Person:William Gray (120)

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William Henry Gray
b.15 Mar 1854 Marion, Virginia
m. 30 Jan 1853
  1. William Henry Gray1854 - 1931
  2. James Alson Gray1857 -
  3. Richard Elmus Gray1859 - 1943
  4. Sarah Ann GrayAbt 1861 - Abt 1865
  5. Narcissa Marens GrayAbt 1863 - Abt 1866
  6. Florence Maude Gray1866 -
  7. Cora Belle Gray1867 - 1955
  8. Linda Gray1870 -
  9. Mary Jane GrayAbt 1871 - 1889
  10. Loria Alice Gray1871 - 1946
  11. Cary Almaria Gray1875 - 1957
  12. Charles Francis Gray1877 -
  13. George Fleming Gray1879 -
m. 17 Oct 1876
  1. Charles E. Gray1876 - 1968
  2. Alice Ann Gray1878 - 1922
  3. Clarissa Ellen Gray1880 - 1931
  4. Emma L Gray1882 - 1957
  5. William L. Gray1885 - 1908
  6. Bertha Margaret Gray1889 - 1981
  7. Flossie Pearl Gray1891 - 1974
  8. Edsel Cook Gray1893 - 1960
  9. Oscar Clyde Gray1895 - 1975
  10. John Carl Dewey Gray1898 - 1963
Facts and Events
Name William Henry Gray
Gender Male
Birth? 15 Mar 1854 Marion, Virginia
Marriage 17 Oct 1876 Freeport, Wirt, West Virginia, United Statesto Sarah Jane Cain
Death? 22 Oct 1931 Arcola, Webster, West Virginia, United States

The marriage register for William and Sarah show he was born in Marion, VA and she was born in Wirt, WV. It shows William's parents are George and Clarissa.

He called Sarah "Coot" which became her name in the family.

William Henry was a very tall, moderately built man with a huge white mustache. His granddaughter said he always walked with his hands behind his back.

By 1880 he and Sarah had 2 daughters and a son. He was a farmer. By 1895 they lived in Oil Rock and he was still a farmer. 3 years later finds them living in Clay County.

By the 1900 census, William and Sarah have 7 out of 10 living kids at home. They had been married for 25 years. By now William was a day laborer.

By 1910, he was a laborer in the "public works." By 1920 he's 64 and he and Sarah live alone. Now he's a laborer at the lumber mill. It would stay that way for another 10 years. At some point, he became a miller. (An interesting note: The 1930 census enumerator was one Ellis Gray.)

William passed away from old age at 76. His son provided the information as he would for his mother later on. The death register shows nobody knew anything about his parents either. The death certificate spells Sarah's last name as Kain.

A family story told by his children is that William had a handgun when he was older and Coot was always afraid he would hurt himself with it. When he would leave in the mornings, she would hide the gun. He would come home at night, go right to the gun, get it and set it out. The ritual would repeat the next day. No matter where Coot hid the gun, William found it.

Various documents on file including death certificate, copy of marriage register, photos and letters.


1860; Census Place: , Wirt, Virginia; Roll: M653_1384; Page: 221; Image: 227; Family History Library Film: 805384.

1870; Census Place: Burning Springs, Wirt, West Virginia; Roll: M593_1701; Page: 258A; Image: 521; Family History Library Film: 553200.

1880; Census Place: Grant, Ritchie, West Virginia; Roll: 1413; Family History Film: 1255413; Page: 435D; Enumeration District: 153; .

1900; Census Place: Winfield, Marion, West Virginia; Roll: T623_1764; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 65.

1920; Census Place: Glade, Webster, West Virginia; Roll: T625_1969; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 146; Image: 395.

1930; Census Place: Glade, Webster, West Virginia; Roll: 2557; Page: 25A; Enumeration District: 7; Image: 488.0.