Hello, Jeff and the WikiTree community. I have discussed previously that I do not know if the Willhelm Gray who was born (?) and baptized (have documents) on Jan. 12, 1754 at the Raritan Reformed Church in Somerset, NJ is the same William Gray who is married to Sarah Teague as shown in this profile. What I do know, based on credible sources, some of which I obtained from the Dept. of Archives and History in Columbia, SC (records of William's death/ estate in 1816)...and from the probate office of Fayette County, GA (where Sarah's will was filed and where she died in 1837), there is clear evidence a William Gray was married to a Sarah Teague Gray and they had 10 children, one of whom died between the 1810 Census and William's death in 1816.
William did not leave a will so the court appointed Sarah Gray and Abraham Gray as Co-Executors of his Estate on Feb. 22, 1816. It is important to note that EVERY child mentioned in William Gray's 44 page Estate Packet, Newberry, SC matches the names of EVERY child mentioned in Sarah Gray's will (except for Naomi who died before Sarah died). I also have at least at dozen land deeds from Laurens and Newberry counties/ districts dating from 1788 to 1814, four of which show William Gray's name along with Sarah Gray's signature below the section of the deed where she relinquishes all rights to dower.
I respectfully request that William Gray's year of death (month and day are unknown) be changed to either December, 1815 or Jan. 1816, whichever the manager of this profile decides. Two archivists in Columbia, SC told me that during the early 19th c., following the death of a husband/ father, the courts would act expeditiously to appoint an Executor (and guardian, if there were minor children) "within less than a two-month time frame." By the way, Sarah was also appointed as guardian of Robert and James Gray, the two youngest sons since, at the time of William's death, they were both considered "minors" (younger than age 21).
Regarding this William Gray's parents and other ancestors, there has never been any evidence made public connecting this William Gray to the Willhelm Grau/Gray (born, 1754), son of Gerretje Grau/ Garrett Gray, Sr. shown in so many family trees. It is all speculation.
Not even a Y DNA test which reveals a strong connection between me, William's 4th Great grandson, and other descendants of Garrett Gray prove anything other than William and Garrett were related. There is NO "paper trail" evidence they were brothers, although I hope to one day be able to find that connection.
At this point, I simply ask that William Gray's date of death be corrected based on credible, South Carolina Archives documents, including his Estate papers, 1816 - 1818.
Thank you,
Austin Gray
