Family:John Gray and Loretta Keith (1)

Parents: William Gray and Mary Cross John Alman Gray b. 25 May 1834 Monroe, Tennessee, United States d. 7 Jan 1921 DeKalb, Alabama, United States

Parents: Rufus Keith and Nancy Middleton Loretta Jane Keith b. Abt 1836 Tennessee d. 27 Jan 1878 Alabama, USA

m. 17 Jan 1856 Abt Georgia, United States

John Almon(d ?) was born 25 May 1834 in Monroe County Tennessee, the son of William Michael Gray and Mary “Polly” Cross. Little is known of the family in Tennessee except that William and Polly are shown on the 1830 Census for Monroe County with a daughter in an age bracket of their only child at that time, Elizabeth. Then they are found on the 1850 and 1860 censuses in DeKalb County, Alabama. John married Loretta Jane Keith on 17 January 1856 according to a family Bible of their oldest son William Rufus Gray.

John enlisted in the confederate army about June 12, 1862 at Caperton’s Ferry (in adjacent Jackson County, Alabama) in the 18 Battalion, Alabama Volunteers, Company A as a Private. His battalion was later merged with the 33rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. He served under Captain G E Cowan for two years and was present at the battle of Chickamauga Creek. Please see the following article for additional information on this battle and on John’s confederate service:

After the war, John returned to live in Dade County Georgia right across from DeKalb Co Alabama where he is found on the 1870 census in the Georgia Militia District 1129 with his wife Loretta and five children: Buchannan, William Rufus, Nancy, Sarah, Mollie and John. Loretta died 11 Jan 1878 and it is not known where she is buried.

Gray Family Bible p1

Gray Family Bible p2

1. ↑ W R Gray. Gray Family Bible Record.

   J A Gray married his wife, Loretta Gray, Jan 17, 1856.

2. ↑ DeKalb, Alabama, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M693)
   25D, M653_9.

   John Gray, Northern Division, b. about 1838, AL
   John Gray, Age 27, Ritty Gray, age 22, Bucannan Gray, age 6, Nancy Gray, age 3, Nancy Gray, age 9/12 months.
   Note: last child is Sarah Gray. Census taker left name out. Also left off completely was three-year-old William shown on the 1870 as 13 years old.

3. ↑ Dade, Georgia, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   M593-146 p508.

   John A Gray, Georgia Militia District 1129, b about 1834, TN