Ellis Fray Jr. (1861-1922): “Pathfinder, Propagator, and Great Exemplar” II

Ellis Fray Sr. and Ann, his wife, had a son whom they named Ellis Fray, [Jr.]. He was born in St James on January 14, 1861 and studied at Cambridge University in England. After he returned to Jamaica, he was admitted to Calabar College for ministerial preparation.

When his father died in 1885, the members of the Refuge/Kettering circuit where his father had been a faithful minister, invited young Fray to succeed him. Although he had completed only six months of study at Calabar, he answered the call and assumed the pastorate of the church his father had vacated.

In December 28, 1887, two years after his father’s death, Fray became a husband. His wife, Rachel Ann Sobey, was born in Lanteglos, Cornwall, England, in 1867, and was the daughter of Elizabeth and Joshua Heath Sobey, pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Montego Bay. The union produced two children, Cicely Knibb, born in Montego Bay on October 3, 1888 and Winnifred Heath, born in Cienfuegos, Cuba January 10, 1890.

Ellis Fray answered the Jamaica Baptist Missionary Society (JBMS) call to serve as a missioner of the to Cuba. However, Fray was not to enjoy a lengthy tenure on that mission field. This was the result of the serious illness of his wife Rachel, which caused Fray and his family to return home. Mrs Fray’s death from yellow fever, when she was only 22 years old, must have been traumatic for the entire Fray family. Fray was now a widower with two daughters, Cecily and Winifred. Back in Jamaica, Fray served in an interim capacity at the Brown’s Town Baptist Church.

On July 12, 1893, Fray entered a second marital union. Rev. William Webb officiated at the marriage of Fray and Ada Louise Beckett, who was from Stewart Town. After his brief time in Brown’s Town, Fray with Ada Louise, resumed his pastorate in the Refuge/ Kettering Circuit. Fray and Ada Louise became the proud parents of four children – Annie Viola, born on June 26, 1896; Harold Ellis, born July 16, 1899; Kathleen Joyce, born February 21, 1905 and Winston Merrick, born February 2, 1906.

Ellis Fray would again have to deal with the disappointment of death in his family. In 1913, his son Winston Merrick, passed away at age seven. In 1896, his daughter Annie Viola, passed away in San Francisco, California, aged 59, and in 1948, his daughter, Kathleen Joyce died in Los Angeles, California, aged 43. Meanwhile, his first two daughters, Cicely and Winnifred outlived him. Winnifred died in 1968, aged 78, and Cicely in 1979, aged 91.

Ellis Fray spent 23 additional years in the Refuge/Kettering circuit. During this period, he found time to serve on the Trelawny Parochial Board. At the meeting of the Parochial Board of Trelawny held in Falmouth on August 16, 1906, Fray tendered his resignation from the Board. This enabled him to accept the invitation to succeed Edward Jesse Hewitt, who had assumed the role of JBMS Secretary after the death of Fray, Sr.  From 1906 to 1914, Fray, Jr. fulfilled the role of JBMS Secretary with distinction. After the 1907 earthquake that destroyed much of Kingston, Fray, as JBMS Secretary, travelled to England to raise funds for the rebuilding of the ruined churches.

With his very hectic schedule, Fray suffered a serious breakdown in his health and he decided to travel to Canada to seek medical help. He successfully underwent a critical surgical operation, following which he was well enough to preach at the Baptist church in Pembroke, approximately 400 kilometres from Toronto, Ontario. Ada Louise, his wife, wrote to inform JBU that her husband was “on the fair road to recovery.”

When Fray preached at the Pembroke Church, that church was without a pastor and they were grateful to have Fray as a substitute preacher. After meeting Fray, the church decided to extend a call to him to assume the pastorate at Pembroke, and Fray consented.

When Fray advised JBU of the development, the news was received with much sadness, but not without much appreciation for all that Fray, Jr. had contributed to the life of the Union’s affiliated churches. The people were sympathetic to Fray because in 1913, after the arrival of his family in Canada, he had lost his young son Winston Merrick on account of bronchial pneumonia.   On March 17, 1914, Fray departed Jamaica for Canada to start a new phase of his ministry. A month before his departure, however, Jamaica Baptists organized to convey their appreciation for Fray’s service among them.

Gathered in the East Queen Street Baptist Church on February, 16, 1914, the General Committee of the JBMS adopted a resolution of thanks to Mr Fray, which stated, inter alia:

 

The Committee acknowledges its great indebtedness to their brother for the efficient and valued services rendered to the Missionary Society during his occupation of the office of Secretary from the year 1906 until the present time, for the keen and intelligent interest manifested in the Society's work in particular, and the denomination in general, for the fraternal intercourse enjoyed with their brother during the many years of his lengthened service in Jamaica, and for the many qualities which distinguish him as a force in our denomination.

 

In his resignation of the position he has hitherto held in our Society, and his further severance from the work in Jamaica, this Committee prays that God's richest blessing may rest upon him and a large measure of success may attend his labours wherever God may send him.

After seven years of work in Canada, Fray retired. Soon after this, he passed away in Toronto, Ontario, on December 23, 1921.

 

When they received news of Fray’s death, the people in the Refuge/Kettering Circuit sprang to action. They organized two memorial services to celebrate Fray’s life – one to take place at Refuge on January 15, 1922 and the other at Kettering on January 20, 1922.  Rev. A. W. Meredith, pastor of the circuit, preached at both services and a longstanding deacon in the circuit, Mr W. H. Bell paid heartfelt tribute to Mr Fray.

 

That was not the last occasion when the Refuge/Kettering Circuit gathered to celebrate the Frays’ contribution to the ministry of the circuit. December 11 and 12, 1927 were declared “Fray Memorial Days.” Services took place in the Refuge and the Kettering Baptist Churches, under the leadership of their pastor, Rev. the Honourable John W. Maxwell. The people celebrated the 58 years the Fray Sr. and Fray Jr. spent in the ministry in their Circuit. The speakers included Rev George Henderson of Brown’s Town, Rev W. S. Lea, Rev. R. A. L. Knight and Rev. T. Gordon Somers. Mr Joseph Stockhausen, businessman and respected member of the Trelawny community, participated in the events. A mural tablet was erected in honour of the Frays. When Gordon Somers unveiled a mural tablet, he referred to the Frays as "pathfinders, propagators and great exemplars.”

        

Finally, to perpetuate the name of the Frays, the Frays Memorial Hall was erected in Duncans. The

Hon.  Donat Delgado, Acting Custos of Trelawny and Rev. Joswyn Leo-Rhynie, Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union were among those participating in the opening and dedication of the Hall on May 26, 1958.  Also sharing in the event were Jamaica’s Governor Sir Kenneth and Lady Blackburne. Sir Kenneth was the main speaker and Lady Blackburne opened the main door.

 

The two Ellis Frays were committed pastors and outstanding contributors to ministry in JBU. Each of them served as JBMS Secretary and as JBU Chairman. They deserve to be remembered and celebrated by all Jamaica Baptists who are alive today.