Labette-Montgomery-Johnson County KS Archives Biographies..... FLORA, Harriette (Httie A) Amanda A September 17, 1869 - June 17, 1956 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill BOGGESS billboggess@webtv.net December 12, 2007, 2:59 pm Author: William Samuel BOGGESS "American Mother of 1937" Harriette Amanda (Flora) Gray http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/newspapers/mrriagen291nw.txt Harriette was apparently named for both of her grandmothers, Hariett Catherine SHULTS and Amanda G FLORA. She was born to John Andrew and Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA on Friday, 17 September 1869, according to 1926, Volume II and subsequent editions of "The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy", and 19 June 1956, obituary in "The Courier-Gazette", of Rockland, Maine --- and according to William G Cutler's writings of 1883,       "... the first white child born in Montgomery County, Kansas." http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/labette/labette-co-p15.html Carrie Walton (The Little House On The Prairie), was born following year across the river from Hattie A. Harriette is found: 1870 census, Liberty, Montgomery county, Kansas, 1880, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, 1899, Monett, Missouri(ah), 1910 census in Saint Louis, Missouri(ah), 1920 and 1930 census at Omaha, Nebraska. http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=califia1&id=I1845 Sandra Stuart GRAY, a great,granddaughter, on 8/12/05, shared:       "Harriette [Hattie A] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile...." "When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, darkhaired girl named Harriette Flora.", written in Time Magazine, May 3, 1937, page 17. She was married just before Christmas, 6 December 1886 to "Frisco's" Carl Raymond GRAY(1867AR-1939DC), who had boarded at her father's hotel in Oswego. Kansas. Harriette spent over 52 of Carl's 56+ years of railroad career with him. The first half was with "Frisco", Saint Louis & San Francisco RR, starting at age 15 in Rogers, Arkansas, then Oswego, then Wichita where first son Carl Raymond (1889KS-1955MN) was born, then Neodesha, son Russell Davis (1899KS-1875NJ) born at Wichita. Then Carthage, Monett and Saint Louis, Missouri(ah) where son Howard Kramer (1901MO-1955MN) was born. Each son married and had a daughter and son. Carl is on page 479 in Volume I and sons Carl Jr & Howard are in Volume III, "Who was Who in America", sons also in Volumes 27 & 29 "Who's Who in America", each, plus Harriette are in "The Compendium of American Genealogy". Harriette taught Bible Classes from the get-go and was first women to be nation-wide on radio, WOW - Omaha, with a Bible Class. She travelled to Los Angeles annually and to Kansas City monthly to conduct classes. Friends hosted Gray's Golden Wedding Anniversary party, with 1,400 guest in Omaha, found in 21 December 1936 issue of "Life" Magazine's, pages 68-72 http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757171,00.html . She was selected by the Golden Rule Foundation, "American Mother of 1937" ("Time" Magazine, 3 May 1937, page 17) www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931573,00.htm . Husband Carl, after thirty-even years in railroading, became president of Union Pacific RR 1920, vice-chairman 1937 ("Time" Magazine, 26 Apr 1937, page 74), and selected as Trustee at Colby College, Waterville, ME in 1938, his father's 1855 Alma Mater. He received honorary LL D degrees from University of Maryland, 1916, University of Arkansas, 1929, Washington and Jefferson College, and at Sioux Falls college in 1937. Carl was found dead in his bed at Mayflower Hotel, Washington D C Tuesday, 9 May 1939. He had dinner with two of his sons, evening before. The 70th anniversary celebration for cross-country railroads of 10 May 1869 was day after his death was announced while movie "Union Pacific" was being shown at Strand theater. Harriette died after 3 weeks in Knox Hospital, Rockland, Maine, 17 June 1956, both buried with second son, Russell, his wife and their son in Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland www.crowolf.net/illuminations/000039.html   Carl Raymond GRAY included his widowed sister-in-law, "Mrs Maude Flora", his step-sister-in-law, "Mrs Elmer Clark" (Linnie C), and both step-sisters, "Mrs Mary Bell" and "Miss Grace Beattie" in his 1939 will. October 1989, a RR Caboose was dedicated at Oswego, Kansas in memory of Harriette & Carl GRAY and Hobart Holmberg YOUNG. Their life story follows his parents: www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/grays.html .       Additionl Comments: See "Gray of the Union Pacific", Carl Raymond Gray's biography: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/hamilton/bios/gray386bs.txt Harriette lived her life out at 25 Hyler St, Thomaston where her son Russell raised a family in the 1920's. Carl wanted his mother's property http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/newspapers/carlgray5nw.txt on Davis Point (Virginia LaFayette DAVIS) but it was not available ending by buying Payson home at Pleasant Point in 1919, named 'Friendship Cottage", remodelled in 1922 then named "Gray Rocks" which she sold in 1943, but its still known as "Gray Rocks", under went remodelling in 2005.   GARDEN OF LIFE Do you know that each life is a garden, And we sow as the days go by Seeds, for a future harvest To be gathered with smiles, or a sigh? Then what of the soil of our garden, Is it fertile, or stoney and old? Will it bring forth the thorn and the thistle, "Or the grain of a thousand fold?" Have we planted the rose of "forgiveness," And the lily of purest white That sends forth its sweetest fragrance Through the long, dark hours of the night? Is the pansy there with its "pleasant thoughts" And the violet, modest and true; And the sunflower bright, with its face towardGod, A lesson for me and you? Have we planted that rare little blossom That blooms when the days are hot; Ever echoing the voice of its Master, "Dear friends, forget Me not?" Have we planted much in our gardens From His wonderful Book of Life? Have we sown the seeds of "obedience," His assurance of help through the strife? Have we also sown the seeds of "truth?" Have we done the best that we can To'ard sowing that marvelous seed of "love," Love for both God and Man. You know that in this world's sowing 'Tis true, and will ever be, There will come into every garden Some grief...…from Gethsemane. But after the grief in the garden The harvest we'd hoped to see Will blossom in all its beauty, Through the glory of Calvary. Then know that your life is a garden, And you sow as the days go by Seeds…...for a future harvest, To be gathered with smiles, or a sigh. ---by Harriette Flora Gray File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/bios/flora134bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 7.4 Kb