BIOGRAPHY: Joseph A. GRAY, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann Olsen. Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty Mirovich and Sharon Ringler. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 294-5 ____________________________________________________________ JOSEPH A. GRAY, ex-sheriff of Cambria county, and an extensive dealer in coal and real estate in Clearfield and Indiana counties, is a son of Philip and Susan (Lantzy) Gray, and was born in Susquehanna township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, September 5, 1846. He was reared on the farm, receiving his education in common schools, and after he reached his majority, was engaged for a short time in farming, which he left to embark in a wider and more active field of operations -- the lumber business, along the Susquehanna river and its western branches. During a period of ten years, from 1876 to 1886, he did a large business, and ranked as one of the leading lumbermen of the State. His lumbering operations made his presence often necessary in Clearfield and Indiana counties, where he became impressed with their mineral and agricultural resources, and about 1887 he founded his present coal and real-estate business in those counties, where he has often handled and sold tracts of ten and twelve thousand acres of land at a single sale. Lack of railway transportation retarded the development of the coal fields of Central Pennsylvania, and Mr. Gray was one who had faith in their extent and good quality, and helped to bring to public notice their merits and area. With new railroads and increased output of mines, a marked development will come to the future, and with it others of that class of men whose faith in any enterprise is attested by active and continuous work under all kinds of circumstances. On July 18, 1869, Mr. Gray was united in marriage with Margaret Hibsch, daughter of Adam Hibsch, of Chest township, this county. To their union have been born five sons and three daughters: Etta, John, Irenus, Archie, Bertha, Joseph, Maggie, and Edwin. Joseph A. Gray is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in political opinion has always been Democratic, believing that the principles of the party of Jefferson and Jackson are for the best interest of the masses of the people. He has always interested himself in the local political issues of his township and county, never has refused to serve in any capacity required of him by his party, and served as sheriff of Cambria county from 1886 to 1889. His administration was conducted on business principles and seven years later he was again called upon by his party to serve as a delegate to the National Democratic convention of Chicago. Sheriff Gray is a pleasant, congenial and successful business man. While alive to every interest of his community and county, yet he has been content to win approval in his chosen and congenial field -- that of a successful business man. The immigrant ancestor of the Gray family in this country was Caleb Gray, who left Germany and came to Huntingdon county, in which he resided up to 1844, when he settled in Susquehanna township, where he died in 1849, aged eighty- three years. He was an iron-worker while in Huntingdon county, but after coming to Cambria, gave his time and attention to farming. He was reared a Presbyterian, but in later life united with the Catholic church, in which faith he died. He reared a large family, and his youngest child, Phillip Gray, was the father of Sheriff Gray. Phillip Gray was born in Huntingdon county, February 15, 1814, and died in Susquehanna township, this county, April 28, 1893. He was an extensive farmer, but at times gave some attention to lumbering, which he made profitable. His integrity and executive ability made him a man of affairs in his community, and caused his services to be frequently demanded by his neighbors and others who were acquainted with him. He was a democrat in politics, and a useful member of the Catholic church. He married Susan (Lantzy) Nagle, widow of Simon Nagle, and a daughter of Joseph Lantzy, a native of Germany, and a farmer of Susquehanna township. Mrs. Gray, by her first marriage, had one child, John S. Nagle, who was a Union soldier and is now dead. To Mr. and Mrs. Gray was born a family of five sons and four daughters: Caleb, a Union soldier, who was killed by a train at Hastings, in 1893; Elizabeth, widow of Mathias Huffman; Joseph A.; Mary Ann, wife of Charles C. McCombie; Catherine, married Michael H. Nagle; Daniel, a farmer of Susquehanna township; Philip, now engaged in farming in Allegheny township; Susan, wife of Marcellus McMullen; William, a resident of Hastings, this State; and Rosalie, who passed away in childhood.