Questions: John Gray Sr 1813-1892

John Gray Sr

John Gray Sr 1809-1892; Aberdeen, Scotland (1813)

m: Bathia Davidson, 1835 and emigrated the same year

they settled in Dearborn, Michigan
Source: from “Epistle” written by Robert Lyn Gray before he died in 1971 (before the Internet and genealogical web sites like Ancestry.com.); this "Epistle" is located in Jody's Family Tree which is "Private"

Note: The birth year of John Sr is uncertain ???

• all Census’ calculate his birth year abt 1813
• his obituary states John Sr was born near Aberdeenshire, Scotland in January, 1813.
• Find A Grave: Inscription: JOHN GRAY (looks like Cray) 1809-1892.
• Memorial: Created by Alice, added 4/5/2011. On the 1880 census, John’s year of birth is listed as abt 1813. Maybe the engrave didn’t know his exact year of birth. But this is the only John Gray census records in the Claremont area around that time. He was a farmer, widowed, and boarded with the McMartin family. Note: www.dodgecohistorical.addr.com/Research/dodge_obit.pdf, which ists year of birth as 1812.

John Sr’s Obituary (there are two):

Born: Jan 1813, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Arrival: 21 yrs old (1834) matches passenger list

invalid for many years, spent last (2) years with Geo R, living on original homestead (southeast).

Father of 10 children *I know of only eight, did two die in infancy; or possibly he had more children with (Barbara Troup) in Scotland? Discussion after John Gray Sr: Timeline and Sources.

John Gray Sr: Timeline and Sources

Birth

"Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," Database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB74-6HN : accessed 17 June 2015), Jane Fletcher in entry for John Gray, 21 Jan 1813; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 993,183.

Christening

"Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," see, Birth Entry for Source. Gives his Birth and Christening with Forgue, Aberdeen, Scotland being the location of his Christening.

Birth of William

"Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," Database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB74-VQM : accessed 24 June 2015), William Gray, 01 Feb 1834; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 993,183. Father: John Gray. Mother: Barbara Troup

Departure: BEF JUN 1834, Aberdeen, Scotland

Source: New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Port of Departure: Aberdeen, Scotland. Port of Arrival: NY, NY. Ship Name: Pursuit. Master: Alexander Alexander. John Gray 20, William Davidson 24

Arrival: 10 JUN 1834, New York, New York

Source: New York, Passenger Lists, and New York, Passenger and Immigration Lists, 1820-1957. Port of Arrival: New York. Port of Departure: Aberdeen. Place of Origin: Great Britain. Destination: U.S.A. Ship: Brig Pursuit. M237...23...408

Marriage: 17 FEB 1835, Forgue, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

"Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910," Database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTNV-8PV : accessed 17 June 2015), John Gray and Bathia Davidson, 17 Feb 1835; citing Forgue,Aberdeen,Scotland, reference ; FHL microfilm 993,183.

Residence: 1840, Wayne, Michigan, United States

Source: Census. Schedule of the whole number of persons: Male -5 (2); 5-9 (2); 20-29 (1). Female 20-29 (1); 50-59 (1). Total (7)

Residence: 23 AUG 1850, Dearborn, Wayne, Michigan

John 36, Bathia 39, both Scotland. Children: Scotland, William 16. Michigan, Grace 14, John 12, Alexander 10, Andrew 8, George 5, Bathia 3, Jane 0. Mother, Jane Gray 70, Scotland. Farm Value: $800. Equip 70.

Residence: 1860, Dearborn, Wayne, Michigan

John 47, Bathia 48, Scotland. Children, Michigan: Andrew 17, George 15, Bertha 13. RE Value 4,000. Personal Estate 600.

Death of Wife, 12 MAY 1865, Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan

Note: I don’t know where the date of death came from

Probate Filed, 12/12/1865, John Gray, Sr., Father, appointed guardian of minor children: George (20) and Bathia, Jr. (18). Petitioner: John Jr.

move from Michigan to Minnesota: 1866, Claremont, Dodge Co., Minnesota

Source: see, Media, Historical Information. "In the summer and fall of 1866... John Gray came from Michigan and took the homestead southeast of town, where his family has lived since: George R 1845, George A 1871, Robert L 1900, Don D 1933.

Built house in Village, 1878, Claremont Village, Dodge, MN

Source, Media, Historical Information. John Gray, G.A. Gray's grandfather, built a small house on East Street and lived there several years, until near the time of his death.

Residence: 1880, Claremont, Dodge, Minnesota, USA

Source: Census. John (67), abt 1813, Scotland. Father, Mother, Scotland. Widowed: living at Peter McMartin hotel. To see full listing, see, Media: Census Notes

Residence: 01 MAY 1885, Claremont, Dodge, Minnesota, USA

Source: Census. John 72, abt 1813, Scotland. No one else is listed with him. The James Edmond Family follows him, was he a neighbor?

Death: 27 NOV 1892, Claremont, Dodge Co., Minnesota, USA

Cause of death, paralysis, he had been living at the house of his son, George Gray, for two years (abt 1890). Source: see, Media, John Gray obituary

Burial: Claremont, Dodge County, Minnesota, USA

Source: Find A Grave, Obituary, see Media. Remains placed in Claremont Street Cemetery. See, also (Photo), John Gray Headstone, Inscription: John Cray 1809-1892 ? should be 1812/1813

Father of 10 children

According to John Gray Sr’s Obituary he was the father of 10 children. I only know of 8. When I attended the Gray family reunion in August 2015, I saw a scrapbook with a list of the children of John Gray Sr written on the inside of the cover; beginning with Grace as #1. William was added as #7 (Jane, the daughter born in 1850, was not listed). My Uncle Don said he didn’t know about William until he got a visit from W. Scott Gray.

  The first census for John Gray Sr in America is the 1840 Federal Census, Dearborn, Wayne Co, Michigan; it lists only the name of the head of household, John Gray, the rest of the household is listed by number according to age and sex. I can somewhat determine who the household members are by the 1850 Census which lists their names and ages. Grace, John’s oldest known daughter, was born in Michigan in the year 1835 or 1836. The 1840 census lists only boys. Refer to Blog post: Questions, Grace Gray 1836-1911.

  It’s not really a big deal whether Grace was born in 1835 or 1836; except it could be a factor in the question of John Gray Sr having 10 children as his obituary states and whether they were born in Scotland prior to John’s marriage to Bathia Davidson and their immigration to America. Or if John and Bathia had other children that I don’t have record of; their known children were born 2 to 3 years apart. There could have been more children after the birth of Jane in 1850. Bathia died in 1865, age 54; her birth date is based on Census Records and Find A Grave Memorial; I have found no birth record for her. John Gray Sr’s Obituary states his remains being interred in Claremont cemetery beside those of his wife. When I visited the Claremont Street Cemetery, in July 2015,  I couldn’t find the marker for John Gray (the cemetery isn’t maintained and flat stones are covered over with mud and weeds) but saw the marker for his son, Alexander Gray, next to a marker for a Bathia; however I’m not sure if this is Bathia, John’s wife or Bathia (Jr) aka Bertha, his daughter who is also said to be (Source: her Obituary and Find A Grave Memorial) buried at the Claremont Street Cemetery. The inscription of the (above ground) Marker of Bathia was mostly gone and impossible to read.

xxx