F.P. Ray

biography

Mr. Ray was born near Kinderhook, Pike county, Illinois, in 1837, and lived there until he was ten years old, when he came to Clarion county, Pennsylvania where his father and grandfather had formerly resided. Here he acquired a common school and academic education, and in 1855 went to Pittsburgh as clerk in the wholesale and retail dry goods store of A. A. Mason, 25 Fifth avenue. In 1858 he came to Meadville and entered Allegheny College and attended three years, teaching in the vacations for his support at Gallatin, Mississippi, for some time, and In 1860 in Jefferson county, Pennsylvania. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the army as a private soldier in Company K, --- Regiment, Captain W. W. Wise, and was with General Patterson's command at the first battle of Bull Run. At the close of the three months' service he returned to Meadville and began the study of law in the office of Hon. H. L. Richmond, remaining until 1863, when he went to Chicago for a few months, but, returning to Meadville entered upon the practice of his profession, as an attorney at law, and has continued it ever since. Mr. Ray has always taken an active part in the politics of Crawford county as a Republican, and has frequently served as delegate to the conventions of his party, but was never a candidate for any office. He was a member of the City Council in 1875 and 1876.

Directory of Crawford County, PA, 1879-80, page 255