Jones COUNTY GA Towns GRAY File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives Copied with permission from "History of Jones Co., GA," by Carolyn White Williams Typed by Barbara Shore GRAY Congressman James H. BLOUNT once owned the site on which Gray now stands, and the name of Dollytown was suggested for the new village. Congressman BLOUNT's home stood where Judge Holmes JOHNSON's old home is now. The survey you see in the book is dated Nov. 26, 1886 and the lots and streets are laid off as drawn by J.C. WHEELER and the name Blountson is used. He stated that the town was on the Macon and Covington RR eighteen miles from Macon. On Feb. 16, 1900 the Ordinary of Jones County ordered an election to be held on April 4, 1900 to vote on the removal of the county site from Clinton to Gray. In obedience to the said order the election was held with these results: For removal 359; against removal 361. Another election was held on June 27, 1905 with the following results: For removal, 1,289; against, 51. The legislature then passed a bill authorizing the removal of the county site from Clinton to Gray which was duly signed by the Governor on 9 August 1905. There were several homes already in Gray, most of them formerly residents of Clinton. New homes were going up and on Dec. 6, 1906, Rev. D.B. CANTRELL got the Methodists interested in building a "meeting house." Early in 1908 the work began and on Easter Sunday the church was dedicated. Dr. J.E. DICKEY preached the dedicatory sermon. This church was destroyed by fire 3 Jan 1915 and a new one started Aug 15, 1915. The Baptist church was started in 1905 and finished on Mar. 24 1907. The first service was conducted by Rev. J.E. CARGYLE of Macon. The presbytery was composed of Rev. E.W. SAMMONS, C.S. MCCARTHY, and R.W. THOIT. This church burned later and the present handsome structure was built. Ordinary of the Court, Roland ROSS suggested naming the town Gray in honor of James Madison GRAY who was for a long time the outstanding citizen and a leader in Jones County. The said James Madison GRAY had left a considerable sum to Mercer for the education of boys of Jones County. The name of Gray was thus given to the town which became the County site later and is today. Located near the center of the County in G.M.D. 450 Clinton District. The elevation if 605 feet and the eastern part of the town lies in Davidson's District. Early citizens of Gray were the MORTONS, STEWARTS, COMERS, BONNERS, GREENS, TURNERS, ETHRIDGES, JOHNSON, GODARDS, PATTERSONS, BRAGGS, MORGANS, BLOUNTS and ROBERTS. The first school was a small wooden building built in 1897. Several schools have been built since then and the present modern school plant was begun in 1936 and has been expanded to its present size. Grammar school and gymnasium 1929, Vocational building 1955. Present population of Gray is 1,000 (1957). The Mayors of Gray have been the following: J.M. CHILDS, George WALLACE, J.L. MERCER, R.L. TURK, Ard PULLIAM, M.I. GREENE, and W.E. KNOX. Highway Nos. 129, 11, 22, 44 pass through Gray. Macon is only twelve miles away and many people live at Gray and work in Macon. A new subdivision has been opened by Charles H. WASHBURN, Sr. and the lots are rapidly being filled with new homes. The only industry at present is the Washburn Lumber Company. Gray is the center of the peach industry north of Macon. It can boast a dry cleaning establishment, supermarket, picture show, a modern bank, five filling stations, an ultra modern motel, shoe shop and freezer locker. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.