The Wellcome family of Freeman, Maine : Israel Riggs Bray, 1808-1890. Henry Solomon Wellcome, 1853-1936 / [George Burbank Sedgley].

  • Sedgley, George Burbank, 1872-
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Wellcome family of Freeman, Maine : Israel Riggs Bray, 1808-1890. Henry Solomon Wellcome, 1853-1936 / [George Burbank Sedgley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    error I]ray (Icducted it from his i)^\o Always iR'iident and saviriR but in no way miserly, he had an abundance of money to do business with because he could make it faster than he wanted to spend it. Duriny the era when many farmers were moviny West Bray would l3uy their farms, stock and farminy tools, and sell them at a profit. In disposiny of his property Bray willed the home farm of five hundred acres and all the cattle, horses, sheep, wayons, tools furniture, etc., on it to Hiram Ilaekett, a neiyhbor, who had as- sisted him many years in his business, d'he rest of the ])ro])erty he willed in equal amounts to his nei)hews and nieces, exeei)tten thousand dollars he yave to his only liviny sister. The followiny are extracts from an article that a])peared in the Lewiston Journal on the day of Mr. Bray’s death, Jan 29, 1890: “Israel R. Bray, the yreat Franklin County wool merchant, died this morniny, ayed 82 years. He was the richest man in the county and one of the richest in rural Maine. He made the most of his money in buyiny and selling wool, of which he hand- led yreater quantities in his lifetime than any other man in the state. He rode thousands of miles every year, buyiny of tlie farmers from barn to barn, himself, and haviny many ayents in the field; keepiny up this strenuous work notwithstandiny his yreat a.ye and unwieldly pro]X)rtions, until his last illness of a few weeks. As he always had the means to ])ay cash and enjoyed the confidence of the farmers, he could buy .on the most favor- able terms. Of larye frame and swelliny i)ro]:)ortions, Mr. Bray weiyhed over 250 pounds. He dressed more like a poor man than a wealthy trader. He eared nothiny for appearance and where he was not known was often taken for a tram]).” “Frequenth^ he used to carry about with him thousands of dollars loose in a hand satchel or in his pockets. He was an un- usually brainy man, a viyorous thinker and speaker, (juaint and oriyinal in these as in all his habits. Indeed, had he chosen to enter ]')ublic life he miyht have made his mark as an orator—cas those who have heard him si^eak when excited will admit. He h.'id a sonorous voice, a fpiiek wit and sometimes delivered him- self of sayinys worthy of Bob Inaersoll.”
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