Bray Volunteer Soldiers have served America in: French & Indian War - Revolutionary War - War of 1812 - Civil War - Spanish American War - World War I - World War II - COld War - Korean War - Vietnam War - War on Terror During the marriage of William Stokes and Dulcina Isabell, 14 children were born and 11 lived to adulthood. It is estimated that over 2000 Descendents resulted from this marriage. Identified, standing, left to right are the Bray children. Seated are the Father and Mother, William Stokes and Dulcina Bray: Bertha Ethelyne; Essie Irene; Marvin Earl; Hardy Haywood; Arlie Elmer; Leland Jackson; William Clyde; James Frederick; Alpheus Caswell; Ettie Enolie and Walter Gaither. ETTIE ENOLIE Birth - Sept 29, 1878, Dayton, Arkansas: Death - February 6, 1961, Shawnee, OK ALPHEUS CASWELL Birth - December 25, 1879, Dayton Arkansas: Death - April 19, 1953, Muleshoe, TX CHILD BRAY Birth - 1880, Dayton Arkansas: Death - 1880, Dayton, Arkansas JAMES FREDERICK Birth - March 29, 1882, Dayton, Arkansas: Death - March 9, 1959, Ada, OK LELAND JACKSON Birth - August 19, 1884, Dayton, Arkansas: Death - April 20, 1952, Purcell, OK EFFIE VIOLIE Birth - February 26, 1886, Dayton, Arkansas: Death - July 16, 1888, Dayton Arkansas HARVEY WADE Birth - May 3, 1888, Dayton, Arkansas: Death - October 2, 1888, Dayton, Arkansas ARLIE ELMER Birth - September 3, 1889, Mansfield, Arkansas: Death - May 29, 1967, Shawnee, OK HARDY HAYWOOD Birth - May 21, 1892, Shady Point, Indian Terr: Death - October 4, 1986, El Reno, OK WILLIAM CLYDE Birth - September 12, 1894, Shady Point, Indian Terr: Death - February 26, 1966, Ada, OK MARVIN EARL Birth - December 20, 1896, Shady Point, Indian Terr: Death - October 15, 1957, Fresno, CA ESSIE IRENE Birth - December 25, 1898, Bebee, Indian Terr: Death - December 4, 1979, Shawnee, OK BERTHA ETHELYNE Birth - December 31, 1902, Bebee, Indian Terr: Death - April 30, 1960, Shawnee, OK WALTER GAITHER Birth - January 25, 1904, Bebee, Indian Terr: Death - October 19, 1982, McKinney, TX

William Stokes was the son of Caswell C. Bray (born in Tennessee in 1835) and Caroline Matilda Hughes (born in Tennessee in 1841). Caswell, a volunteer confederate soldier, didn't return from the Civil War. He died a Union Prisoner on December 26, 1862 in Little Rock, Arkansas. His widow, Caroline, later married Dr. Graphen Greene on 29 April 1869 and Stokes and his sister Mary Caswell (born 12 December 1862) were raised in Arkansas as members of the newly established Greene family. Throughout his life, Stokes was calm, quiet-spoken-a man of his word with a strong sense of responsibility-guiding his family and other in Christian thought, ethical standards, respect for the law, strong work ethics and love of family, country and the land.

Dulcina Isabell was the daughter of James S. Willis (born in Tennessee in 1817) and Sarah Winnifred Cox (born in North Carolina in 1833), who migrated from Tennessee to Missouri to Dayton, Arkansas. James was a confederate veteran, farmer, horse breeder, cattleman and large landowner (Sarah is buried North of Dulcina in the Box X Cemetery). As a bride of 17, Dulcina brought from home her yellow pony and over the years with Stokes, bore 14 children. They worked as a pioneer team with "Ma" guiding the children and nurturing the family by smoking meats, gardening, raising chickens for meat and eggs, drying fruits and canning. She was quiet, but forceful, lovable, supportive mother and grandmother who read extensively. Her children and grandchildren were acquainted with the food safe in her kitchen that contained biscuits, sugar, cookies and sorghum and took advantage of her acclaimed ability as an excellent cook.

Stokes and Dulcina (Dullie) married December 24, 1876, in Dayton, Arkansas and established their home within 1 mile of Dayton on 80 homesteaded and 40 purchased acres. Stokes also established a blacksmith shop and during 14 years there the couple farmed and had eight of their 14 children, seven born in Dayton and one in nearby Mansfield, Arkansas. Beyond the impact of reconstruction and sheer hard times in Arkansas, it was also a pioneer spirit that beckoned Stokes in 1890 to move his family west to Shady Point, Indian Territory. There, for sever years, Stokes and Dulcina farmed, operated a blacksmith shop and raised their family, now with three additional children. From Shady Point, by wagon, the Bray family and friends migrated further west into Indian Territory in 1897, to Center and then to Bebee. At these locations, for 8 years they farmed, operated a blacksmith shop and had three more children. In 1905, the family moved on again from Bebee to Galey, where they farmed 40 acres located ¾ mile south of the Galey School site and established a blacksmith shop. Stokes and his older sons cut oak timber on their new land, hauled it to the Maxwell sawmill, and had it cut into lumber with which they built the home place, the blacksmith shop and the barn. Stokes and Dulcina moved the family to Chattanooga, Oklahoma in 1909, leaving the home place in the care of an older son while seeking opportunity and fertile land with few rocks. But drought threatened and they farmed there for just a year before making their final move back to Galey in 1910 after the harvest. Stokes and Dulcina remained in Galey until their deaths in 1938. Their farm, visited often by children, grandchildren and friends, remains firmly and fondly set in memories and stories of reunions and occasions long past.

The Brays were active leaders for each Community in which they resided, becoming by example unofficial leaders. They balanced hard work with good fun and led by Stokes, the early Brays were known as a musical, singing family. They minded their own business, but willingly helped those in need. Stokes was a mason, a notary and was active in the establishment of schools, churches and commerce. He was respected for his medical knowledge, fairness, honesty and ethics and as a counselor to both family members and neighbors seeking advice, even during the hard times of the dreat depression. The home place is Galey remained a center of sustenance and stability for the Bray family through blacksmithing and farming and the bounty of its orchard and sorghum mill.

The Brays Christianity, honesty, love of family and country, respect for others, and work ethic continue to strengthen our country each day as Bray descendents in all professions support America and American ideals. Thus Stokes and Dulcina Bray, American Pioneers, will rest always in our hearts and minds as pioneer trail blazers for the thousands of descendents who follow.