William Gray (1761 - 1812)

Born 26 Mar 1761 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Diaman) Gray — married 26 Jul 1785 in Danvers, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 24 Jul 1812 at age 51 in Beverly, Washington, Ohio, United States

Biography

William Gray, son of Joseph and Rebekah, born Mar 26, 1761 in Lynn, Massachusetts. ^[1]

He enlisted as a private in Capt. Winship's Co., Col. Putnam's Regt., at Salem, Feb. 17, 1778. Also as private in Colonel's Co., Col. Rufus Putnam's Regt.. Continental Army pay accounts, March 2, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779. Also Jan. 1, 1780 to Dec. 31, 1780.

He married Mary (Polly) Diaman "Diman" in Danvers, Massachusetts on July 26, 1785. ^[2]

He was an husbandman, and went to Ohio with the first party of pioneers, reaching what is now Marietta, April 7, 1788. His family followed him in 1790. Capt. William Gray was commander of the garrison at Fort Frye in Ohio and one of the pioneers who settled Marietta, Ohio. "Capt. William Gray, wife and two children." In 1791, he was chosen commander of the garrison of Fort Tyler. He was a captain of volunteers. ^[3]

William Gray of Massachusetts lived a short time in Salem and subsequently in Boston. He came early with his family and settled in Waterford. His physical and mental powers would command attention and favorable notice in any society had he been under the guidance of moral principals and the discipline of education.

He was for some time employed as a lieutenant in the United States but he was deficient in industry, economy and regular habits. His uncle Billy Gray of Boston regularly sent him money to maintain his family. Two of his daughters were respectively married to the Messrs. Howard of Waterford.

He died in Beverly, Ohio on July 24, 1812 ^[4] and is buried at Waterford Cemetery in Waterford, Ohio. ^[5]

Unsourced records say his children were Betsey, Charlotte, Polly, Clarissa, Hanford, Rebecca and William. ^{[citation needed]}

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQXG-GY1 : 14 January 2020), William Grey, 1761.
2. ↑ Danvers - Marriages - Massachusetts Vital Records
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio Andrews, Martin Register and Hathaway, Seymour. Publisher Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co., 1902. (Page 96)
4. ↑ "Ohio Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F68D-SJ7 : 19 January 2020), William, Capt. Gray, 1812.
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 October 2020), memorial page for Capt William Gray (26 Mar 1761–24 Jul 1812), Find A Grave: Memorial #88391974, citing Waterford Cemetery, Waterford, Washington County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Anna (contributor 47477171) .

• Gray, Edward. "William Gray of Lynn, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants", Essex Institute Historical Collections (Salem, Massachusetts, 1916) Vol. 52, Page 117, Page 124-5
• Raymond, Marcius Denison. Gray Genealogy: Being a Genealogical Record and History of the Descendants of John Gray, of Beverly, Mass. (Tarrytown, New York, 1887) Page 270