Hovey Ray RAIL

                   Information by Ellis Clark Rail
Ray  and Lella met because J9im and Sam Rail plastered her father's home and when Ray came to town and had the same name, her father asked if he knew Jim and Sam.  Turned out they were from the same family.  Ray worked for the Northwest Railway, Omaha, Nebraska,  Huron, S outh Dakota a regular run for 24 years.  He retired in 1951 at the age of 60 after 30 years service.  From 1955 he worked as an accountant and doing tax work for H&R Block in St. Joseph, MO and later had his own accounting office in Tarkio, MO.  Ray was called Pappy by all who knew and loved him.  At the time of his funderal the town of Tarkio closed all businesses out of respect to him.  Lella had had several strokes before Ray's death, but after his death insisted on living on alone.  Refused to live with her sons or in a nursing home.  Ray accompanied Dorthy Taylor to teh Birmingham area in June of 1965 where they went to the cemeteries and other places to find records of the Rail family.  some of which were found in the possession of Leslie Hoaglin in Hillsboro, Iowa.  In Oct. of 1966 Ray went to S. California to attnd the Golden Wedding of Ross and Hazel Rail.  It was the first reunion of these cousins in 50 years.  There were three branches of the Rail family present.  Children of Steward Rail, Charley Rail and Samule Raill.  All grandchidlren ofAdam.  Ray found real joy in his redscovered relatives.  He wrote many times of how pleased he was to have had the opportunity to get to know the rest of the family.  A real privilege to get to know such fine people and I am sure that all who got an opportunity to know him felt a bit richer indedd.