Butts-Henry-Newton County GaArchives Biographies.....Gray Sr., James c.1785 - June 30 1830 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Larry Knowles knonga@bellsouth.net August 31, 2004, 8:20 pm Author: Larry C. Knowles THE FAMILY OF JAMES GRAY James and Elizabeth(Johnson)Gray were among the earliest settlers of Butts Co. The Grays were born in South Carolina, and migrated from the Abbeville area. Though most records are in Butts Co., James bought land in original Henry Co. When Butts Co. was formed in Dec 1825, the new county line bisected this parcel. James Gray was listed in Capt. C. Mason's district on the 1828 Butts Co. tax list. From the Allen Gray Family Bible(#1)we learned that James Gray died June 30, 1830. The 1830 Butts Co. census listed his widow Elizabeth, and seven children. In January that year another child, Mary Ann had married Hardy Pace. Before that couple moved to Chambers Co. AL, a daughter Adeline F. Pace was born. Other Gray siblings were soon entrenched in Butts Co. Eldest son, Allen Gray-highest bidder-"on the Courthouse steps"-purchased the Butts Co. portion of the above lot from his father's estate in February of 1833. On November 11, 1832, he had married Peletiah("Pelly")O'Nail, daughter of Zachariah O'Nail, yet another Butts County pioneer. Allen's sister, Sarah Gray had married Pelly's brother, Edward W. O'Nail on December 10, 1835, thus assuring the Gray lineage in this well documented family. In fact, all of Edward W. O'Neal's children are descendants of James Gray, as after Sarah's death, he married her niece, Julia Ann(Pace)Weaver, daughter of Hardy and Mary Ann Pace(above). She was the widow of James J. Weaver, who had died in the Civil War. James Gray Jr. married Elizabeth Stroud in Henry Co. on November 20, 1842. For some reason there was a delay in processing the estate of James Gray Sr. An inventory was not made until September 15, 1831. Soon after, widow Elizabeth posted a $1600 guardianship bond, with Thomas Pair providing security. There are many records concerning the younger children of James Gray Sr. Three are generallly grouped together-Rachel, William, and Augustus Johnson Gray. Annual returns of the estate note expenses, tuition, etc. for these children. James Gray Jr. is mentioned in early records. Another son, Andrew Gray, evidently never married; he died about 1837 in Chambers Co. AL, having moved there near sister Mary Ann(and husband Hardy Pace). In Butts Co. Allen Gray was made administrator of Andrew's property. William Gray married Mary Lummus of Newton Co. on January 27, 1848. He, and brother James died in Nov 1857, both leaving small children. Rachel Gray married Wiley W. Williams. Her mother, widow Elizabeth Gray, was listed with the couple on their 1860 Henry Co. census (Elizabeth Gray's will was filed in Butts Co.-May 2, 1864). The Gray family cemetery, provided for in Allen Gray's will, on the land from his father's estate(#133/8D)is the likely burial site for many of these individuals.(#2) There are ten to twelve graves, only three are marked: Allen and "Pellytyre" Gray, and their son, Levi. [See photos of the Gray cemetery & tombstone] In early 1839 Hardy Pace died in Chambers Co. AL. His widow, Mary Ann(Gray)Pace married John D. Thompson there on Jan 8, 1843. The couple had two sons, James M. and John D. Thompson Jr. After her second husband died, Mary returned to Butts Co.-where she posted a guardianship bond for the orphans of Hardy Pace: William A., Adaline Frances, Mary Turner, and Julia Ann Pace. Adaline married John Skipper-May 14, 1847. Mary T. married John J. Weaver-Sept 4, 1851. William A. Pace married Juda A. Bond-Dec 30, 1858(he was killed in the Civil War). Julia Ann married James J. Weaver-Aug 7 1860(he also died in the war). On Feb 21, 1867, Julia married her uncle, Edward W. O'Neal(not kin by blood). Mary Ann (Gray)Pace-Thompson died in early 1871. Widow Juda Pace, Mary Weaver, Julia O'Neal and James M. Thompson were mentioned in a deed regarding Mary Ann's "homeplace". Johnson A. Gray never married. In 1870 his nephew, Monroe Gray-and new wife, Sarah Frances(Maddox)lived with him. In 1873 Johnson sold a one acre mill site on Island Shoals Creek-later Mackey's Creek-to Henry Mackey, who had married his widowed niece, Mary Etta King(Allen Gray's daughter). Johnson Gray is buried in Sardis Baptist Church cemetery, near the Mackeys-and another niece, Sarah Ann Moss(Etta's sister & wife of Ben Moss). _________________ Note: #1) Mrs. Gladys Floyd of McDonough, GA.-a descendant of James & Elizabeth Gray- had the family Bible. She kindly allowed me to carry it to the State Archives for copying. It contained genealogical data on five generations in her line of descent, including: Allen & Peletiah Gray's children; Peletiah's "O'Nail" siblings(perhaps, her mother)and Allen Gray's parents-and several of his brothers. ==================================================================== Facts below taken from the GRAY FAMILY BIBLE-[See Gray bible photo sites] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BIRTHS: (first three were written as the year was pronounced!) Aaron O/Nail- Apr 19, 183 Rachel O'Nail- Feb 8, 186 Mary O'Nail- Jun 23, 188 Edward O'Nail- Oct 25, 1810 Eveline O'Nail- Jun 25, 1818 Peletier O'Nail- Jan 25, 1815(married Allen Gray) Elizabeth Johnson, Nov 4, 1787-died, Nov 3, 1863(Allen Gray's mother) James Gray died: Jun 30, 1830(Allen Gray's father-born c.1785) Sarah O'Nail died: Dec 9, 1832 (Possibly Peletiah's mother) [This summary-originally in RTF format on a single page-has been reworked with minor additions] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/butts/bios/nbs34graysr.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb