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JAMES GRAY, SR
It is believed that James
Gray, Sr. was born in Culpeper Co.
Virginia about 1765, the son of George Gray and Mary Ann Strother.
She was the daughter of James Strother and
Margaret French. The Strother's were large landowners and quite
wealthy for the time.
In 1781 he volunteered for the Revolutionary War, however, he did not
serve for reasons unknown.
The Grays were large landowners as well as slaveholders ,
as reflected in the 1782-1787 Virginia Taxpayers list for Culpeper Co.
The following names appear listed with the number of slaves they
possessed.
SLAVES
-
Benjamin Gray
0
-
Gabriel Gray
13
-
George Gray
10
-
George Gray
13 (2nd one
listed)
-
John Gray
24
-
William Gray
18
It appears these may be the children of George Gray or his siblings.
Some of the Grays who remained in Culpeper Co. continued to use slave
labor on their plantations. The 1810 Federal Census shows some of the same
names listed above:
SLAVES
-
Gabriel Gray
41
-
Gabriel Gray, Jr.
5
-
John Gray
15
-
John Gray, Jr.
6
-
Rebecca
18
The childhood years are unknown
for James. Although I have not found a marriage record, it is believed he
first married the daughter, Elizabeth, of Elias Campbell, Sr. and Elizabeth
Yowell. Elizabeth was born about 1765 in Virginia
and is thought that she died between 1795/1797 in Madison Co.. Virginia.
Family tradition says that Elizabeth was also known as Betsey
Sisk, apparently marrying prior to her marriage
to James Gray, Sr. Their marriage bore one child, Willis Gray
who was born about 1795 in Madison Co. , Virginia and died about 1890 in
Cocke County, Tennessee, a very old gentlemen.
According to the early Virginia marriages, James
then married another daughter of Elias Campbell, Sr. and Elizabeth Yowell,
Nancy Ann Campbell on March 9th, 1797 in
Culpeper Co. Virginia. Nancy Ann was born about 1776 in Culpeper Co. She
died between 1830/1840 in Cocke Co. Tennessee. This marriage bore 6 children.
Nancy Ann was willed 4 acres of land on the Robinson River from her father
in Madison County, Virginia, where she and James resided until they
sold it in September, 1805 and moved to Cocke Co., Tennessee. One of our
Gray cousins , Larrilee Naismith, recently visited Madison County, Virginia
and took pictures of the home that still stands where James and Nancy Ann
resided before moving to Cocke Co.,Tennessee.
Apparently prior to James and Nancy's arrival
in Cocke Co. other members of the family had already arrived. Nancy's sister
Mary, who married Bartlett Sisk , were already
landowners there. Shortly after their arrival, James joined the 8th Regiment
of the Local Militia where he was appointed a Lieutenant in 1806, and
they apparently purchased land. Due to the courthouse fire in Cocke
County in 1876 many records have been lost.
After James had raised his family and became quite elderly, in 1850
he was shown living with his daughter, Levina, aged 85 years, on his farm
that was valued at $300. Then in 1854, he deeded his 175 acres of land
to his son, Willis Gray , with the agreement that Willis would maintain his
care and support for the rest of his life. He died sometime between November,
1854 and 1860, as he does not appear on the census records of that
year.
CHILD OF JAMES GRAY AND ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
"SISK"
WILLIS GRAY Born:
1795 Madison Co. Virginia Died: 1890 Cocke Co. Tenn. He
married PHOEBE FOX, daughter of
Peter Fox, December 4, 1818 in Rockingham Co. Virginia. They had
one son, WILLIAM H. GRAY, born abt 1819/20 in Cocke Co.
TN who married MARTHA WARDRUPP abt 1839. They had 12 children who
have left many descendants. Willis and Phoebe later divorced.
A daughter who apparently died in infancy.
CHILDREN OF JAMES GRAY AND NANCY ANN
CAMPBELL
WILLIAM GRAY, SR.
GEORGE GRAY
MARY (POLLY) GRAY
LEVINA GRAY
PHOEBE GRAY
JAMES GRAY, JR.
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