Labette-Montgomery-Johnson County KS Archives Biographies..... GRAY, Carl Raymond September 28, 1867 - May 9, 1939 ************************************************ 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, 3:21 pm Author: William Samuel BOGGESS "Gray of the Union Pacific" Carl Raymond Gray America's railroad system became better because of fifty-six year dedication provided it by Arkansas' Carl Raymond GRAY, son of Arkansas pioneering school teaching parents from Maine. www.usgwarchives.net/ar/state/gray.jpg , www.rootsweb.com/~arpulask/Col.MrsOCGray.html , www.usgwarchives.net/ar/cemph/washingtonph.htm CARL RAYMOND GRAY: Born noon Saturday, September 28, 1867 at Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas, soon as able removing, by overnight stage coach, to Little Rock where, following the civil war, his father helped re-open Arkansas' first chartered institution of higher learning, St Johns' College, there seven years until both parents were retained, with first chairs, at new Arkansas Industrial University, Fayetteville, there till gaining employment, 20 March 1883, fifteen years old, with Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad ("Frisco"). Married in Oswego, Kansas December 6, 1886, raised three sons, died in Washington, D C, May 9, 1939, buried Druid Ridge cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland. http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=:2621954&id=I544058776    Among a host of innovations Carl brought forth are:       1)- director of operations federal Railroad Administration, WW I       2)- one of few organizing Association of American Railroads in1934       3)- first streamlined, diesel powered train February 1934 (on which he invited my grandmother, his widowed sister-in-law, to ride),       4)- fabulous Sun Valley resort in1936       5)- a major player in the railroad section of the Transportation Act of1940    As President & Vice-Chairman, he worked thirteen years with, after 1932 under, Chairman, William Averell Harriman (1891NY-1986NY). www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAharrimanA.htm    Who was this gentleman with an equally distinguished wife, reportedly first white child born in Montgomery county, Kansas, --- Harriette (Hattie A) Amanda (Flora) GRAY (1869KS-1956ME) http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/bios/grayflor2bs.txt , whom he met in 1885 at her father's Condon Hotel, John A Flora (1845IN-1934KS) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1667 , married Monday, 6 December 1886, on $60/month salary & $4.00 in their pockets, two of three sons in Who's Who in America, she Golden Rule's selection, "American Mother of 1937" www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931573,00.htm , he, on page 479, Volume One, Who was Who in America, advisor to two presidents; Wilson & Roosevelt, four collegiate honorary LL D degrees; Maryland State College of Agriculture, later known as University of Maryland, 1916 - University of Arkansas, 1929 - Washington and Jefferson College, 1937 - Sioux Falls College, 1937 and much more?    He's first found in 1870 census at Little Rock, Arkansas, 1880 census in Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1885 KANSAS census in Oswego, Kansas, NO census in 1890, 1900 census in Monett, Missouri(ah), 1910 census in St Louis, Missouri(ah), 1930 census in Omaha, Nebraska, moving to New York City in ca 1938, becoming trustee at his father's Colby College, Waterville, Maine and in following obituaries. Rockland, Mane, The Courier-Gazette, May 11th: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/obits/gray10ob.txt       "He was, as he wanted to be simply 'Gray of the Union Pacific'." New York Times, May 10th: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/obits/gray9ob.txt       "...members of the faculty, asserting that he was 'six feet tall and thin as two clapboards nailed together,' suggested he remain out of school for a time" Colorado Springs Gazette, May 10th: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/obits/gray8ob.txt       "His interest in better railroading grew with the years and made him a leader in development of streamlined trains..." Time magazine's May 22nd: http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761399,00.html       "Mr. Gray's first job, in 1883, was swabbing spittoons in a backwoods railroad depot." Omaha, Nebraska, Morning World-Herald, May 10th:       "....will be conducted Friday at Baltimore, Md, by Rev Charles Durden..." their Omaha minister, burial at Baltimore's Druid Ridge cemetery, www.crowolf.net/illuminations/000039.html also in Time Magazine, story of their fiftieth wedding anniversary party with 1,400 guests found also in the then "10 cents", Life Magazine, December 21. 1936, pages 68 through72: http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757171,00.html he's also found in following, to list but a few: Carl Raymond Gray, Footprints On The Sands Of Time, by William S Boggess, unpublished, May 2003, copies sent: Arkansas -- Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Arkansas History Commission, Little Rock, Rogers Historical Museum, Rogers, Shilo Museum of Ozark History, Springdale, Special Collections, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, plus, Nebraska Historical Society, Lincoln, Nebraska, Thomaston Public Library, Thomaston, Maine and elsewhere. Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders. By John N. Ingham. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983. Volume 2: August, 1949-August,1952. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1953. Volume 4: September, 1955-August,1958. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1960. Dictionary of American Biography. Supplement 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1958. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Volume 18. New York: James T. White & Co., 1922. Reprint. Volumes 1-50. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms, 1967-1971. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Volume 36. New York: James T. White & Co., 1950. Reprint. Volumes 1-50. Ann Arbor,Mich.: University Microfilms, 1967-1971. Who Was Who in America. A component volume of "Who's Who in American History." Volume 1, 1897-1942. Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co., 1943. (page479) and read employment history: www.books.google.com/books?id=YCsEAAAAYAAJ... (page 101-02) (search:Carl Gray), to wit:       "Was born Sept 28, 1867 in Princeton, AR. He was educated in preparatory department of [Arkansas Industrial University later] University of Arkansas. [He delivered telegrams free. The station & tracks where built on east portion of Gray's Fayetteville homestead] In 1883 [age 15] entered railroad service with Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad company at Fayetteville, AR. In same year [March 23] he was night operator at [1st paying job] Rogers, AR, and day operator at Van Buren, AR; in 1884, day operator and agent at Pittsburg, KS; and was then transferred as agent to Girard, KS. In 1885 was operator at Oswego, KS [1885 KS cenus at John A Flora's, Condon Hotel]; and for one year was chief clerk and general western agent to Wichita, KS. In 1887-90 was commercial agent. In 1890-96 he was district freight agent at Carthage, MO [where my mother & father were born & my home 1928-1942] and 1896-97 division freight agent. For three years was divisional superintendent and 1900-04 was superintendent of transportation, and was then promoted to general manger, In 1909 he was vice president operation and in 1911 senior vice president; and is now[1911] president of Spokane Portland and Seattle railway and the Oregon Electric railway."    Became president of Great Northern 1912-1914 for J J Hill, then Western Maryland Railway 1914-19, December 1917 to January 1919 served as Washington director of operations of the federal Railroad Administration, chairman of Wheeling & L E Railway 1918-19, becoming president Union Pacific Railroad January 1, 1920, vice-chairman October 1937, died December 9,1939.       -------------------    Carl's mother, ("Little Mudder") -- Virginia LaFayette (Davis) GRAY (1834ME-1886AR), www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/vagrsy.html http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/bios/davis3bs.txt was busy birthing their second son (first, Clyde Leslie, died1861), and starting her endearing 242 page, unpublished baby diary, "The Diverting History Of Little Tarley Gray" (1867-1872) about that glorious event taking place, noon Saturday, 28 September 1867, in Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas. He, several days later, was named Carl Raymond, honoring her brother, who became University of Michigan's, 1877-1905 librarian, Raymond C Davis (1836ME-1906MI). She, affectionately named son "Tarty Jay", perhaps, because he may have been a tad-bit late arriving??! No one could possibly have known this baby, --- 15-years later, would begin a fifty-six year railroad career, 20th of March 1883, first half with Saint Louis & San Francisco ("Frisco") Railroad Company (same year Edward Henry Harriman took over Union Pacific Railroad), starting with pay at newly created Rogers, Benton county, Arkansas, twenty-one years later, 30 October 1904, awarded (mariner) Captain Charles Warrington Rogers (1834NH-1887MO) title, man for whom town was named in 1881, 2nd Vice-president and General Manager of the Frisco.    His second Little Rock home, 1871-1874, was east across street of U S Arsenal and north-west across street from St Johns' College of Arkansas, where his little sister, Ethel Davis, with; white cotton head- a woodshed nose, blue eyes and the cholic - was born December 6, 1871, www.arkansasties.com/Pulaski/OldLittleRock/StJohnsCollege.htm , where his father served as president. (see upper left corner: http://photos.ark-ives.com/general/4543%5F67r.jpg )    Mother's 1867-1872 transcribed diary (summer 2005, to Special Collections, MC-1618, University of Arkansas), details the wonderful upbringing he received. The Arkansas History Commission's files, since 1964, hold 845 more fragile diary pages, in three bound volumes, of mother's 1872-1874 writings of son Carl, these pages are begging to be transcribed. In addition, much insight is had within: "OUR NEIGHBORS --- THE GRAYS", Washington County [AR] Historical Society's, FLASHBACK, May 1958, by Hattie E Williams (a childhood neighbor) www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/wmsneightbors.html      Carl's Fayetteville home, 1877-1883, was on West Dickson Street, a block east of university grounds which, six years earlier was farm of William McILroy (1812NC-1886AR), buried next to Carl's parents, --- partially standing February 1938 when he buried his step-mother's ashes, unmarked, next to his father in Historic #97001279 Evergreen cemetery, --- she, Mary (Mollie) Melbourne (Borland) Beattie-Gray (1850AR-1938MO) www.arkansasties.com/People/Borland,Mary.htm , d/o Arkansas' 4th U S Senator, Solon Borland www.rootsweb.com/~arpulask/Solon.Borland.html (Mollie, with daughters Grace M & Mary Borland, were, for some gracious and unknown reason, dedicated to Deaf-Mute Schools, totalling nearly one-hundred years of faithful service, both daughters in Carl's will)       "...a rambling English cottage type, olive green in color, with charming ornamental woodwork at the porch and vines and shrubbery in just the right places. The large yard was kept in beautiful order, both front and back." --- with --- "... pink and white apple blossoms of the Gray orchard, with the white pony, Jule, running beneath them, ..." next west to Historic #8800819, "Frisco Depot" to whom his parents deeded eastern most portion of their 2-1/4 acre homestead, purchased 10 July 1877 for $1000 from Judge LaFayette and Mary A. GREGG. (Historic #74000502, GREGG home, west across Gregg avenue)    Carl was fascinated by the railroad built across their property, its terminal operation, and according to May 10th obituary in Colorado Springs Gazette;       "....paid a telegrapher [W P McNair] $5 a month to teach him the trade until qualified as a relief operator."    Hattie wrote:       "I do not remember ever seeing Carl Gray still. He was always dashing about the place either in or out, across the yard to the depot, and then up the porch steps home again.   "When some time before this the Frisco Railroad was secured at last for Fayetteville [Arrival of first passenger train June 8, 1881 with 10 y/o SWANEY aboard, Mr. W.W. SWANEY, at age 94, boarded last train leaving 18 Sept1965], it was Colonel Gray who at that time of celebration, led the parade of University cadets from the old freight depot (then Terminal) to town [see Hale's, "U of A, 1871-1948", p 51]. His son Carl watched the celebration with interest. It was Colonel Gray who with neighbor, D Y Ellis (father of Frank Ellis) gave the railroad part of their own home grounds. No doubt Carl's first interest began in those early years when his father had owned the land which the railroad now used and with his alert mind and active body it gave a challenge to him far more attractive than mere school books could do."    Sons were: Major-General Carl R Gray, Jr, (1889KS-1955MN), Administrator of Veteran Affairs under Harry Truman, Russell Davis Gray (1899KS-1975NJ), notified me in 1956 of aunt Harriette's death and Dr Howard Kramer Gray (1901MO-1955MN) Mayo Clinic's abdominal surgeon, operated on James Roosevelt 1938. Each son had a daughter and son, family picture taken 1936, year of 50th wedding anniversary for Carl, Sr and 25th for Carl, Jr.    Carl was unable to purchase his mother's birth place (ca 1919), Davis Point, Cushing, Knox county, Maine, so bought the nearby Payson tract of some 34 acres. first known as "Friendship Cottage" remodelled 1922, the large front porch enclosed with windows and new columned entance, similar to their former St Louis home, then renamed it "Gray Rocks" which Harriette sold in1943. "Gray Rocks" was remodelled in2005. This Pleasant Point property was nearest available to his mother's birth place. http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/newspapers/carlgray5nw.txt    Carl's interest in family genealogy led back to Rev William Brewster on his "Little Mudders" branch, so in Omaha he organized Nebraska's chapter of The Society of Mayflower Descendents, December 16,1922. There were twenty-four members, he's selected its first Governor, so serving till moving to New York City as vice-chairman of Union Pacific in1938. Son, Carl Jr, traced line back to William Bradford.    Union Pacific offer, in his honor, Carl Raymond Gray scholarships to students in agriculture from states it then served. Powered by MSN TV File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/bios/gray135bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 14.6 Kb