Ray NOYES was born 4 Jan 1874 at Anna, Union, Illinois, the youngest of 6 known children and the 4th son born to James Allen NOYES and Caroline ATWELL. The family record reports he was 10 pounds at birth.
Obituary and family accounts vary as to when the move to the freethought community of Liberal, Barton Co., MO took place, but we have Caroline Atwell NOYES’ partial account of the three week trip which places it beginning August 9 1882, when Ray was eight years of age. He would remain in Liberal all his life, dying there 20 Jan 1941 and the age of 67 years and 16 days.
Ray married Elizabeth Jane “Bettie” BREWER, 24 June 1895, at Liberal. He was 21 and she was 17.
Elizabeth was the 5th of 11 children and the 2nd girl born to David Nathaniel BREWER and Delana FOWLER. She was born 22 July 1877 at Liberal, Barton Co. MO and died 9 July 1863 at Liberal Barton Co. MO. She is buried at the Liberal Cemetery.
Ray and Bettie would have five children between 1895 and 1913.
Ray came to Liberal with his family in 1881. It took three weeks to come from Anna, IL. He inherited the homestead east of Liberal and lived there until he died in 1941 of a heart attack brought on by a bout of asthma.
Papa was a true family patriarch. Whatever said was to be followed even by his grown children. He did not think it was proper for girls to wear short socks. One day he caught me at school with short socks. Was I ever in trouble. Not only did he go tell mother, but he bought 6 pair of silk hose and told her to make sure I wore them. I was not allowed to wear shorts or slacks and my dresses always had to fall below the knee.
SOURCE: Granddaughter Kathleen DORR communicating memories of Pansy, daughter of Ray
He was a small man (5’6″) but seemed like a giant to me. When he spoke, you jumped first and then asked where. He had a glass eye (resulting from a firecracker injury) which he enjoyed taking out and showing to us children.”
SOURCE: Pansy, daughter
They were probably the second most prosperous family in the county. Ray and Bettie continued to raise strawberries. I can remember going to their place and picking them. They also had an orchard and cattle.
SOURCE: Nancy Benton, granddaughter, 27 April 2003
Bettie was born on the farm of her parents 3-1/2 miles northeast of LIBERAL. She married Ray in 1895 and moved to the NOYES homestead east of LIBERAL.
In 1890 Bettie BREWER, age 12, daughter of David and Delanie BREWER who resided 3 1/2 miles NE of LIBERAL became the first person baptized at the Liberal Methodist Church. The church was organized December, 1889.
Mama NOYES, as she was known to her grandchildren, moved to LIBERAL after the death of Papa. She remained there until she could no longer take care of herself, then moved to home of daughter, Pansy. She was a very fashionable lady in her time. She collected pitchers and liked to garden.
She died at the Oak Haven Rest Home in FT. SCOTT, KANSAS, and is buried in the Liberal Cemetery.
SOURCE: Granddaughter Nancy Benton.
The children of Ray and Bettie were:
- Pansy Ruth Noyes b. Dec 8, 1895 at Liberal, died Sep 25, 1985 at Liberal. She married Charles Morton Bryant.
- Cora Vera Noyes b. Sep 14, 1897 at Liberal, died in September of 1982 at Shreveport, Louisiana. She married (1) John J. Minor, then (2) Will B. Dickson.
- Ray James Noyes b. Aug 8, 1903 at Liberal, died in 1969 at Liberal. He married (1) Mildred Snip, then (2) Eula Millard.
- Dorothy Nadeen Noyes b. Jan 13, 1908 at Liberal, died Apr 28, 1985 at Carthage, Missouri. She married Lloyd Clinton McKenney.
- Mary Louise “Mary Lou” Noyes, b. Nov 15, 1913 at Liberal, died May of 1953 in Kansas City. She married (1) Frank Bevans Jr., then (2) Philip J. Hurt
The 1900 census shows the family in Central, Barton, Missouri.
1900, Central, Barton, Missouri
James Allen NOYES is in the household of his son, Ray. Ray’s brother, Paul, lives several households down and his sister Viola is lilving with her husband several households preceding.
Sheet No. 3
Supervisor District 13
Enumeration District 18
5 June enumeration by David E. Harpole
(Ancestry.com page 5)Preceding households appear to be John RHINE, Thomas WILLIAMS, James HANSHAW, John SMITH and Charles DURHAM.
20 48/49 HARMON O. E. Head wm Dec 1854 age 45 married 21 yrs. b. Michigan F-Vermont M-New York Farmer 0 can read and write, 0 months unemployed, F F 50
21 E. Viola Wife wf Dec 1860 39 md 21 yrs, 1 child 0 living, b-Michigan F-Michigan M-Vermont can read and write
22 Robert adopted son wm Oct 1887 12 sg. b-Missouri F-Penn M-Michigan Farmer 9 months unemployed, can read and write
23-29 49/50 Frank and Nancy STONE household Farmer
30 59/51 William H. GRIVET household Farmer
31-33 51/52 Newton WINNER household Farmer
34 52/53 NOYES Ray Head wm Jan 1875 25 married 6 years b. Illinois f-Michigan m-Vermont Farmer can read and write O F F 54
35 Bettie Wife wf July 1877 22, 2 children 2 living, b- Missouri parents-Illinois, can read and write
36 Pansy Daughter wf Dec. 1895 4 sg b. Missouri f-Illinois m-Missouri
37 Cora Daughter wf Sept 1896 3 sg b. Missouri f-Illinois m-Missouri
38 James A Father wm Dec 1824 75 Wd b. Michigan Parents-NY can read and write
39 53/54 JACKMAN Henry Feb 1849 51 married 21 years b. Penn parents-Penn
40 Mabel March 1863 37 5 children, 3 living b. Michigan F-Michigan M-Rhode Island
41 Hiram July 1881 18 b. Missouri
42 Amy May 1880 20 b. Missouri
43 Benton Oct 1891 9 b. Missouri
44 54/55 BECKMAN George April 1866 34 married 7 years b. New York F-Prussia M-Germany
45 Emma 1871 28 2 children 2 living b. Indiana parents-Indiana
46 Harold 1894 5 b. Missouri
47 Basil 1897 3 b. Missouri
48 55/56 NOYES Paul Head wm Nov 1869 30 married 9 years b. Illinois F-Michigan M-Vermont Farmer o months unemployed, can read and write, O F F 57
49 Edna Wife wf Dec 1872 27, md 9 years, 3 children, 3 living b. Missouri parents-Illinois Can read and write
50 Grace Daughter wf Mar 1892 8 b. Missouri f-Missouri m-Illinois
Pg. 21B
51 Ormil Daughter wf May 1893 7 sg wf b. Oklahoma Ter. f-IL m-IL did not attend school
52 Garrett Son wm Dec. 1896 3 b. Oklahoma Ter f-IL m-IL
Following households are STEVENSON, FOOTE Virginia, WILSON, JACKSON Louis, JACKMAN Allen, STRICKLAND Julia and son Lemuel, MOHLER James, JACKMAN A. M. , JONES William, Viola, Iva and Eva and Marcus, CHESTER Hiram and Permelia, BARNES E. J. and STACY William.
In 1901, Ray inherited the homestead east of Liberal from his father, James Allen NOYES, upon his death.
I’ve yet to locate the family in the 1910 census. They are shown in the 1920, Central, Barton, Missouri census.
Ray and family are in the household next to his sister Viola HARMON.
1920 MO, Barton Co.
Central Township
Roll: T625_902
pg 8A
ED: 25
Image: 0812
Enumerated 27 and 28 of January by Clara Conner(?)
1 Fm 154/162 NOYES Ray head own Free mw 46 md. can read and write b. IL father b. MI mother b. VT Farmer homefarm 118
2 Betty wife fw 42 md. can read and write b. MO father b. IN mother b. IL
3 James Son mw 16 sg. can read and write b. MO father b. IL mother b. MO
4 Dorothy Daughter fw 12 sg. can read and write b. MO father b. IL mother b. MO
5 Mary L. Daughter fw 7 b. MO father b. IL mother b. MO
6 Fm 155/163 HARMON Orren E. Head Own free mw 65 md. can read and write b. MI father b. VT mother b. NY Farmer homefarm 119
Viola Wife fw 59 can read and write b. MI father b. MI mother b. VTCOMMENT: On pg. 4A in Lamar, Barton Co., Missouri, is a George NOYES b. IL, parents from NH and CT, is also in Barton Co. It is not known currently who he may have been.
1920 MO, Barton Co.
Lamar Township
4A
77/80 NOYES George Head 62 b. IL father b. NH mother b. CT Farmer General Farm
Minnie wife 57 b. IL father b. NH mother b. CT
The family in 1930.
Year: 1930; Census Place: Central, Barton, Missouri; Roll: T626_1175; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 0803.
Enumerated April 3
91 23/23 HARMON O. E. Head own Un Radio Not a farm mw 75, md at 23, can read and write, b. MI father b. VT mother b. NY no occupation
92 Emma Wife fw 69 md at 17, can read and write, b. MI father b. MI mother b. VT
93 24/24 NOYES Ray Head own Radio Farm mw 56, md at 21, can read and write, b. IL father b. MI mother b. VT, Farmer, Own farm
94 Betty Wife fw 52 , md at 17, can read and write, b. MO father b. IN mother b. IL
95 24/25 NOYES James Head rent mw 26, md at 22, b. IL mother b. MO Farmer own farm
96 Mildred wife fw 21, md at 18, can read and write, b. MO father b. Il mother b. MO bookkeeper bank
The obituaries of Bettie and Ray, and other photos, can be found linked in the Noyes Line section.
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