Knox-Lincoln-Kennebec County ME Archives Biographies..... GRAY, Coloenl Oliver Crosby & Virginia LaFayette December 30, 1832 - December 9, 1905 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/me/mefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill Boggess william-boggess@webtv.net September 23, 2006, 5:26 pm Author: Bill Boggess (revised, 09-21-06,WSB)                 COLONEL OLIVER CROSBY GRAY (1832ME-1905AR)               VIRGINIA LAFAYETTE (Davis) GRAY (1834ME-1886AR)              Few, if any, couples teaching school in historic Arkansas lived more exemplary christian lives. GRAYs consistently contributed; to educating its future leaders, to better communities, to Arkansas, thusly to our nation. That describes pioneering couple, Colonel Oliver Crosby and Virginia LaFayette (Davis) GRAY, whose ancestry is to the Mayflower and Revolutionary War. Like cream with time, they rose to the top. His deeds recognized by contemporaries thusly honored --- later, cast aside for twentieth and twenty-first century "political leaders". The GRAYs, as did many of their pioneering contemporaries, sought no glory or praise for their instinctive warm love towards mankind. Example; Virginia didn't sign her art or writings, such as her 1877 painting of "Old Main", or book "Cremona" thusly are anonymously enjoyed today. They sought no fame or rewards. They simply let their christian hearts light the way! http://www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/grays.html George B Rose (1860-1942), Little Rock's eminent counselor-at-law and literature eloquently summarizes his former teacher's life in 850+ words, spoken at his funeral ending with, to wit;             "And Col Gray was not merely a great teacher; he was a model in every relation of life. Strong as was the feeling of kindness in his bosom, his sense of justice was equally strong. A man could not have been a better husband and father than he, a kinder neighbor, a truer friend. As a citizen he was patriotic, taking an active and intelligent interest in public affairs, and his voice was always on the side of justice, decency and truth. After a long, laborious and most useful life, a life full of kind and gentle deeds and animated by a noble ambition to benefit his fellow and especially the youth of the land, he has passed to his reward, and many are they who arise and call him blest." http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/newspapers/tributet3nw.txt           -Written of them after death, to wit: From one obituary; ----  "The funeral was attended by hundreds of leading citizens of Little Rock, evidencing the high esteem in which the deceased was held." "Immediately after the services at the church the remains were taken to the Choctaw depot, and carried on a special train to Fayetteville, were the funeral was held this morning under the auspices of the Knights Templar." http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/obits/gray5ob.txt From one "Editorial" ----   " ... he was a brave solider and able educator, a good citizen and a christian gentlemen. As a public officer he won the confidence and esteem of the people and was never criticised for a derelict of duty. He lived indeed an exemplary life and passed to his final reward honored and loved by everyone. The great deeds of his life will live for generations and the principles he has installed into the hearts of the young men who have come within the scope of his influence will never perish. The world is the better for his having lived in it and thousands are stronger and worthier of life for having met and associated with him." http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/newspapers/deathofc2nw.txt (The Arkansas Democrat, 11 Dec 1905)       and Virginia's obituary, to wit:             "... She was a most estimable lady, a loving Christian wife and mother. No lady had more friends in Fayetteville than Mrs Gray. She was a pleasant and accomplished companion, a generous friend ...." http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/obits/graydavi3ob.txt (The Fayetteville Democrat, 20 Aug1886)       Inscribed on her tombstone; "None knew her but to love None named her but to praise" http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/cemph/washingtonph.htm   Historians have the GRAYs early life wrong! Following is correct, partially from Virginia's (Jennie) letters to her brother, sea Captain Byron Davis, later his widow Nellie and daughter Kate.          <>----------<>----------<>       Oliver; born to Doctor Peter Tufts Gray (1787-1838) and wife (Lot Weeks' widow) Elizabeth (Kennedy) (1802-1867), in Lincoln county, Maine, 30 December 1832, with three Weeks' children, and two brothers born later. http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=:2621954&id=I544058777       Virginia; fourth born to Sea Captain George Davis (1798-1870) and Catherine Young (1804-1849), Davis Point, Cushing, Lincoln county, Maine, 19 June 1834, second of four attaining adulthood. http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=:2621954&id=I544058786       Oliver graduated 1855 from Colby College, Waterville, Maine (classmate's photographs in her "Scriptural Album", MC 1618), --- Virginia attended New Hampton while brothers circumnavigated the world with their father aboard "Hampton", 1849-1851. Virginia & step-sister watched 37 y/o, Alexander II, Emperor of Russia (1855-1881) and family, pass directly below their hotel window 27 June 1857 while in Hamberg, Gemany with father, while sailing aboard bark "Diana". http://immigrantships.net/v4/1800v4/diana18570908.html .           Oliver was reportedly Superintendent of Schools after family moved sixteen hundred miles west to Hennepin county, Minnesota Territory in 1855. He's later documented as Superintendent of Monticello Academy in frontier Wright county, Minnesota, also see; "Our Pioneer Days In Minnesota", by Gertrude Braat Vandergon,1949, Chapter IV, "Fall, Winter, Then Spring"; page 44: "Monticello, just twelve miles from Silver Creek, was a thriving little town, but had no grist mill. However, it had a ferry across the Mississippi." page 46: "In 1857 a ferry was established by John Gellow, later owned by Mr. C. Jones. That same year a small school house [Monticello Academy] was errected and E.W. Merrill taught the youth of the village. Later O.C. Gray was the instructor. [see Monticello Times newspaper article of 3 March 1858,"An Agreeable Surprise"] "The first white child born in Monticello was Fred Anderson, who was born in the fall of 1855. "The first marriage was performed about 1856, A.S. Descent and Miranda Chandler, also F.M. Cadwell and Elizabeth McCrory. "The first hotel was opened in 1857 and called the Cataract House. Mr. Cross was the manager."       Virginia married Oliver Friday, 28 May 1858 in Cushing, Lincoln county, Maine, returning to Wright county, as of 11th of May, in state of Minnesota, describing life and town in three letters & that he had some fifty scholars. School year 1859-1860, she wrote in three letters of disliking Marshall county, Mississippi, boarding on a plantation with seventeen slaves before adopting Arkansas, fall of1860.       "Jennie" and Oliver birthed three children. Clyde Leslie, died in 1861, Carl Raymond, married December 1886 to Hattie A Flora ("first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas"), became vice-chairman of Union Pacific Railroad Systems also a Trustee of Colby College, Ethel Davis, married June 1900 to LeRoy Kramer, he became president of GATX Corporation.          -Schools taught in Arkansas: PRINCETON   FEMALE   ACADEMY (1855- ????), Dallas county, 1860-1867 (less war years); Oliver was in charge and Virginia taught art. Among students were Solon Borland's daughters, poetess Fanny & Mollie.       Oliver, July 29, 1861 enlisted with Colonel Solon Borland, M D, Esquire, in what later became, Company A, "Princeton Light Horses", 3rd Arkansas Calvary Regiment, Confederate States Army, fighting more skirmishes than any other Arkansas unit! Promoted to Captain, October 1862, appointed Battalion Provost Marshall, December 1863, allowed to resign to join Navy August 1864; http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/military/civilwar/other/gray2mt.txt , captured November 1864, exchanged March 1865, home April 1865.       Virginia Davis GRAY's 1863-1865 diary was published in The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Volume XLII, Numbers I & II. Diary given by her g,g,granddaughter, to Special Collections, University of Arkansas summer 2005, MC1618, including "Scriptural Album", with some of her art, and 1867-1872, 242 page diary of son Carl Raymond, "The Diverting History of Little Tarley Gray", plus --- Arkansas History Commission files hold 845 fragile pages, in three bound volumes, of her 1872-1874 writings --- of Arkansas' reconstruction, and The Brooks-Baxter War years. begging to be transcribed.       Four letters from Princeton, first one telling of her stage coach trip with a sick son, getting lost over night from Neopoleon, Arkansas. Her published diary, 1863-1865, reveals much of life she and others lived during those trying years of the civil war while loved ones were off fighting. Princeton was a cross-roads thus many Union and Confederate troops camped near, such she captured in her diary, they entertaining the men, many a notable General "broke bread" with them. ST   JOHNS'   COLLEGE (1850-1879), Pulaski county, 1867-1874; http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/media-detail.aspx?mediaID=3881 Oliver re-opens following war years, teaching mathematics, last three years its president.       History of Arkansas School for the Blind, http://www.arkansasschoolfortheblind.org its first brick building, built 1869 on Senator William Savin FULTON's (1795-1844) homestead "Rosewood", --- it says was dedicated to "Colonel GRAY". School moved about 1938 and buildings removed in1948 with 300,000 bricks cleaned by prisoners, used in Governors Mansion, 1949/50. Oliver was a Mason and professor at Masonic St Johns' College nine blocks east, 1867-1874.       Oliver initiated a Law School at St Johns' College in1873. Enlisting professors: U M Rose, http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2271 , A H Garland, H C Caldwell, and E H English. Former students attending his funeral; George B Rose, John M Rose, John W Blackwood, J E Williams, W B Worthen, S U Harrison, Thomas B Martin, L P Gibson, Henry Lasker, Julius Kemper, Horace G Dale, John Fletcher.       "The Brooks-Baxter War" began April 15, 1874 when Governor Elisha Baxter (1827-1899) was ousted from office by Joseph Brooks, "Major GRAY" armed his students, protecting Gov Baxter while he refuged at St Johns' College.       Virginia's thirteen letters from Little Rock and diary on son Carl are most revealing of life during reconstruction years in Little Rock, 1867-1874. Diary reveals her November over-night stage coach trip with baby Carl and Major Harold Borland, arriving in Little Rock. Oliver working late, so they broke in the door to escape the cold evening air. Letters; of Judge Freeman W Compton taking over their first house when they built near St Johns', another that poetess Fanny Borland was married in their home April 1869. Virginia helped with Kate Compton's June 1871 wedding, she daughter of Dr Franklin M Compton older brother of the Judge, and one of brother Raymond C Davis visiting winter of 1871/'72. ARKANSAS   INDUSTRIAL   UNIVERSITY (1871-   ), Washington county,1874-1895, (1899, becoming University of Arkansas); "The classes have been as follows: 1875 numbered 8; 1876 numbered 9; 1877, same; 1878, 5; 1879, 8; 1880, 10; 1881, 6; 1882, 15; 1883, 7; 1884, 10; 1885, 6, and 1886, 5." http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2163 http://0-digitalcollections.uark.edu.library.uark.edu/cgi-bin/pquery.exe?CISOROOT1=% 2FHappyHollow&CISOOP=all&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISORESTMP=%2Fqbuild%2Ftemplate1.h tml&CISOVIEWTMP=%2Fqbuild%2Ftemplate2.html&CISOROWS=2&CISOCOLS=3&CISOBOX1=old+main&i mage.x=13&image.y=9 Oliver, 8 July 1874 was retained as AIU's 1st Chair, 'Civil Engineering', 1874-1879, additionally, appointed Professor of Mathematics (his true love), heading up R O T C , with other duties, 1874-1885 --- Chairman of Mathematics, with other duties, 1888-1895. Virginia became AIU's 1st Chair, 'Drawing and painting',1874-1881. (Art Department). http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/benton/benhist3.htm (search; Mrs. V. L. Gray)       "Old Main" opened September 1875 with Virginia assigned 2nd floor Clock Tower according to her October 1875 letter, with classes of fifty & forty each. "Vergie" (as known in Fayetteville) presented her painting of new building & grounds to 1877 Board of Trustees (page 91 of minutes), given Governor Miller (first Arkansas born governor) to hang in his office, --- now missing.       9 June 1885, University relieved ALL professors of their "chairs"! Oliver, an Elder of his church, a Mason and a member of Fayetteville School Board, became superintendent at Fayetteville's first school building, Washington, http://nwanews.com/nwat/Academics/37048/print/ , assisted by Anna Putman, among AIU's first students in 1872, Ella Carnall, (1861-1894), Class of 1877, and four others. Buildings' construction was a high priority of his and neighbor, Judge/Colonel LaFayette Gregg (1825-1891) http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/benton/benhist3.htm (search: O. C. GRAY & L. Gregg, president). Gray became Fayetteville's Mayor April 1886 till October 1887, http://accessfayetteville.com/visitors/history/mayors_of_the_city.html. July 1888, the university asked Oliver and only two other "fired" professors to return to the University, Oliver became Chairman of Mathematics Department, with other duties until May 1895 when selected Superintendent of Arkansas School for the Blind, Pulaski county.     Virginia's twelve letters from Fayetteville concerned their life. One of earlier living on third floor of hotel with AIU's teacher Mary Gorton and her sister, Belle L Gorton, Class of 1876, giving up part of their homestead for Frisco RR, of a deadly tornado in 1881, abrupt firing of president Hill at 1884's commencement, she turning down offer when young teachers asked her to chaporone them to New Orleans Cotton Expostion January 1885, and learning December 1885 from Dr W B Welch of having cancer.       Virginia died, 17 August 1886, age 52, of cancer. Respectfully, the Fayetteville business houses closed their doors during her funeral!       Oliver married friend of Virginia and his, widow Mary (Mollie) Melbourne (Borland) Beattie (1850-1938), 17 June 1889, youngest child of Senator Solon Borland, M D, Esquire (1811-1864), with two daughters and a son, he, one daughter at home, son Carl in Kansas, married with a son Carl Jr, who became General Carl R GRAY, Jr, Administrator of Veterans Affairs for President Harry S Turman (their third son, Doctor Howard Kramer GRAY of Mayo Clinic successfully operated on Jimmie Roosevelt in 1938). ARKANSAS   SCHOOL   FOR   THE   BLIND   (1859-     ), Pulaski county, 1895-1905: http://www.arkansasschoolfortheblind.org Oliver was Superintendent (except 1899-1901, while president, Speers-Langford Military Institute, White county) with wife Mary as Matron, a position she held at the Arkansas Deaf-Mute Institute for years.       Oliver died 9 December 1905, funeral held at First Presbyterian church, Fifth & Scott, attended by hundreds.       His body was removed to Fayetteville for burial with masonic & confederate honors.       University of Arkansas commemorated Colonel Oliver Crosby GRAY's memory with GRAY HALL in 1906, --- removed 1966 for Mullins Library. http://0-digitalcollections.uark.edu.library.uark.edu/cgi-bin/pquery.exe?CISOROOT1=% 2FHappyHollow&CISOOP=all&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISORESTMP=%2Fqbuild%2Ftemplate1.h tml&CISOVIEWTMP=%2Fqbuild%2Ftemplate2.html&CISOROWS=2&CISOCOLS=3&CISOBOX1=gray+hall       Oliver, Virginia, Mary, daughter Ethel Kramer, granddaughter Virginia Kramer are resting in Masonic Evergreen cemetery's Lot 144, Fayetteville, Washington county, Arkansas. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/cemph/washingtonph.htm Son Clyde Leslie with maternal grandfather, Captain George Davis in Princeton cemetery, Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas, http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/dallas/princet.htm , with Carl in Druid Ridge cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland, http://www.crowolf.net/illuminations/000039.html       -For additional information: "History of the University of Arkansas", by Reynolds & Thomas, 1940 "University of Arkansas, 1871-1048", by Hale, 1948 "Pioneer Makers of Arkansas", by Shin, 1908 1874, 1877, and 1888 Minutes of Arkansas Industrial University's Trustee Board Meetings "Alumni Directory 1876-1937" of The University of Arkansas "How We Lived: Little Rock An American City", by Roy & Witsell,1984 "History of Minneapolis & Hennepin county", page 752, by Atwater & Stevens, 1895 "Northwest Arkansas History", by Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1889; "Fayetteville", page 248 & "Washington County", page 945 "Colby College Centennial Catalogue Edition, 1820-1920", pages 64 & 65 "A Half Century on Minneapolis", by Hudson, page 457, 1908 "History of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota", page 479, by Holocums & Bingham, 1855 "Phillips Neighborhood History" Page, St Anthony & Minneapolis directory; Gray, Prof O C, Principal of Gray's Academy, by Minnesota Historical Society Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, (F602 61-C-2) Volume XIV, page 274, by Upham & Dunlap, 1912 "Our Pioneer Days In Minnesota", by Vandergon,1949, Chapter IV, 'Fall, Winter, Then Spring', pages 44 - 47. "An Agreeable Surprise", March 3, 1858, Monticello [MN] Times "The War Child's Children", by Collier, 1965 Confederate Military Records of Captain O C GRAY, Arkansas History Commission "St Johns' College", Pulaski County Historical Review: Volume 36, Number 2, by Aaron B Pierce, 1988       -Special Collections, University of Arkansas: "John D Henry Letters", MC49, letter #5 (Col O C, NOT Doctor O C, there was a young fellow mason, Dr C S Gray) http://libinfo.uark.edu/SpecialCollections/findingaids/henrylettersaid.html "Campus Photographs, University of Arkansas, 1907-1911, MC 1157, Gray Hall "Notes on Art Department Faculty and History", MC1377, by Tom Turpin, 1988-1990 "Virginia LaFayette (Davis) GRAY's papers", MC1618,       -Obituaries: The Fayetteville Democrat, Aug 20, 1886, http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/pulaski/obits/grayv.txt, The Arkansas Democrat, Dec 11, 1905, http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/obits/gray5ob.txt, The Fayetteville Democrat, December 14, 1905, http://files.usgwarchives.net/me /lincoln/obits/gray7ob.txt, The Memphis News Scimitar, December 11, 1905, http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/obits/gray6ob.txt, The Arkansas Gazette, Dec 10, 1905, http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/obits/gray4ob.txt, The Springdale News, April 23,1910; Northwest Arkansas Times, Feb 18, 1938, http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/pulaski/obits/graymb.txt, The New York Times, May 10, 1939 http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/obits/gray9ob.txt The Fayetteville Daily, Jan 6th & 29th, 1906, Masonic tributes, 1906 http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/lincoln/newspapers/memorial4nw.txt "Jennie's Letters", some 40 letters written by Virginia (Jennie) L (Davis) GRAY, Hamburg, Germany, 1857 to Fayetteville 1886, unpublished, transcribed by g,g,g,niece Barbara J Holt, Davis Archives, Dover, NH. "The Diary of Virginia Davis GRAY, 1863-1865.Part I & II", The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, edited by Dr Carl H Moneyhon, UALR, 1983, furnished by her g,granddaughter, Eleanor Gray Knutson. (Original MC1618,UA) "The Diverting History of Little Tarley GRAY", 1867-1872 diary by Virginia L GRAY, unpublished, transcribed by Robert C Knutson, M D, (Original, MC1618, UA) "OUR NEIGHBORS --- THE GRAYS", Washington County [AR] Historical Society's, FLASHBACK, May 1958, by Hattie E Williams (a childhood neighbor) http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/newspapers/ourneigh7nw.txt "School days, School days, .. the history of education in Wahington County, 1830-1950", compiled by members of the Washington County Retired Teachers Association, 1986 "Dismantling of GRAY HALL Under Way at UA", Northwest Arkansas Times, April 14, 1966, page 15 "Far Back Campus Memory: GRAY HALL, Commemorating a Great Man", Washington County [AR] Historical Society's, FLASHBACK, Feb 1968, by Deane C Carter, former University employee. http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/newspapers/farbackc8nw.txt "GRAY HALL", 1906-1966, by Don E Schaefer, University of Arkansas Publication Manager, emeritus "Of A Place Called St Georges", by Bradley Beckett, 1989 "Reminiscences of a Voyage around the World", by Raymond C Davis, 1869 (Virginia's brother was Libraian at University of Michigan, 1877-1906) "The GRAYs From Maine", unpublished by Boggess, 2004, filed at Butler Center. http://www.rootsweb.com/~arwashin/pics/grays.html "The Story of Two ARKANSAS Pioneer School Teachers", unpublished by Boggess, 2006, filed at Butler Center. http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/state/newspapers/graytech.txt File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/knox/bios/gray7bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/mefiles/ File size: 21.3 Kb