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The Plaskett Family

More than a century on the Big Sur coast

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Dora Thomas Ray Smith - Awaiting 100th Birthday

· 1857-1957

Dora Ray Smith, whose father captained an 1849 wagon train, lived to see her hundredth year approach.

Dora Thomas Ray Smith, born in 1857, awaited her 100th birthday on August 29, 1957 in Paso Robles. Her father Ezekiel Ray led a wagon train from Illinois to California in 1849 via Donner Pass, enduring a six-month journey with twelve ox-drawn wagons. The family faced threats from trailing Indians, using beads for peace offerings and circling wagons at night. Dora was called the “wheelhorse” of her family, serving as nurse and midwife during crises.

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