Today’s birthday boy is Oscar Ray Wills, who was born on October 27, 1885. That makes today his 140th birthday. He is called called either Oscar or Ray or Oscar Ray on documents. Since his gravestone even says Oscar Ray, I will use that name in this post. He was the son of William and Mary (Wills) Wills. Yes, it appears that both his mother and father had the surname, Wills, when they were married. I was unable to determine where Oscar Ray was baptized. He is found in the 1900 census at the age of 14.

Oscar Ray was confirmed in 1908 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can view his confirmation record here.

When the 1910 census was taken, Oscar Ray was no longer living with his parents. He and two other younger brothers made up a household of a trio of farmers. They lived in the Union Township. Their parents can be found in that census with the other siblings living in the Brazeau Township.

Even though they are listed in different townships, the two Wills farms were actually located right next to each other. On the 1915 plat map shown below, we see the O.R. Wills and Wm. Wills property not far from Frohna.

Later in 1910, Oscar Ray got married, so we will now look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Marie Wilhelmine Louise Lueders, who was born on May 12, 1884. Louise was the daughter of Henry and Louise (Elbrecht) Lueders. She was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. Her baptism record from that congregation’s books is pictured here.

Louise is found in the 1900 census at the age of 16. Her father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township. If you look at the plat map shown earlier, you will see that the Henry Lueders farm was located right next to the O.R. Wills farm.

Louise is found in the 1910 census at the age of 25.

Oscar Ray Wills married Louise Lueders on August 28, 1910 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. The church marriage record for this couple is displayed below.

We can also view 2 different civil records for this marriage.

I am also able to show you the wedding photo of Oscar Ray and Louise.

Four children who were born during the years, 1911 through 1916, were baptized at Concordia, Frohna. Then the Wills family moved to Cheyenne County, Nebraska. Oscar Ray had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918, and it gives him a Potter, Nebraska address and calls him a carpenter.

The Wills’s had more children in Nebraska, but it is debatable how many. They are found in the 1930 census with 5 sons. This time, Oscar Ray was called a farmer.

Next, we find Oscar Ray and Louise in the 1940 census. Just their youngest son was still living with his parents. Oscar Ray was a farmer in the Trognitz Township in Cheyenne County.

Oscar Ray had his World War II draft card competed in 1942. He’s back to having a Potter, Nebraska address and was called a farmer and carpenter.

In the 1950 census, Oscar Ray and Louise had an empty nest. At the age of 64, Oscar Ray was still farming.

Louise Wills died in 1951 at the age of 67; Oscar Ray Wills died in 1967 at the age of 81. These two are buried together in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Gurley, Nebraska.

On several occasions on this blog, I have written about Perry County natives who migrated to the area in western Nebraska near Potter. Oscar Ray and Louise are a couple who married and even had some children in Perry County before migrating to the Potter area. We call Potter, Nebraska one of the Perry County suburbs because so many Perry County natives moved there. Some moved there and later returned to Perry County, but some stayed. This Wills pair stayed and are buried there.