The James Bedford Ray Family (Cliffie M. Lanham)

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Thomas Berry Lanham 1882 (see The Thomas Berry (T.B.) Lanham Family) → Cliffie Marie Lanham 1905 → Cliffie married James B. Ray

Cliffie Marie Lanham was born on 25 Oct 1905 in Rockwall, Texas to Thomas Berry Lanham and Mattie Elizabeth Ashley. [1] [2] She married James Bedford RAY of Idabel, 8 November 1940, at DeQueen, Arkansas, [3] [4] (See photo). James a son of Walter L. Ray and Grace C. (Sims) Ray, was born 3 June 1913 at Idabel, Okla. James worked for a time with the Oklahoma State Highway Department, prior to being elected to the Office of County Clerk of McCurtain County. This elected position he held for 29 years, until retirement in 1978. James served in the Oklahoma National Guard for some 18 years, and served a tour on active duty in Japan with the Army in the early 1950’s. Cliffie and James lived a full and happy life in Idabel. [5]

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Figure 1. Cliffie Marie Lanham
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Figure 2. Newspaper Articles of their Marriage
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Figure 3. L-R: Mattie, James Ray, O.S. Lanham, Oleta Lanham, Brenda Lanham on the floor, Dec 1959 [6]
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Figure 4. James Ray and Cliffie Ray [6]

James made quite an impact on all who visited them in Idabel. He and Cliffie were very loving and welcoming. He had a rock polishing machine and had a large collection of crystals and polished rocks that he shared with his sons and Clifford W Lanham’s children. [7]

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Figure 5. James Ray and Cliffie (Lanham) Ray [6]

Cliffie Marie Ray died 5 June 1992 [1], and is buried in Idabel, Oklahoma. James continued to live in Idabel. James remarried in 17 April 1993 to Mavis Allen Sullivan, and continued to reside on the homestead until James’s death on 5 Nov 2000. James and Cliffie are buried in Idabell, Oklahoma.

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1. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JRYB-559 : 20 May 2014), Cliffie M Ray, 05 Jun 1992; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
2. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M292-Q4N : 29 October 2015), Cliffie M Lanham in household of Thomas B Lanham, Justice Precinct 4, Clay, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 34, sheet 12A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,551.
3. "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N9QP-D5C : 24 June 2016), James B Ray and Cliffie Marie Lanham, 1940.
4. Ancestry.com. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957." Index. FamilySearch, from Arkansas Courts of Common Pleas and County Clerks. Digital images of originals housed at various county courthouses in the State of Arkansas. Marriage records.
5. Oran Stroud Lanham’s Family History Research, October 1984.
6. Photos passed down from Cliffie or Oran Stroud Lanham to Clifford Lanham, then to Kevin Lanham.
7. Reported by Kevin W. Lanham

Updated on 01 Jan 0001

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