Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Gray, Thomas H.
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by 
J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
Upper Makefield Township


   THOMAS H. GRAY traveling car agent of the Lehigh Valley 
railroad, P.O. Brownsburg, was born in Buckingham township, 
April 22, 1838. He is a grandson of Abraham Gray and a son 
of Dean and Sarah (Stockdale) Gray, the former born in this 
county. Dean Gray was a blacksmith by trade. He was a member 
and officer of the Presbyterian church and was active as a 
temperance reformer. He owned a farm, which his sons carried 
on while he worked at his trade. He was the father of five 
children:  Napoleon B. (deceased), William W., Rhoda A., 
Joseph N. (deceased), and Thomas W., who was the youngest, 
and who was brought up on the farm until he had acquired a 
knowledge of that business, but having higher aspirations, 
he sought other employment, and in 1856 went to Philadelphia 
and obtained a position as clerk in a store. After clerking 
a few years in different positions, it becoming necessary 
that he should look after the old home, he returned to it 
and carried on farming for eight years, or until 1867, at 
which time the property was advantageously sold. He then 
went to New Jersey with his parents and carried on farming 
there for four years. His mother died in 1869, and his 
father in 1871. In 1873 he engaged as clerk in the office of 
the Pennsylvania railroad company, at Lambertville, N. J., 
which position he held for eight years, when his health 
began to fail, and he found it necessary to change his 
business, and was given a position on the Lehigh Valley 
railroad company as car agent, which he still holds, with 
perfect satisfaction to the company. He was married in 1869 
to Louisa Vanartsdalen, granddaughter of Adrian Cornell, 
Sr., and daughter of Francis Vanartsdalen, by whom he had 
two children, Mary (deceased) and William W.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Gray are members of the Presbyterian church.