William Charles Gray (1844-1909) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

William Charles "W.C. Alabama" Gray

Born 30 Jun 1844 in Russelville, Colbert County, Alabama, United States

Ancestors

Son of William Sims Gray and Mahala G (Nichols) Gray

Brother of Martha Anna (Gray) Bunnell, Jemima Jane (Gray) Willis, John Simpson Gray, Mary E (Gray) Gilcrease, Cordelia J (Gray) Clayton, Ivanora Lucinda Lou Ellen Gray, Thomas Gann [half], Fedonia C Gray [half], Robert Elvin Hardy Gray [half] and Edmund Winston Gray [half]

Husband of Modena McCorkle — married 1 Oct 1865 in Russelville, Franklin County, AL

Descendants

Father of Mary Lillian (Gray) Ellis, Zura Modena (Gray) Anderson, William Sims Gray, Ada Isabell (Gray) Smith, Laura Josephine Gray, Charles Wesley Gray, James L Gray, John Elbert Gray, Robert Edgar Gray, Joshua B Gray and Sallie Estella (Gray) Hopper

Died 16 Aug 1909 at age 65 in Wizard Wells, Jack County, Texas, United States

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Profile last modified 7 Dec 2023 | Created 17 Oct 2014

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1 Biography
2 Acknowledgements

Biography

William Gray served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: October 1, 1861
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): 16th Alabama Infantry

William was born on 30 Jun 1844 in Russellville, Franklin County, Alabama. William is the the son of William Simpson Gray and Mahala Nichols. William Charles "Alabama" Gray called himself "Squire Gray" but mostly W.C. and claimed to be the fifth in a long line of American William Grays. William had joined the Confederate Army in 1861 under General Bedford Forest and fought in the battles of Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, and Petersburg.

After the service William met Modena McCorkle who was twenty years old, and soon they made plans to marry. The 1st day of October, 1865 (it has been said they married in 1864, but that is doubtful), they were married. Their firstborn child was a daughter, Mary Lillian Gray, and she was born at the home of William Simpson Gray outside of Russelville, Alabama. The next 8 children were born in Colbert County, near Tuscumbia; Mary Lillian Gray, Zura Modena Gray, William Sims Gray, Ada Isabell Gray, Charles Wesley Gray, James L. Gray, John Elbert Gray and Robert Edgar Gray

William Charles and Modena Gray's Log Cabin

William C. Gray was a gifted, hardworking farmer he was especially talented and made a lot of money through his hard work. In 1882, William C. and Modena packed up their belongings and moved to Texas. They traveled on the train from Tuscumbia with Modena's two sisters and their husbands, the Bunnell brothers.

After the family moved to Texas, they settled in Collin County where the soil was black gumbo. It grew good crops, but was extremely difficult to farm, as the animals, plows, wagons and anything moving got stuck in the black sticky soil. They lived outside of Princeton, Texas. While they were living there they had two more children Joshua B. Gray and Sallie Estella Gray.

At Collin County, W.C. Gray (William started using his Initials sometime during his life some neighbors and town folk also called him “Alabama”) was again an excellent farmer, but after a few years of hard toiling work in the difficult soil, he decided to look for a new farm where his ability to farm would be a little easier. Just five years after moving to Texas, he made plans to travel further west in search of the ideal place to move his family. In 1887 W.C. took his 10 year old son John with him in search of land. They traveled through several areas W.C. had heard about. They traveled all over Young, Graham and Jack counties, and finally selected a site near Wizard Wells, near Jacksboro in Jack County. He purchased 300 acres with the home site high on a hill with a beautiful, expansive view. (When approaching from the northwest, it looks purplish, hazy and almost mountainous.) W. C. told John that that land was the very best of all they had seen, and would make a fine farm. He had enough money to buy the Hill there, that became the Squire William Gray Farmstead. For a few years, he traveled back and forth and got the land ready, put in fencing, cleared the trees and brush away, built the house and barn, etc. Modena and W.C. finally moved in 1896, most of their children were married and living on their own by then. A road divided the property. He had the name Squire William Gray carved above the porch on their home. Modena thought that was the silliest thing she had ever known. W.C. Died August 16, 1909 near Peach Orchard Prairie, near Wizard Wells, Texas. and is interred at Wizard Wells Cemetery Wizard Wells, Jack County, Texas, USA, Plot: 1, 5, 34 (Compiled by first hand interviews with Ada Isabell Gray, Mildred G. Anderson, Bea Russell and Jill Jobe, from Jill Jobe's research)

Children

Mary Lillian Gray b. September 16 1866 Colbert County, Alabama-d. December 3, 1942 Jack County, Texas m. Isaac Newton Ellis on December 30 1883
Zura Modena Grayb. January 16, 1868 Colbert County, Alabama-d. December 02 1942 Jack County Texas m. Clark Barton Anderson
William Simms Gray b. 08 Oct 1869 Colbert County, Alabama -d. 11 Nov 1933, Jack County Texas m. Claudia Johnson in 1922
Ada Isabell Gray b. October 16 1870 Colbert County, Alabama -d. August 23 1967 Denton County Texas m. John Tatum Smith on October 01, 1897
Laura Josephine Gray b. 15 Nov 1871 Colbert County, Alabama -d. 1873 Colbert County, Alabama (Died in Infancy)
Charles Wesley Gray b. February 11, 1873, Colbert County, Alabama -d. April 04, 1937 Paul Valley, Oklahoma m. Josephine White
James L. Gray b. March 05, 1875 Colbert County, Alabama, d. April 11 1902 Oklahoma m. Emma (Unknown)
John Elbert Gray b. November 27, 1877 Colbert County, Alabama - d. January 07, 1970, Jack County Texas m. Janie Hensley on November 09, 1905
Robert Edgar Gray b. March 03, 1881, Colbert County, Alabama -d. March 13, 1951, San Bernadino, California m. Earlden Pruitt on November 14, 1900
Joshua B. Gray b. April 17, 1883 Collin County, Texas-d. August 02, 1885 Collin County Texas (Died in Infancy)
Sallie Estella Gray b. Sepemter 03, 1885 Collin County, Texas-d. June 23, 1969 Hood County, Texas m. James Thomas Hopper on January 02, 1901

Residence

1850: District 6, Franklin, Alabama, USA

1860: Division 1, Limestone, Alabama

1870: Township 5 Range 11, Colbert, Alabama

1880: Saints, Colbert, Alabama

1900: Justice Precinct 7, Jack, Texas

1909: Burial Place: Wizard Wells, Jack County, Texas, USA

William C Gray in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name: William C Gray Age: 6 Birth Year: abt 1844 Birthplace: Alabama Home in 1850: District 6, Franklin, Alabama, USA Gender: Male Family Number: 203 Household Members:

Name Age

William S Gray 33

Mahala Gray 25

Martha Ann Gray 13

Mima Jane Gray 16

John S Gray 8

William C Gray 6

Mary Gray 4

Manerva Nickles 20

William C Gray in the 1860 United States Federal Census

Name: William C Gray Age: 14 Birth Year: abt 1846 Gender: Male Birth Place: Mississippi Home in 1860: Division 1, Limestone, Alabama Post Office: Shoalford Family Number: 498 Value of real estate: View image

Household Members:

Name Age

Nancy W Gray 42

Elizabeth A Gray 18

James T Gray 16

William C Gray 14

Ellen A Gray 12

David Gray 10

William Gray in the 1870 United States Federal Census

Name: William Gray Age in 1870: 24 Birth Year: abt 1846 Birthplace: Alabama Home in 1870: Township 5 Range 11, Colbert, Alabama Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Tuscumbia Value of real estate: View image

Household Members:

Name Age

William Gray 24

Modenia Gray 25

Mary Gray 3

Zera Gray 2

William Gray 8/12

Catharine Whitlock 40

Ann James 16

Lucy A James 15

William C. Gray in the 1880 United States Federal Census

Name: William C. Gray Age: 36 Birth Year: abt 1844 Birthplace: Alabama Home in 1880: Saints, Colbert, Alabama Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Modena Gray Father's Birthplace: Alabama Mother's Birthplace: Alabama Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Farmer

Household Members:

Name Age

William C. Gray 36

Modena Gray 35

Mary L. Gray 14

Yerah M. Gray 12

William S. Gray 9

Ada I. Gray 8

Charles W. Gray 6

James L. Gray 4

John E. Gray 2

William Gray in the 1900 United States Federal Census

Name: William Gray Age: 55 Birth Date: Jun 1844 Birthplace: Alabama Home in 1900: Justice Precinct 7, Jack, Texas Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Modna Gray Marriage Year: 1865 Years Married: 35 Father's Birthplace: Alabama Mother's Birthplace: Alabama Occupation: View on Image Neighbors: View others on page

Household Members:

Name Age

William Gray 55

Modna Gray 55

Robert E Gray 19

Stella M Gray 15

Military

William Gray in the Alabama, Civil War Soldiers, 1860-1865

Name: William Gray

Birth Date: abt 1843

Enlistment Date: 15 Aug 1861

Enlistment Place: Alabama, USA

Enlistment Age: 18

Military Branch: Infantry

Regiment or Unit: 16th Alabama Regiment

Company Unit: I

Enlistment Info: Age 18, Alabama, Lawrence County, Private

Author: Muster-in Roll dated 1861/08/15 in Courtland, AL.

William C Gray in the Alabama, Texas and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958

Name: William C Gray

Application Date: 2 Feb 1923

Application Place: Jack

Spouse: Mrs Modena Gray

Marriage Date: 1 Oct 1865

Marriage Place: Colbert, Alabama

Death Date: 16 Aug 1909

Death Place: Jack, Texas

Application Type: Widow

Died

William C. "alabama" Gray in the Web: Texas, Find A Grave Index, 1761-2012

Name: William C. "alabama" Gray

Birth Date: 30 Jun 1844

Age at Death: 65

Death Date: 16 Aug 1909

Burial Place: Wizard Wells, Jack County, Texas, USA

Grave ID: 44485969

URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...

William C Gray in the U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current

Name: William C Gray

Birth Date: 30 Jun 1844

Death Date: 16 Aug 1909

Cemetery: Oakwood Cemetery

Burial or Cremation Place: Jacksboro, Jack County, Texas, USA

Has Bio?: N

Spouse: Modena Gray

Children:

Zura Modena Anderson

William Sims Gray

URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...

OBITUARY FOR WILLIAM CHARLES GRAY

GRAY, W. C. - 1909, Jacksboro Gazette, Jacksboro, Texas Thursday, September 2, 1909

W.C. Gray died in his home nine miles east of Jacksboro, 17 August 1909. He was born in Colbert County, Alabama, 30 June 1844. He moved to Collin County, Texas, in 1882 and resided there until he moved with his family to Jack County, Texas, in 1896. He enlisted in the Confederate Army from the state of Alabama in the early 1860s and continued in active service until the surrender in 1865. That he bore himself gallantly in that memorable struggles goes without saying. No true, braver, defender of the cause of the Confederacy ever wore the Gray. He was a loyal friend, a loving and devoted husband and father, as well as a good citizen.

Acknowledgements

Jill Jobe: Thank you for all of your research the photographs and articles are invaluable. Your hours of work, research and first hand family knowledge has given me a wonderful look at our ancestors lives as they lived them. Words can not describe this. Thank you Jill Jobe

Thank you for all of your research the photographs and articles are most enlightening. Your valuable hours and documentation has given me a wonderful opening into our family history. Thank you CD Loftin Written researched and maintained by: CDLoftin http://history.loftinnc.com/McCorkle_Modena_1845.htm

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