Calvin married first on July 23 1835 in Chatham County, North Carolina to Mahala Tyson Womble, daughter of Jesse Womble. 2) Married on March 3 1842, Chatham County North Carolina to Harriet Primrose Avent, whom was born on December 5, 1821 in Chatham County, North Carolina. Harriet died on August 18, 1888 in Waverly, Missouri, the daughter of William Avent and Esther Watts Clegg.
He moved to Missouri in 1844 with Harriet and his cousins, they lived in Ozark and Sparta Christian County. There is a Bray family farm in the Sparta area, which is still owned by his cousin's descendants. He was a singing master and a Democrat. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church.
He served in the Civil War as a Confederate Captain, with his son Fletcher who was a drummer boy, under several commanders, among them General Sterling Price. He and his wife moved to Lafayette County in 1865.