Mary Catherine McCray Reed

Liberty Township from
https://ancestortracks.com

I have been searching for my paternal great grandmother’s parents for years.  All the records I found were conflicting. Her death certificate said her parents were John McCray and Elizabeth Dick. Mary Catherine McCray married Wilbert J. Reed in December 24, 1901. Her marriage record said her parents as Jacob McCray and Melinda Dick.  Elizabeth Dick McCray died in December 1899 and Jacob McCray married Melinda Keister Dick before Mary’s marriage. Family Search family tree had her parent’s as Jacob Dick and Melinda Keister Dick. She was his sister-in-law who lost her husband in 1885.  Her husband, Jacob Dick, was Elizabeth Dick’s brother. Mary had a sister Margaret J. McCray who married William Franklin Morningstar in 1901. They all lived in a very small town in Central Pennsylvania known as Stonerstown. At the time it was located in Liberty Township, Bedford County, PA. Later when Bedford County was divided it became Huntingdon County.

Jacob McCray was a Civil War veteran. He was with the 149^th Pennsylvania Volunteers and the 77^th Pennsylvania Volunteers fighting numerous battles. He applied for a pension and after several attempts, it was finally approved. I located and requested Jacob’s 127 page Pension Record from the National Archives which helped break this brick wall. There were many interesting facts, notes and details of his life during this critical time in our country’s history.

In my future blog posts, I will reveal more details of Jacob’s time in the Civil War and Elizabeth, Melinda, Margaret and Mary’s lives.