Mr. and Mrs. Isom Wray
From The City of Shelbyville Indiana, Illustrated published under the auspices of the Young Men's Pan-American Congress by Merritt and Harris, pg 52, 1895.
[Caption] Prominent among the wealthy and successful farmers and business men of the County stands Isom Wray. He is the youngest son of James and Tabitha Wray, and was born in Shelby County, April 5, 1829. His father and mother came to this County with a large colony from North Carolina, and settled two miles west of Shelbyville in January, 1821. Here Mr. Isom Wray, through boyhood and early manhood, assisted in clearing up the wilderness and later engaged in farming and trading in stock extensively until 1874, when he removed to this city. Since then he has dealt in real estate, and has aided materially in pushing the various enterprises for the growth of Shelbyville, and to him principally is due the location of "The Century Bicycle Works" in this city. In 1851, he was married to Miamia Bowen, who was born at Gallipolis, Ohio, August 2, 1828. Like her husband, Mrs. Wray has descended from a sturdy pioneer ancestry, and her father was a captain in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Wray have four children, three sons and one daughter, all of whom are prospering in life. Both have been members of the M.E. church for many years, and Mr. Wray is one of the number who established and aided in building up the West Street Church Society, one of the strongest in this city. Besides being the owner of over 500 acres of fine land and large property interests in this city, Mr. Wray, by a lifetime habit of reading in leisure hours, has acquired a self-culture and mental equipment which few men under like circumstances attain. He has been a Mason since 1854, has traveled extensively, and has a wide acquaintance throughout the State.
