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for sheriff in 1889 but failed to get the nomination. He was always a republican until 1890; he
has since been a populist. He is one of our successful farmers. Joseph Wray was born in New York, 1824; married to Sarah Ann Hagaboom in 1849. She was born in 1833. Four children were born to them; three of them still living. They came to Norton county in the spring of 1875; their eldest son Byron Wray came here in 1874. He was born June 7, 1853 and married to Mary A. Wise; they have five children living, one dead, He was postmaster at Long Branch from 1875 to 1880. He and his father live on the same land they settled on when they came here. They are members of the Baptist church and republicans in politics. Deitie, Joseph Wray's youngest daughter, was born May 12, 1862; she married Worley Andrews, they live at Lyle and have seven children. Joseph Wray's eldest daughter, Sarah A. was born July 1, 1851; she married D. A. Butler in Iowa in 1869. He was born in New York,  April 23, 1849; moved to Iowa in 1863; came to Norton county and settled on Long Branch where he now lives in 1874.
They had two children before coming here and have had five since, four of whom are still living.There are many incidents of historical importance that occurred in Norton county prior to its settlement. We have gathered up the data in regard to some of them which we will mention here. In June 1843 John C. Fremont passed through this country and named the Prairie Dog river, (but later talent calls it a creek) as before mentioned; he came up on the south side of the creek and crossed it one half mile east of Norton on the land now owned by J. W. Graves. He bore northwest crossing the Sappa where Devizes now stands. I give this information on authority of Judge F. G. Adams of Topeka who is secretary of the State Historical Society. Mr. Adams visited this county in 1873 and located crossings on the Prairie Dog and Sappa from field notes left by General Fremont; he also claims the old trail was plainly visible at that time. This is disputed by Sol Marsh and other old settlers who were here in 1872, who claim there never was a crossing at the place above mentioned but says there was a good crossing just south of town which from appearance had been used for many years and might have been made by Fremont's party. Later on many marauding and warlike bands of Indians had their headquarters in this country. A great many of the California emigrants who were passing through this country in the early days were murdered in cold blood and no doubt many of these occurred in Norton county, but I am unable to get any data with regard to it. On October 11, 1868 Major Carr with company L of 5 calvary (sic) was camped on the Prairie Dog near where Calvert now stands, perhaps on the bend of the creek on George Kingsbury's old homestead. The location of this camp is given from a letter just received from |
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