Family History of the Gray Family in Colquitt Co., Georgia December 2002, submitted by Lanette Hill
Generation No. 1
Richard1 Gray Emigrated from England to America in 1642.
Notes For Richard Gray:
The name Gray originated from the name of a place in Burgundy, France where in the Department
of Haute-Saone, there is now a town called Gray. It originally was called Croy. A Norman chief
named Rolf, Rollo, or Raol invaded France with his Norwegian followers and established himself
in the ninth century. A descendant or member of this family became chamberlain to Robert, Duke of
Normandy, and received from him the castle and honor of Croy, from which the family assumed the
name of DeCroy. This was changed afterward to DeGray and eventually to Gray without the prefix.
The Grays migrated from France to England with William the Conqueror in 1066, for among the names
of those inscribed at the battle abbey after the Battle of Hastings was of J. DeGray.
Many of the proudest titles of England have for centuries been borne by the Gray family. A
sister of Henry VIII married the Duke of Suffolk, who was of that family,and their daughter, Lady
Jane Gray, wore for a few days the crown of England, her life being the price of the undesired
honor.
From 1620 to 1720, twenty or more distinct families of Grays came to America, a fact which
accounts in part for the difficulty of tracing the ancestry of the immense number of that name.
The Grays came to America early. They were at Plymouth, Boston and Salem among the first
settlers. It is said that Mrs. Desire Kent, daughter of Edward Gray, was the first woman to step
ashore at Plymouth Rock.
There were Grays among the Scotch-Irish presbyterians who came in 1719 and subsequently from the
north of Ireland.
The first of the name recorded in Scotland is Hugo de Gray, witnessed in a charter by
Walter de Lundin in around 1248.
According to "Scots Kith and Kin", Clan Gray (Grey) was in the Fife area in the 13th century.
Sir Andrew Gray was one of the first to scale the rock of Edinburgh Castle when it was taken from
the English in 1312.
The son of Lord Gray of Fowlis (circa 1490) was purportedly forced to flee to the north of
Scotland after killing the constable of Dundee. The principle possession of the Grays of the north
was Skibo but they also held Sordell and Ardnish.
Lord Gray was Lord Justice General of Scotland in 1506.
Virginia early settlers
Captain John Smith, founded the first English colony at Jamestown Virginia in 1607. The
following are some (1,033) early Virginia pioneers. Donated by Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. of Auburn, Ca.
1624 James City Co., Va, G600, Graye, John
1624 James City Co., Va, G600, Graye, Thomas
1624 James City Co., Va, G600, Graye, William
Child Of Richard Gray is:
John2 Gray, b. 1645, Charles County, Maryland, read his notes; d. 1716, Charles
County, Maryland.
Generation No. 2
John2 Gray (Richard1) was born 1645 in Charles County, Maryland
(read his notes), and died 1716 in Charles County, Maryland. He married Ann Demoris Ward. She
was born in Yorkshine County, England.
Notes for John Gray:
John Gray, 1645 - 1716, Charles County, Maryland, son of Richard Gray who came to America
in 1642. Knights of the Bath- under [Edward I]; 1304 - 1305 - Richard Gray spelled Grey.
There is a record of a John Gray - a Scottish prisoner taken to England for trial then shipped
to Maryland America on the ship called "Ship Johnson" of Liverpool, William Pemberton was master,
and it arrived at Port Oxford July 20, 1747. [note: this John Gray was much younger than our John
Gray who first came over to America and our John Gray died the year 1716.]
The earliest emigrants of the Gray family from England to America were Edward John Gray who
settled in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1643; and Henry Gray and John Gray who are recorded
in Virginia in 1650 and 1651 respectively. John Gray was born 1645 and his wife Ann Ward were among
the earliest settlers of Charles County, Maryland. John died in 1716 in Charles County, Maryland.
Ann, his wife, was the daughter of John and Demoris Ward from Yorkshire, England. Charles County
was formed in 1658, located near Washington, D.C. and across the Potomac from Westmoreland County,
Virginia. Most residents of Charles County in 1658 were former residents of St. Mary's County
formed in 1637.
The Gray family were prominent in the Port Tobacco and Durham parishes of the country. The
land was beautiful, with hardwoods and large clearings, sort of a rolling type kind of country side.
Wonderful places to stop and build homes for their families.
At one time the Grays were predominantly Methodists. They were so in favor of the Methodists
that in the early 1800 in Alabama, a great-great grandson of John and Ann's began dating the
daughter of a Baptist neighbor, they married and he became a Baptist minister, and he was turned
out of his home. Many years after, he returned home for a visit and was only given a pallet on
the floor to sleep on instead of a bed. He left and never returned.
Some of the land acquired in the 1600's by the Grays were Gray's Purchase and Gray's Addition.
The Charles County Junior College has honored John Gray by preserving his old home built in the
1600's and located on the campus. The home is called "Mansion Hall" on 100 acres called Gray's
addition.
John served on at least one grand jury for both Port Tobacco and Durham counties in the 1600s.
The last will and testament of John Gray was written in 1715 and probated in 1716 in February. John
died in Charles County in 1716. Some of his children remained in Charles County while others moved
south and west, pushing Indians out of fertile land.
John's will lists the following children and what they were given in the will. John Gray, a
planter, was given 100 acres of land that he lived on called French Swiss. Edward Gray also a
planter was given the 100 acres he lived on called French Swiss. Francis Gray was given 100 acres
of land that he lived on in Gray's addition. William Gray was given cattle, feather bed and
furniture. James Gray was given one shilling. Thomas Gray was given a feather bed and furniture,
three cows, three yearlings, three pewter dishes, three pewter plates. The rest of the estate
was given to sons John, Edward, Francis, Thomas Richard and William equally. The executors of his
estate were sons Thomas, Richard and Joseph Harrison, Sr.
Children of John Gray and Ann Ward are:
George3 Gray, m. Ellen Downie, March 07, 1842, Chatham County, Georgia.
Martha Gray.
Hester Gray.
Eleanor Gray.
John Hamilton.
Vincent Gray.
Edward Gray.
James Gray.
Richard Gray.
Thomas Gray.
William Gray.
Susan Gray.
Francis (Jr.) Gray, b. 1685; d. 1757, Charles County, Maryland.
Zachariah Ward Gray, Sr., B. 1741, born in Ireland. Came to America, Charles Co, Maryland.; d.
January 31, 1817, Milledgevilla, Georgia, Baldwin County.
Generation No. 3
William3 Gray (John2, Richard1)
Notes for William Gray:
Civil war record shows Joshua Gray on July 7, 1861 - captured - date and place not shown;
prisoner in hospital Washington, D.C. 1865 - shows him born year of 1841 - son of William Gray.
Child of William Gray is:
Joshua4 Gray, b. 1841; m. Mary J. Smith, December 30, 1868, Brooks Co., Ga. Marriage
record.
Francis (Jr.)3 Gray (John2, Richard1) was born 1685,
and died 1757 in Charles County, Maryland. He married Ann Hargis.
Children of Francis Gray and Ann Hargis are:
Elizabeth Evans4 Gray.
Mary Gray.
Francis Gray, b. Born in Durham Parish.
William Hargis Gray, b. 1729.
Zachariah Ward3 Gray, Sr. (John2, Richard1) was
born 1741 in Ireland. Came to America, Charles Co, Maryland, and died January 31, 1817 in
Milledgevilla, Georgia, Baldwin County. He married (1) Susanna Parker july 22, 1777 in Montgomery
County, Georgia. Zachariah was 37 yrs old at the marriage to Susanna. Susanna probably died before
1805. He married (2) Georgia Pricilla Smith Bonner July 27, 1805 in Hancock County (widow of Chapel
Bonner). She was born 1770.
Zachariah Gray born about 1740 in Charles County, Maryland, moved through several states after
the death of his father in 1774. He traveled with William Hargis Gray family, some relatives of his.
Zachariah was quite man, sometimes shocking the people of his county by his exciting and flamboyant
lifestyle. He loved the women and had quite a few escapades with other mens wives. He was charged
with adultery, which was a crime in those days, the law provided that both the man and woman had to
be found guilty jointly. In one of the indictments against him, the woman didn't appear so the
charge against him was dismissed. In another indictment in Jefferson County, he was found guilty
and fined $40.98 on July 19, 1803.
Zachariah's other records are complimentary, grand jury service, revolutionary war service,
builder of roads, owner of many acres of land and patriarch of many prominent citizens of Georgia.
He was also one of the largest slave owners in that part of Georgia. He was listed as Corporal
Third Cco. Captain Barton Lucas, small woods battalion, Charles County, Maryland. January 3, 1776,
Captain Lucas's companies was one of the five companies suffering the most casualties in the bloody
Battle of Long Island, New York, but they checked the British advance during the retreat of
Washington's main army.
He migrated with his family to Georgia before the Revolutionary War, and settled in Queensboro
Township, St. George Parish (made into Burke County, Ga. 1777). He was cut out of Burke into
Jefferson County in 1796, and was a prominent citizen there. His last years were spent in
Milledgeville where he died Jan. 31, 1817. His known sons were James Gray who lived in Jefferson
and Warren Counties; Richard Gray who died in Walton County; Hezekiah Gray who lived in Elbert
County, Zachariah Gray, Jr. who died in Milledgeville c1815; Basil Gray who remained in Burke
County, and Edmund Gray; daughters if known are unknown.
On May 1, 1781, Zachariah bought land from John Thompson in Surry, North Carolina. Our colonial
ancestors moved a lot because of their pioneering spirit and also they had large families and as
they married off, more land was needed for them to have homes.
The Georgia Journal had an article on him in newspaper and listed Zachriah Gray as 76 years old,
he died in Milledgeville, Ga. The date on the appearance in the paper was January 31, 1816.
Zachariah Gray - moved to Jefferson County, Florida about 1819, and was a tax-collector there
when he was murdered by Indians in March 1838, and his home burned down on his dead body, others
of the family being killed also and two or three escaping. Zachariah at the time, was absent as
he was serving in the militia fighting the Indians. He returned home early the next day to find
the charred bodies and burned home. Zachariah was married at the time, and his wife and two little
children had gone over to spend the night with the minor children of her father-in-law, as they were
there alone, the mother being dead and the father not expected home that night. The elder Gray came
in about dark, unexpected, and after the evening meal was seated in his home when the murdering
party sneaked up and made their attack. In the party of Indians were two white renegades, one of
whom, Jack Jewell, was captured and hung. Mrs. Gray managed to escape but her little six-months old
child, Mary Ann (Pollie) was wounded in the head by an Indian tomahawk but recovered, leaving a scar
for the remainder of her life.
This seems to be the end of the line for the old Gray family patriarich. He had lived an exciting
and dynamic life: he was a Revolutionary Soldier, earned a commission from the governor in Georgia
Militia, he was owner of lands and had many slaves and was also a traveler. Zachariah died Jan. 31,
1816 in the county and town where he lived the last years of his life, Milledgevilla, Georgia,
Baldwin County.
Children of Zachariah Gray and Susanna Parker are:
Richard4 Gray.
Hezekiah Gray.
Basil Gray.
James Warren Gray, b. 1763, Maryland. Revolutionary soldier; d. 1820, Warren County, see notes
on him, a Cherokee Indian trader.
Edmond Gibson Gray, b. 1775, see more. Born St. George's Parish, Burke Co., Ga.; d. March 1838,
Jefferson Co., Fla. Killed by band of Indians. See more.
Gibson Gray, b. 1785, Burke Co., Ga., Read notes on him.; d. 1895, Bushy Creek Baptist Church,
Irwin Co. Lived to ll0 yrs old.
Zachariah E. Gray, b. October 13, 1799, Burke County. Farmer, see more; d. April 20, 1891,
Irwin County (now Berrein County), Oaky Grove Cemetery.
Aurelia Gray, b. Bet. 1779 - 1780, born Loudoun County, Virginia.
Clarissa Gray, b. Bet. 1779 - 1780, born Loudoun County, Virginia.
Generation No. 4
James Warren4 Gray (Zachariah Ward3, John2,
Richard1) was born 1763 in Maryland. Revolutionary Soldier, and died 1820 in
Warren County. See notes on him, a Cherokee Indian trader. He married Amy McCullar, daughter
of David McCullar, Wilkes County.
Notes for James Warren Gray:
James Warren Gray - Wilkes Co., Georgia --- a wife and son, 7 yrs old. 100 acres adjacent to
Dred Paces land on lower side of Wawatchee Creek. A Cherokee Indian trader.
Child of James Gray and Amy McCullar is:
Sarah5 Gray, b. July 24, 1785; d. April 26, 1859, Mansfield, La.; m. John Powell;
b. 1785, born in South Carolina.; d. February 1850.
Edmond Gibson4 Gray (Zachariah Ward3, John2,
Richard1) was born 1775 in St. George's Parish, Burke Co., GA., and died March 1838
in Jefferson Co., Fla., Killed by band of Indians. He married Catherine or Vicy Gray, his first
cousin. She was born 1783 in Burke Co., GA., and died abt. 1833.
Notes for Edmond Gibson Gray:
Edmund Gray was himself never a resident of "Wiregrass Georgia", but one or two of his children
moved to this section. He was born in St. George's Parish, now Burke County, about 1775, where his
parents had resided for some years before the Revolutionary War. He married his cousin, Catherine
Gray, born about 1783 in Burke County; she died about 1833.
Edmond Gray was still living in Burke Co., in the 1820 census, but left there soon after and
moved to Tennessee where they remained only four or five years, then moved to Jefferson County,
Fla., about 1827. He served as a justice of the peace in Jefferson County from 1831 until his
death. He was also tax-collector of the county at his death.
Mr. Gray was killed in March 1838, when a party of indians led by two renegade white men,
attacked his home, killed and robbed him and burned the home down. He had been away from home that
day and was not expected back, so his daughter-in-law (wife of son Zachariah) with her two little
children had gone there for the night to be with the two teenage daughters and youngest son of
Edmund Gray, their mother being dead. However, Edmond Gray returned home unexpectedly, and after
supper was sitting by his fireplace smoking his pipe when the indians attacked suddenly. The first
shot killed the elder Gray in his chair. The daughter-in-law with one of her children escaped, as
did also the daughter Rebecca. However, Millie was killed near the house as she was escaping, and
Basil was shot in the thigh and his skull fractured with a tomahawk and he was left for dead. Basil
was afterwards recovered and in later years went to Louisiana where he was living in 1922 in his
92nd year.
The Edmond Gray estate was administered by the son-in-law, Stanley, as admr.; in 1838-39.
Children of Edmond Gray and Catherine Gray are:
Sarah5 Gray, m. Farnel Drew.
Jane Gray, m. George W. Stanley, September 01, 1831.
Silas Gray, m. Drew; b. daughter of William Drew.
Hester Gray, m. John Scott.
James Alexander Gray, m. Mary Crosby, April 25, 1839.
Edmond (Jr) Gray, b. 1810 in Burke Co., Georgia; m. Sarah Easters, August 05, 1832, Jefferson
County, Georgia; b. 1810.
Millie Gray, b. 1820; d. 1838, killed by band of indians as she tried to escape.
Berry Gray, b. 1822; m. Elizabeth Horton, January 27, 1843.
Rebecca Gray, b. 1824, Jefferson County, Fla.; d. 1866.
Basil Gray, b. 1829;
Martha E. Gray, b. September 09, 1851, St. Augustine, Florida; d. December 21, 1923, buried Long
Bridge Church, Berrein County.; m. Samuel Mathis; b. March 06, 1832 in Lowndes Co., Georgia;
d. 1894.
Gibson4 Gray (Zachariah Ward3, John2,
Richard1)) was born 1785 in Burke Co., Ga. Read notes on him and died 1895, Bushy
Creek Baptist Church, Irwin Co. Lived to ll0 yrs old. He married Vicy (Levicy) Lamb. She was born
1789 in Burke Co., Ga. (read her notes) and died 1875, 20 yrs before he died. Irwin Co., Ga.
Notes for Gibson Gray:
A colonial family of Burke Co., Ga.
Brushy Creek Baptist Church - March 26, 1853 moved its location near a small stream of that
name. It has been located there ever since. There is a large, well-filled cemetery at the church,
almost all of them are buried there and some of them are our forefathers, including Gibson Gray and
his father Zachariah Gray and also many of the other older Grays.
This old church and burying ground is in the southern part of Irwin County and the church traces
its oganization back to December 17, 1831 when it was called Dorminy's Meeting House, located one
mile northwest of Irwinville on land lot 41, 3rd, land district. A cemetery started up at the old
church and many old pioneers were buried there. Then on April 23, 1836 the church voted to move its
location to a place that became known as Young's Meeting House located about two miles south of
where Mystic (a village) is located.
Then on March 26, 1853, the church moved again and it became known as Brushy Creek Baptist
Church. This church is the oldest in the Irwin county.
In the history of Ga. It lists Gibson Gray as one of the tax digest contributors for the year
1839.
Gibson moved from Burke to Emanuel Co 1823-24, and after living there two or three years moved
on to Irwin Co., Ga. where he settled in the 5th land district; living there until he died,
supposedly in 1895. His wife had been dead about twenty years when he died.
On page 502, History of Irwin County, Georgia Pioneer Families; it lists the Gray family and
this is the story written.
The first Gray to come to this county was Gibson Gray who married Vica......who lived to be 110
years old. They came to this county from Emanuel County, Georgia and had three sons; Joshua K.
Gray, who married Betsy Roberts; Willis Gray, who married Pollie Van Roberts, and David Gray, who
married Jincey Roberts.
Joshua K. Gray had five sons and seven daughters. The sons were: Wiley Gray, who married Nancy
Lord, George Gray, who married Lucy Harper - then married Georgia Alice Willis, Elisha Gray, who
married Ann Bryant; Dan Gray, who married Nancy Roberts, and Tom Gray, who married Fannie Young.
His daughters were: Nancy gray, who married Jordan Wolf; Vica Gray, who married Aaron Jernigan; Jane
Gray, who married John Henderson; Lizzie Gray, who married William Mobley; Julie Ann Gray, who
married Will Law, and Rachel Gray, who married a .........Nobles.
1830 tax digest Irwin Co., Ga. has him listed.
1850 Irwin Co, Census reads:
Gray, Gibson, 65 years, Ga, Berrein
Levicy, 67 Yrs., Ga
Willis, 31 Yrs, Ga
John, 6, Ga
Notes for Vicy (Levicy) Lamb:
Per Julia Perkins, grand-daughter of Lula Gray Bryant. Lula told Julia that she knew Vicy
Gray was a full bloodied indian (possible Creek) and she was told many many times during Lula's
life. As quoted by Julia B. Perkins and stated to Lanette Hill.
Children of Gibson Gray and Vicy Lamb are:
George5 Gray, b. See notes on him.; d. Columbia Co. Will 1790-1890.
Joshua K. Gray, b. May 08, 1808, born Bulloch County, Ga., See notes, Rev. Soldier;
d. December 27, 1886, Brushy Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Irwin Co.
James Gray, b. 1814, 1850 Census Irwin Co., Ga. 35 yrs old.; d. See notes on him.
Nancy Gray, b. bet. 1818 - 1820.
Willis C. Gray, b. 1819; m. Pollie Van Roberts, October 29, 1852.
David Gray, b. 1824, 1850 Irwin Co census he was 34 yrs old.; See notes on him.; m.
Jincey (or Jane) Roberts, December 26, 1848; Jane on 1850 census Irwin Co, Ga.
Notes for David Gray:
Found in 1850 census Irwin Co., Georgia. It reads: