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Note: HI31773
Note: (Research):Frederick was born Charles Augustine Vining Pray in Weymouth, Massachusetts to Josiah and Susan Augusta Vining Pray. He changed his name between 1865 and 1871. Frederick served about 4 years in the U.S. Army and most of that time was spent in Texas. He married Sophronia Conant Stinson on July 13, 1871 in Boston, Massachusetts. Together they had 3 children, Charles E., Harry Vining, and Helen Maude Wilson. He was a career civil servant for the U.S. Government, ultimately becoming the Senior Clerk in the War Department, Washington, D.C.
Living with his grandmother, Martha Nash (Porter) Hunt and Daniel Hunt on the 1860 U.S. Census for Quincy, MA. ***************************************************** Eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Infantry One Hundred Days In July, 1864, the 8th Regt. began its third term of service, its companies being mustered into the service on various dates between the 13th and 21st of the month for one hundred days. Some of the nine months companies do not appear in the regiment as then organized, their places being filled by companies from the westerly part of the State. The regiment rendezvoused at Camp Meigs, Readville, Mass., proceeding from there to Baltimore, Md. In the vicinity of this city most of the service of the regiment was performed. Portions of the regiment did guard duty in Baltimore. Four companies were stationed at Camp Bradford, the draft rendezvous of Maryland and Delaware. One detachment guarded the line of the Northern Central railroad. The headquarters of the regiment were at Cockeysville about 15 miles north of Baltimore. Returning to Massachusetts early in November, 1864, on the 10th of the month the regiment was mustered out of the United States service for the last time.
8th Regiment Infantry (100 days Militia) Organized at Readville July 13 to 26, 1864. Left State for Baltimore, Md., July 20. Attached to 3rd Separate Brigade, 9th Army Corps, Middle Department. SERVICE.--Camp at Mankin's Woods until August 15. Company "B" on duty at hospitals August 12 to October 28. Companies "A" to "K" on Provost duty in Baltimore August 12 to October 28. Companies "D," "E," "G" and "H" at Camp Bradford, near Baltimore. Draft Rendezvous for Maryland and Delaware August 12 to October 28. Companies "C," "F" and "I" guard Northern Central Railroad. Headquarters at Cockeyville, Md., August 15 to September 25, then at Camp Bradford. Moved to Massachusetts October 28, and mustered out November 10, 1864. Lost by disease 4 Enlisted men. ***************************************************** Charles Pray married as Charles F. W. Pray in Boston, Massachusetts in 1871. F. W. stands for Frederick Wilson, a name he later adopted. The record states that his occupation is a clerk and that he was living in Galveston Key, Texas.
***************************************************** A Fred T. Wilson, b. 1846 in Massachussetts is found on the 1870 U.S. Census for Travis County, Austin, Texas, p. 287. His occupation is Chief Clerk Adjutant Generals Office for "W. S. A.". This appears to be a position in a military unit, judging by the occupations of those who are enumerated next to him.
1880 census says he was born in Massachusetts and his occupation was listed as a clerk in the War Department. ***************************************************** He changed his name sometime between 1864 and 1870. ***************************************************** A search of the List of Persons whose Names Have Been Changed in Massachusetts-1780-1892, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, did not result in anything for Charles Pray or Frederick Wilson. ***************************************************** Frederick T. Wilson is found in the 1890 City Directory for the District of Columbia. He is listed as a clerk in the Adjutant General's Office at 942 O Street, District of Columbia. In the same directory, he is listed as a manager at 631 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest.
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Charles A. Pray enlisted with Company D, 8th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 18 Jul 1864 and he mustered out Company D, 8th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 10 Nov 1864. He enlisted as early as his age would allow; he was 17, almost 18 when he enlisted and continued serving even after the war finished with duty in Texas.
After the war, he worked for the Adjutant General, War Department, first in Texas, and then in Washington, D.C. He was one of the senior-most clerks in that office in the late 1890s. His name is found on a list of clerks and other person employed in the War Department (period ending 1893) in Boyd's Directory, Washington, D.C. and other documents from 1886 until 1899. Fronie Stinson Wilson is enumerated as a widow on the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Waltham, Massachusetts. We know her children, Harry and Helen worked for the Waltham Watch Company for many years. Fronie Wilson's widow's pension record reveals that Charles Pray (Harry Wilson) died in Brooklyn, New York in 1906.
We know that Charles enlisted with the 8th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment as Charles A. Pray, he is found by that name on the 1870 U.S. Federal Census in Austin, Travis Co., TX, and his marriage record gives his name as Charles F. W. Pray and residence in Galveston, Texas. So some time between the end of the War and his marriage in 1871, he was considering a name change.
Fronie and her children would spend the summers at her mother's home in the Boston area. During the summer visit in 1882, Frederick asked Fronie not to return to Washington and to continue staying with her mother because of financial reasons. That is the last time that they lived together and Fronie never did return to Washinton. Waltham my have been selected because of Fronie's early connection to the Boston area where her mother remained even after Fronie married and it may also have been because jobs were available at the Waltham Watch Factory. Two of Fronie's children, Helen and Frederick Wilson worked at the Waltham Watch Factory. Fronie's family was of New Hampshire and Charles was originally from Weymouth, Mass.
Pray-Wilson Family
Aunt Marion (Wilson) Rau spoke of her paternal grandfather as Grandfather Pray although his name was Wilson. There was a big rug company in Boston named Pray. Aunt Marion called them several times to make contact with them but never could. Grandfather Pray married Fronie Stinson, date of marriage unknown. Source: Mary Ann (Wilson) Stanley.
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