Person:John Gray (158)

John Gray was born on 5th February 1704 at Heckington in Lincolnshire, son of Elizabeth Gray, formerly Skelton, and her husband William Gray, a labourer. John was the eldest of the couple's five children, but three of his younger siblings died young. When John was only seven years old his mother died.

By 1713 John's father had married again to a Grace, and John had two half-brothers from his father's second marriage. John's father William died in 1715. John was therefore an orphan from the age of eleven, presumably left to the care of his stepmother Grace.

John was married in 1733, aged 29, to Mary Whitehead. They went on to have seven children baptised at Heckington between 1734 and 1752. The eldest child's baptism describes John as a shoemaker, but most of the later children's baptisms describe him as a farmer.

John's first grandchild was born in 1757 and he had at least eleven grandchildren born in his lifetime.

John's wife Mary died in 1788, aged 80. John survived her by just under two years, and was buried at Heckington on 25th July 1790. He was 86 years old. He left a will in which he described himself as a farmer of Heckington. He left one shilling each to his children Elizabeth, Edward and William (the three of his children who were married at the time), ten pounds to his daughter Ann and the remainder to be split between his son John and daughter Mary.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   1703
   John the Son of William Gray Labourer & Elizabeth his wife born Feb[ruary] 5 and baptised Feb[ruary] 9 [i.e. born 5 Feb 1703/4 and baptised 9 Feb 1703/4]

   This baptism has been linked to the John Gray who married Mary Whitehead in 1733 on the basis that the adult John's burial implies he was born around 1703, and the 1704 baptism is in the same parish in which John married, had his children and was buried. No evidence has been found suggesting that the John born in 1704 died young or married anyone else.

2. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   Burials Anno 1790
   John Gray Farmer eighty seven years of Age buried July 25th

3. ↑ Stamford Mercury, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, Friday 30 Jul 1790.

   Last Saturday died, suddenly, at Heckington, Mr. John Gray, sen[ior] farmer, aged near 90 years. He was scarcely ever known to have a day's illness, and was mowing grass but a few minutes before he died. It is remarkable, that till his wife died about a year ago, he never had a death happened in his house for more than fifty years.

4.   Lincoln Consistory Court Wills (Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln)
   1791/58.

   In the name of God Amen I John Gray of Heckington in the County of Lincoln Farmer being of Sound Mind Memory & understanding Thro[ugh] the mercies of God Do make and ordain my last Will & Testament in manner follows Vizt. First I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth the Wife of Philip Turner the Sum of One Shilling And unto my Two Sons Edward Gray and William Gray I give the Sum of One Shilling each I also Give unto my Daughter Ann Gray the Sum of Ten Pounds to be paid by my Executors with twelve months next after my decease And all the Rest of my Goods Cattle Chattels Estate & Effects of what nature soever and wheresoever I Give unto my Son John Gray and my Daughter Mary Gray equally to be divided share & share alike whom I do hereby make whole & Sole Executor & Executrix of this my last Will & Testament hereby revoking and making Void all former Wills by me heretofore made declaring this to be my Will & Testament
   In witness whereof I the said Testator John Gray have hereunto set my hand & Seal this Sixth day of September One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Eight
   Signed Sealed Published & declared by the said Testator John Gray for and... his last Will and Testament in... presence of us who at his request... presence & in the presence of each... have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto
   W[illia]m Pell, W[illia]m Wetherill
   The mark of John X Gray
   
   On the 13th day of May 1791
   John Gray the Executor within named was duly sworn and made Oath that to the best of his knowledge the Testator did not died possessed of a personal Estate to the amount of three hundred pounds - power being reserved for the Executrix &c... Before me John Andrewes