MARIA "MARY" KATHARINE JOSEPHINA HELLE, 14g (Frederick 13)
b.
Louisville, KY; 22 Oct. 1865
Louisville, KY; 22 Oct. 1865d.Canton, IL; 19 Apr. 1923
Canton, IL; 19 Apr. 1923br. Canton, IL; Greenwood Cemetery
m. Lewistown, IL; 20 Apr. 1888
JOSEPH NORRIS GRAY, son of Vincent and Loretta (Stevers) Gray.
b.Havana, IL; 27 Sep. 1861
Havana, IL; 27 Sep. 1861d.Canton, IL; 21 Apr. 1949
Canton, IL; 21 Apr. 1949br. Canton, IL; Greenwood Cemetery
MARIA "MARY"KATHARINE JOSEPHINA HELLE
was born when her parents were still living in Louisville, Kentucky, following Frederick's period of service baking for the Union Armed Forces during the Civil War. Shortly after Mary's birth, a doctor advised Frederick to get Kathanne out of the low damp climate of the Louisville area or she would contract tuberculosis. Now having responsibility for two children under five years of age and a newborn, Frederick could not risk such a threatening illness so he and the family returned to west central Illinois. They first settled in Bushnell but before Mary was four years of age, the family -- now five living children -- moved to the farm along the bluffs of Spoon River. Mary grew to maturity there; attending the nearby one
- room, eight - grade Buckeye School for the basics in Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The school and the Buckeye Church were the center for the few social activities for young and old of the community.
On 20 April 1888 Mary married JOSEPH NORRIS GRAY in Lewistown, Illinois. A farmer, Joseph leased farms in the Smithfield area. Mary and Joseph were the parents of:
ROY GRAY, 15g
b.Smithfield, IL; 29 Jan. 1889
Smithfield, IL; 29 Jan. 1889d.Smithfield, IL; 14 Jan. 1890
Smithfield, IL; 14 Jan. 1890br. Smithfield, IL; Baughman Cemetery
KATHRYN "KATIE" LOREITA GRAY, 15.g
b.Smithfield, IL; 29 Sep. 1890
Smithfield, IL; 29 Sep. 1890THERESA "TRACK' CECELIA GRAY, 15g
b.Smithfield, IL; 8 Mar. 1893
Smithfield, IL; 8 Mar. 1893LOTTIE MAY "DOLLYE" GRAY, 15g
b. Smithfield, IL; 30 May 1898
FREDERICK VINCENT GRAY, lSg
b. Smithfield, IL; 24 Apr. 1905
From 1907 through December, 1912, Mary and Joe leased the eighty - five acre Helle Homestead and the family lived with Katharine (Krauser) Helle and Willie. On 31 December 1912 the family moved into Smithfield and Joe worked for the T., P. & W. Railroad eventually becoming a flagman. A few months after the family moved into Smithfield, Mary bought a restaurant and ran it until the family moved to Canton in 1918. The years of hard work took their toll on Mary and she died at the age of fifty - seven after a long illness. The following obituary appeared in the Canton Daily Ledger April 20, 1923:
Mrs. Mary Catherine Gray Is Dead At Her Home Here; Outcome of Complications
Mrs. Mary Catherine Gray died from complications at 6 o'clock last night at her home, 320 South Fifth avenue. She had been in ill health for a long time. Death came on her 35th wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Gray was born Oct. 22, 1864 (1865), in Louiscille,
Ky., and was a daughter of Fred and Catherine (Krauser) Helle. She was united in marriage to Joseph Gray on April 20, 1888, at Lewistown.
The following children are living: Mrs. Katy Gray, Mrs. Traca Sheets, Mrs. Doffie Sheppard and Fred Gray, all of Canton. One son is dead.
Brothers and sisters living are Mrs. Lizzie Orwig, Cuba; Fred Helle, Smithfield; Mrs. John Kuehn, Smithfield; Mrs. Traca Fouts, Ellisville; George Helle, Cuba; Mrs. Fred Blout, Ellisville; Mrs. Charles Bolon, Smithfield; and Mrs. Carrie Walters, Cuba. Two brothers and two sisters are dead.
Christina, Henrietta and Anthony who died in 1909 and William who died in 1911.
Five grandchildren survive -- Carl and Wilburta Sheets, Venida, Lillabelle and Melba Sheppard.
For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Gray conducted a restaurant in Smithfield. The family came to Canton about four years ago.
The funeral will be held Sunday at 2 o'clock from the late residence, 320 South Fifth avenue. The Rev. J. 0. Neal will officiate and burial will be in Greenwood cemetery.
Joseph lived twenty - seven years longer; to age eighty -three. His obituary; also from the Canton Daily Ledger:
Joseph N. Gray Dies At Graham Hospital
Joseph Norris Gray, who resided with his daughter, Mrs. Dollie Munson, 314 West Spruce street, died at 2:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon in the Graham hospital, after an illness of six months.
He was born near Havana Sept. 27, 1861, a son of Vincent and Loretta Stevers Gray. He was married April 20, 1888 to Mary Helle, who preceded him in death, April 19, 1923. Mr. Gray had lived in Canton since 1918, and for many years was employed as a flagman on the T.P. & W. railroad.
Surviving are four children, Mrs. Katherine Gray, Mrs. Traca Sheets, and Mrs. Munson, all of Canton, and Fred V. Gray, of Phoenix, Ariz. There are also uive grandchildren and four great - grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one child, two brothers, and three sisters.
He was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren church in Smithfield.
Funeral services will be held at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the Murphy Memorial home. Burial will be in Greenwood cemetery. Friends may call at Murphy's.
