Questions, Robert C Gray 1869-1930

Oct 7, 2015
The question I'm addressing presently is the 'middle' name of Robert C Gray, son of George R and Anne Reede (Wait) Gray. I'll begin with a summary of the information I have for him:

Name: Robert Cockburn Gray
Birth: 8/4/1870, MN
Father: George R Gray
Mother: Anne Reede Wait
Death: 6/22/1930, St. Paul, Ramsey Co, MN

1880 Census, (Robbert) age 11, Claremont, Dodge, MN
Father's Birthplace: Michigan (Geo)
Mother's Birthplace: Scotland (Anna)

1900 Census, (Robert C) age 31, Claremont, Dodge, MN
Father's Birthplace: Michigan
Mother's Birthplace: Canada, England
Note: Robert is single, listed as head of house, the Frank W. Cummings family living with him
If he was given a 200 acre farm by his father (as my father states in his notes)
did he rent his farm to this family?
Note: his mother died in 1900; his father died in 1923.

1905 (Territory/State) Census, (Robert C) age 36, Ripley Twp, MN
Father's Birthplace: Michigan
Mother's Birthplace: Michigan (wrong)

1910 Census, (Robert C) age 40, Ripley Twp, Dodge Co, MN
listed as Employee, Thomas J Gilbert
Father's Birthplace: Michigan
Mother's Birthplace: Canada
Note (refer to 1900 Census): was he renting his farm?

1920 Census (Robert C) age 49, St Paul, Ramsey Co, MN (Ward 4)
listed as a lodger. Occupation: Freight Handler. Industry: Steam Railroad
Father's Birthplace: Michigan
Mother's birthplace: Michigan (wrong)

1930 Census (Robert C) age 60, St Paul, Ramsey Co, MN (West 7th St, 5th Ward)
listed as boarder. Occupation: Laborer. Industry: Steam R R.
Father's Birthplace: Michigan
Mother's birthplace: Michigan (wrong)

Find A Grave:
Robert C Gray
Birth: 8/4/1870, Dodge Co, MN
Death: 6/22/1930, St. Paul, Ramsey Co, MN
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Dodge Center, Dodge Co, MN
Plot: Section C
Created by: Stephen Hamilton; record added Jun 8, 2015
Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index
Robert C Gray, Wasioja Twp, Dodge County, 1869-1930; Riverside Cemetery
Minnesota, Death Index. Note: can order original document
Robert C Gray
Death: 6/22/1930, age 60

Other family trees:
Kelley Buffington Family Tree
Note: descendant of the Lynch-Buffington lineage
Robert Cockfurn Gray 
B: 4/1869 (from 1900 Census), MN
D: 1930, Dodge, MN (Minnesota Cemetery Inscription)
Riverside Cemetery, Wasioja Twp, Dodge Co, MN

Anne Gray
Minnesota Cemetery Inscription
Riverside Cemetery, Wasioja Twp, Dodge Co, MN
B: 10/8/1842
D: 3/19/1900

Other family trees:
Gray Family Tree: spelled his name Robbert Gray
Note: connection appears to be Lynch
George A Gray photo with Cora Lynch
didn't know the other person
Daniel Kelley made comment: James Gray, son of Reede and Joy Gray

Personal Notes from Gray relatives:

9/18/2015 (email conversation with Stephen)

I think I forgot to tell you that my uncle, Don Gray, told me that the middle name 'Cockburn' is correct for Robert C Gray, son of George R and Anne Wait. Probably a 'surname' from his family lineage; I've noticed that middle names often come from the wives side, e.g. her maiden name. Don said he thinks he's buried at the Claremont Street Cemetery. Don thinks his grave was moved from the Ashland Cemetery because it was no longer being maintained; he thinks his father and my father were the ones that moved him (he asked my dad but dad didn't remember the experience).

Personal note, 10/7/2015: In Dad’s notes (Family History, by George Robert Gray) he thinks the Ashland Cemetery gravesite was George R; (referring back to the 9/18 email conversation) more likely it was Robert C Gray's grave.

10/7/2015 (email conversation with Stephen)

I followed the link you sent to the 1860 Map of Dearborn; I liked seeing John Gray’s name there. I zoomed in on that section and attached a copy to John’s profile page. I made sure to include the Whitsey, Ruddiman plots and a few Ford family plots are seen. I found the G Troup you spoke of, did you notice the name R. Cockburn one plot above? I wonder if Anne Wait’s mother’s maiden name was Cockburn, not Colburn? In John Wait’s biographical sketch it says around 12 years old he moved to Detroit, Michigan.

  Remember, when I said my Uncle Don confirmed that Robert’s middle name was indeed Cockburn 
*I found the email and inserted the comment below

9/18, Saturday I think I forgot to tell you that my uncle, Don Gray, told me that the middle name 'Cockburn' is correct for Robert C Gray, son of George R and Anne Wait. Probably a 'surname' from his family lineage; I've noticed that middle names often come from the wives side, e.g. her maiden name. Don said he thinks he's buried at the Claremont Street Cemetery. Don thinks his grave was moved from the Ashland Cemetery because it was no longer being maintained; he thinks his father and my father were the ones that moved him (he asked my dad but dad didn't remember the experience).

  This makes sense, to me: Anne gave her 2nd son Robert her mother’s maiden name (his ‘middle name’) as a way of paying homage to that family lineage.

  George Alvey named his 2nd son, Arthur Reede Gray, paying homage to his mother (he was always called Reede, dropping the Arthur). If you go to Arthur Reede’s profile page you’ll find that he became a Supt. of Schools in Redwood Falls, MN and a school was named after him: Reede Gray School; a source of Gray family pride, these scanned documents come from the scrapbook album that is always on display at the family reunion.

  For research purposes, I changed Euphenna’s maiden name from Colburn to Cockburn and did a search; I got results of Cockburn’s born in Scotland. I reviewed the biographical sketch of John Wait that you found, which states that John moved to Detroit, Michigan when he was 12 years old, which according to his birth date would be 1853. The bio doesn’t say that his family moved but I’m assuming they did, it would make sense that’s where George R met Anne. The other possibility is that John stayed with there with Cockburn relatives. For research purposes, I added a Residence, 1853, Detroit, Michigan to John, Anne and Alexander Wait. I did a search for Alexander Wait which resulted in a Passenger List: 1838, Origin, Scotland; occupation, carpenter; (destination, United States of America), arrival, New York. I don’t know why (if this is the same Alexander Wait) he ended up in Canada… but, the addition of a birth date helps with searches… John’s bio states his father was a carpenter which matches the Passenger List.

  I added a ‘note’ to the 1853 Residence entry (for each of them) that explains the source and the purpose of research. I can make changes and additions as necessary.

so… once again, sidetracked… as I’m composing an email to you regarding the link to the Dearborn Map you sent me and discussion of the Troup family name on it… I mention the Cockburn name I spotted and my focus changes from the ‘Troup’ name to ‘Cockburn’ and Wait…

A different Robert Gray. I know this Robb Gray is not the son of George R and Anne (Wait) Gray; the reason I'm including this information is because of the question of his death in St Paul, Ramsey Co.

Minnesota, Births and Christenings Index
Robb Gray. B: 2/19/1874, St Paul, Ramsey, MN. Father: Robert Gray. Mother: Anna Gray.

xxx