great Falls, Androscoggin, Maine USA; died on 11 Aug 1906 in 28 Union Street, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: From the Santa Cruz Sentinel, 13 Aug 1906: ANGEL OF DEATH CALLS MRS. PRAY WIDOW OF LATE AMASA PRAY AND MOTHER OF FRED H PRAY YIELDS TO OLD AGE. Mrs. Amasa Pray, the widow of the late Amasa Pray, at one time half owner of the Pacific Ocean House and a member of one of the pioneer families of Santa Cruz, died at her home on Union St. at 2:15 on Saturday morning, surrounded by her children. Mrs. Pray died of a general breakdown, at the age of 85. Mr. and Mrs. Pray were among the earliest pioneers of this section, coming here 45 years ago. Deceased leaves two sons, Amasa Pray of San Francisco, Fred H. Pray of this city, and two daughters. Mrs. Minnie Bancroft and Mrs. Fanny Hobbs of Berkeley. She was born in Berwick, Maine. The Palmer drug store property, as well as the home on Union St. belonged to Mrs. Pray, the latter place having been her home for many years. For two months she has been very ill and her two daughters and her son Fred have been in almost constant attendance on her. They have the sympathy of many friends in their loss.
• Residence: 1850, Dorchester, Norfolk, Massachusetts
• Census: 25 Aug 1850, Dorchester, Norfolk, MA, USA
• Census: 27 Jul 1860, Dorchester, Norfolk, MA, USA
• Census: 9 Jun 1870, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Residence: 1880, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Residence: 1900, Santa Cruz Ward 2, Santa Cruz, California

Notes:

Census:
Amasa Pray / 34 / Male / Occu - Wood Warf / Born in Maine-Miriam Pray / 27 / Female / Born in Maine-Charles A Pray / 9 / Male / Born in Mass-Francis A Pray / 7 / Female / Born in Mass-Amasa Pray / 4 / Male / Born in Mass

Census:
Miriam Pray / Age 38 / Sex F / / Birthplace Maine-

Census:
Pray Marian / Age 48 / Female / White / Keeping House / Born in Mass

Died:
(address later became the Walter Byrne residence, but at this time had been in the Pray family)

Notes:

Married:
Scanned/transcribed record in Ancestry lists as 2 Sep 1839, but reviewing book clearly shows chronological order, and that dates go ... 30 Sep ...OCT...1...2...etc

David married Sarah. Sarah was born in 1794; died on 7 Jan 1890 in Sanford, York, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Blacksmith & Farmer
• Residence: 1 Jun 1840, North Berwick, York, Maine, USA
• Residence: 1850, Berwick, York, Maine
• Residence: 1860, North Berwick, York, Maine
• Residence: 1880, North Berwick, York, Maine

Notes:

Maine death records have his date of death as March 30, 1883. Headstone shows March 31, 1883 as his date of death, which is used in this record as his death date. Interesting/odd that his granddaughter, Mabel Drennan Byrne, used a different, earlier date (2 Mar 1882) in a 1927 DAR account on early California pioneers.

Oliver married HEARD, Olive on 8 Mar 1821 in North Berwick, Maine. Olive (daughter of HEARD, Benjamin and CHADBOURNE, Joanna) was born on 24 Nov 1801 in Berwick, Maine; died on 2 Mar 1831 in North Berwick, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Olive Hurd

Notes:

Married:
Married by Nathaniel Lord

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Archelus Fernald
• Also Known As: Hercules Fernald
• Military: Private, Massachusetts Militia, Revolutionary War
• Residence: 1830, Berwick, York, Maine

Notes:

Some discrepancy in deaths, and Old Kittery and Her Families lists as 27 Oct 1833. Have changed from prior records I had which listed death 22 Jul 1836, which I believe came from DAR records by Olive Fernald / Mabel Drennan. Also, a close look at his headstone reads what looks to be “81” or “811”(!) yrs, so still a bit of a mystery.

Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, 17 Vols:

Fernald, Archelaus, Pepperellborough. Capt. Samuel Leighton's co.; pay abstract for travel allowance from home to Dorchester Heights in Aug., 1776; also, same co.; company receipts for wages for Aug.-Oct., 1776, dated Dorchester; also, Capt. Leighton's co., Col. Ebenezer Francis's regt.; pay abstract for travel allowance from Dorchester Heights home; warrant allowed in Council Nov. 29, 1776; credited with 7 days allowance; also, same co. and regt.; company receipt for wages for Nov., 1776, dated Dorchester; also, Private, Capt. Elisha Shapleigh's co., (late) Col. Joseph Storer's regt.; enlisted Aug. 14, 1777; discharged Nov. 30, 1777; service, 123 days, travel (300 miles) included; roll sworn to at Kittery.

From Miriam Fernald Bancroft’s DAR entry:

Hercules Archelaus Fernald, 1776, enlisted in Capt. Samuel Leighton’s company, and in 1777 served under Capt. Elisha Shapleigh. He served at the siege of Boston, in the Burygone campaign, and was detailed to guard prisoners after the surrender. He was a pensioner when he died in North Berwick in 1836, aged eighty seven.

Hercules married PERSLEY, Miriam on 30 Jan 1772 in York, Maine, USA. Miriam was born about 1747 in York, York, ME, USA; died on 22 Jul 1826 in North Berwick, York, ME, USA; was buried in Fernald Cemetery (private), West Beech Ridge Road, North Berwick, York, ME, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Miriam PURSLEY
• Residence: 1771, York, Maine, USA

Notes:

Married:
Married by Rev Sam. Langton

Benjamin married CHADBOURNE, Joanna on 3 Jul 1800. Joanna was born on 14 Aug 1782 in Berwick, Maine; died on 5 Oct 1842 in Berwick, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]