From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Nancy Grubb (nancyg@theofficenet.com)
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JOHN S. GRAY 
	John S. Gray is among the most prominent mining men of Stevens 
county,Washington,and with a veteran's war record of which he may well be 
proud.
   The son of John B.and Eliza J.(Stevens) Gray,he was born September 20,
1843, in Monroe county,Iowa. His parents were natives of Vermont,and came to 
Monroe county previous to the Black Hawk purchase. To John B. Gray is given 
the credit of naming the city of Burlington,Iowa,and he was its first 
postmaster. To them were born seven children: Abigail A.; Mary F.,married to 
O.A. Barber;Lilias,deceased; Eunice E., wife of F.A. French,of Keokuk,Iowa; 
W.H., in Monroe county,Iowa; James A., at Kirkville, Missouri; and John S.,
our subject. 
   Having obtained a high school education in Iowa,the latter,at the age of
eighteen,enlisted in the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry,Company D. Captain T.B.
Hale,serving three years. He participated in the battles of Helena,Arkansas,
and Shellmound,Mississippi,and was with General Steele in the Little Rock
expedition,and also under General Banks. He was captured and served ten 
months in Camp Ford,Tyler,Texas. When finally exchanged he went to his 
regiment,in Arkansas,and served with distinction until he was mustered out 
at Davenport,Iowa. He then followed farming until 1871,and came to Oregon,
where he resided until 1875,coming to Spokane county, where he began farming 
and stockraising.  In 1880,following the death of his wife, he began mining,
and in the business he has acumulated much valuable property. He controls 
mines in Huckleberry, Thunder Mountain,Seven Devils, and Buffalo Hump. His 
holdings in Seven Devils are estimated to be worth forty thousand dollars.
   In 1865 Mr. Gray was married to Francis Nichodemus,daughter of John and
Nancy Nichodemus. His daughter Grace, is married to E.D.Layman,of Walla Walla
Washington. In 1886 Mr. Gray was married to Miss Jesse L.,daughter of Robert
and Ruth (Howerton) Reams. She was born in California,and is the mother of
two children,Eva H. and Earl H.,both now living with their parents.
   The political affiliations of Mr.Gray are with the Republican party.
During the past four years he has been precinct commiteeman, and has served
five years as school clerk of the town of Springdale. He is a member of the
G.A.R. and the I.O.O.F. His wife is a member of the R.N.A., and of the
Missionary Baptist chruch of Wenatchee,Washington.
   It is a matter of important history that Mr. Gray wrote the first charter
for the town of Spokane Falls, being the first town clerk. he was also
justice of the peace and was very closely identified with the starting of
that now thriving city,as well as with Spokane county. Mr. Gray is justified
in a pardonable pride taken in the fact that he was president of the first
celebration ever held at Spokane Falls for the Fourth. It was 1876 
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