|
Idaho County Free Press
Thursday, June 22, 1933
CIVIL WAR VETERAN COMMITS SUICIDE
W.O. Fray Takes Own Life By Hanging; Served in Two Armies; 92 Years Old
W.O. Fray, 92, pioneer of Idaho county and civil war veteran and Indian fighter,
committed suicide at this home here Sunday morning by hanging himself from a
tree. No reason is known for the act other than he was being troubled with
failing eyesight and suffering infirmities of old age.
William Oscar Fray was born in Randolph county, Missouri March 21, 1842. He
spent his early life on his father's farm, and at the beginning of the Civil War
enlisted for services with the Confederate army. At the close of the war he
enlisted with Co. D, 16th regiment of Kansas Cavalry to fight the Cherokee
Indians, and during an engagement while serving in this enlistment was wounded
in the right shoulder with a rifle bullet. This wound caused him quite a little
trouble in later years. He served one year, being discharged in December 1865.
In 1869, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Rice and with his family came west to
Waitsburg, Wash., in 1896.
A few years later he moved to Camas Prairie and lived on the John Coram ranch
near Grangeville. Later he purchased a 160 acres about a mile west and south of
Grangeville where Dewey Cowgill now lives. Here he lived with his family until
1917 when he sold his ranch and moved to Grangeville, where he has since
resided.
Mrs. Elizabeth Fray died Mary 31, 1927 and on May 9, 1928, Mr. Fray was married
to Mrs. Rose Kernan of Asotin, Wash.
He is survived by his wife; four daughters; Mrs. Alice Borstad and Mrs. Lucile
Eberts, both of Dell Rapids, S. Dak.; Mrs. Goldie Brownelle of Cal. And Mrs.
Frankie Bonstrom of Cheney, Wash.; six sons, Walter, Sioux City, Iowa; Albert
and Claud, Spokane, Wash.; Jim of Rosalia, Wash.; Lonnie in Dell Rapids, S. Dak.,
and William of Alberta, Canada.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon at the Hancock Funeral Home at 1:30
p.m., Rev. Sydney A. Walker officiating. The service will be conducted under the
supervision of the Grangeville post of the American Legion. Burial will be in
Prairie View Cemetery.
***************************
Idaho County Free Press
Thursday, June 29, 1933
Card of Thanks
We wish to thank our friends for their kind expression of sympathy shown us
during our recent bereavement, for the beautiful floral offerings and especially
the American Legion for their services.
The Family of W. O. Fray
Submitted by Chris
Cornett
BACK
|