Mark Gray's biography, Sunfield Township, Eaton County, Michigan ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ SUBJECT: Mark GRAY SUBMITTER: Jan Sedore EMAIL: am0773@a1access.net DATE: Feb 28, 1999 SURNAMES: GRAY, MASSOM, DAVIS, WILLIAMS, MALLORY, LEAK, VAN BUREN, WILLITS, TROWBRIDGE PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY Page 329 MARK GRAY Mark Gray is one of the sterling pioneer citizens of Sunfield township, where he owns a well improved farm of eighty acres upon which he has resided for nearly half a century, while to him is accorded the implicit confidence and regard of the community. Mr. Gray was born in county Norfolk, England, February 20, 1836, and is a son of John and Betsey (Massom) Gray, who passed their entire lives in England, the father having followed agricultural pursuits during the greater portion of his active career. In his family were four daughters and six sons, the daughters remaining in England and all being now deceased, so far as known to the subject of this sketch. The sons came to the United States and three of them are living, James, who is a resident of Sunfield Township and who is individually mentioned in this volume; John, who is a resident of the state of New York; and Mark, who is the subject of this sketch. Mark Gray secured his educational training in the schools of his native country, and he remained resident of England until he had attained the age of nineteen years, when, in 1856, he came to America, being employed at farm work, in Orleans County, New York, until 1860, when he came to Eaton County, Michigan and purchased the tract of eighty acres which constitutes his present farm, in section 6, Sunfield township. The land was covered with a heavy growth of timber and no improvements had been made on the place. He erected a good log house, one of the best in the county at that time, and he had sufficient financial resources to enable him to have a shingle roof, instead of poles or shakes, which were common to the pioneer days. He cleared the entire farm himself and continued to occupy the log house for a quarter of a century, then erecting his present frame residence. He reverts with pleasure to the years passed in the old home and believes that in the same were to be had as much comfort and happiness as in the more pretentious buildings of the later days. He has built other buildings on the farm, which he now rents to his youngest son, though he himself is still hale and vigorous and fully able to do a good day's work. He feels however, that he is now entitled to abate his labors in a measure and to enjoy the prosperity and comfort, which have resulted from his well-directed efforts in the past. Mr. Gray is a Democrat in his political proclivities. He is unostentatious, candid and straightforward, and has thus gained the respect and good will of those with whom he has come in contact in the varied relations of life. In 1862 Mr. Gray was united in marriage to Miss Sabrina Davis, who was born in the State of Maryland, April 10, 1846, a daughter of Philip and Margaret (Mallory) Davis, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania, and both of whom died in Barry county, Michigan, the father having been seventy and the mother sixty-seven years of age at the time of death. They were numbered among the pioneers of Barry County, where the father reclaimed a farm from the wilderness, both he and his wife remaining on this homestead until the close of their lives. In conclusion is entered record concerning the eleven children of Mr. and Mrs Gray: Phoebe, who became the wife of Charles Williams, died in Ionia county, at the age of twenty-four years; Chester has a residence on one corner of his father's farm, being married and being employed by the day; Rosa Bell died at the age of eighteen years; Homer is married and resides in Greenville, Michigan; Ida is the wife of Christopher Leak, of Ionia County, and they have one child; Philip E. Died at the age of seven months; Oscar remains at the parental home; Margaret is the wife of Leon Van Buren, of Sunfield Township; Emma became the wife of William C. Willits and died in Eckford, Calhoun County; Maude is a popular school teacher in Calhoun County; and Minnie is the wife of Benjamin Trowbridge, of Sunfield township, and they have one child. Mr. and Mrs Gray have three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They gave their children good educational advantages, and four of the number has been successful schoolteachers.