Annie Vituria (Myers) Gray (1892 - 1960)

Born 15 Sep 1892 in Rankin County, Mississippi

Ancestors

Wife of Richard Allen Gray — married 29 Jun 1907 (to about 1925) in Rankin County, Mississippi [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 29 Sep 1960 at age 68 in Bastrop Louisiana, Morehouse Parish

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gary Gray [send private message]

Biography

After years of research and DNA testing, there is a very strong possibility that Annie Vituria Myers was adopted. She was born in 1892 but her birthplace is a mystery, as are who her birth parents are. Gary Gray, a descendant of Annie Vituria had DNA testing done by Ancestry.com as well as 23andMe.com. The surnames Culbertson and King appear as related ancestors, so these two surnames could be a clue as to her birth parents. Apparently, the adoption occurred in Rankin County, Mississippi. A cousin visited the County courthouse in Rankin and asked if there was a adoption record for Annie Vituria Myers. It was confirmed the record existed but was sealed under court order at the time of the adoption.

She had a younger sister, Kathleen, who was born in 1895 and it is unknown whether she was adopted as well. In 1904 at around age 12, Annie's adoptive father, Walter Myers, passed away due to complications with the Measles, leaving the two girls without a father and their mother a widow. At around the age of 15 in 1907, Annie married Richard Allen Gray who was 6 years older than her. They secretly ran off to the house of one of Richard's older brothers and they married there. They had five children together and seemed to have a happy life for a while. However, the family stories tell that her husband, Richard, spent a lot of time hunting and fishing, leaving her home alone with the kids. At some point in the 1920's, Annie apparently had an affair with her cousin, Dewey M. Kennedy. Richard apparently found out about the affair and he left her and returned to Mississippi. The story goes that he asked the kids who wanted to go with him and the older kids chose to go with their father while the younger kids stayed with Annie. Census records show Dewey Kennedy living with Annie for years after this event, but they never married. Annie died in 1960 from a stroke.

Sources

Birth: 1900 Census and family records Death: Family records and death certificate.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Gary Gray for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Gary and others.