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LEROY
TOWN, GENESEE COUNTY, NEW YORK GENWEB PROJECT
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ELIJAH GRAY |
| Elijah
Gray was born 3 April 1760, according to his tombstone, and his Revolutionary
War Papers indicate his birthplace as Lanesborough, MA. His war papers
also describe him as having light hair, light complexion, and a stature
ranging from 4'91/2" to 4'11" and was a laborer and farmer.
He enlisted in the Revolutionary War at Lanesborough, MA on 5 March 1781,
in the company commanded by Capt. William Mills of the 7th Regiment, commanded
by Capt. Brooks, of the Massachusetts line. Although his tombstone indicates
he was born in 1760, his war records show he was 16 years old, which would
have placed his birth about 1765. He served until December 1783, when
he was discharged at Connecticut (Hills?) in the state of New York, possibly
because he was only 4'10" tall and the military requirements stated
he needed to be 5'. He was in one skirmish and no battles. In 1817 the
name of Elijah Gray appears on the Orange Risdon map for a plot east of
Allen Creek and south of the railway. He sold Lot 10, 8th Sec, Township
2 in the triangle tract, containing 145 3/4 acres to his son, Nathan,
on 5 February 1818. Betty Gray says it was for the sum of $3000 and that
Anna signed off on her dower rights and the deed was witnessed by Eunice
Gray. Examination of the document does not bear this out. On 1 May 1819
he was granted a pension of $87 per year. The Certificate of Pension was
issued on 22 March 1819 and mailed to W Buell, esquire, Le Roy, New York.
The 1820 Census shows him living in Bergen. From the ages listed on this
census, I propose that he was living with his wife, Anna Cartwright
Gray, and children Randall, Sally, Elijah Jr., Elisha and Anna. He
had debts owed to him of $6 from John Curtis and $.50 from William Terry.
He owed JH Bliss $84, Nathan Gray $50, Gustavus Clarke $10, Mr. Willcox
$1, John Reed $2, Mr. Hall $1.50, for a total of $148.50. He goes on to
say that he is a farmer and crippled and that he has a wife named Anna,
aged 47 years and 5 children to support, viz Randall age 14, Sally age
12, Elijah age 10, Elisha age 8, and Anna age 6. I note that he did sign
the document, rather than making his mark. Something happened in 1821,
because his pension was suspended. It states "Suspended. See letter
to Agent 6 Aug 1821". On 26 May 1849 Anna Gray, age 82, of LeRoy
files for a widow's pension on account of her husband's death on 13 April
1849. She says she was married to Elijah in the Fall of 1793 or 1794 in
Hoosick, by Joseph Spencer, a Justice of the Peace. They were married
at the house of Samuel Latham. Soon after marriage they moved to Richfield,
Otsego County, then to Exeter in Otsego County, then to Avon in Livingston
County, from Avon to Bergen, and then to LeRoy in Genessee County. They
resided in LeRoy for about the last 30 years. She caused a search to be
made of the records of Hoosick for her marriage, but could find none and
that Joseph Spencer moved and left no records. Present at her wedding
were Levi Latham, Sally Latham, Eunice Latham and Samuel Latham. All are
deceased except Levi, whose affidavit is hereby attached (not in my file).
On 17 May 1855, Anna Gray, of Bergen, NY, age 86, files for bounty land
under the Act of 3 March 1855. At the time she was receiving a widows
pension of $96 per year. She states that she was married to Elijah Gray
in Exeter, NY in the summer of 1790 and that her maiden name was Anna
Cartwright. She goes on to say that Elijah died in LeRoy, NY on 13 April
1849 and that she has remained a widow since. Anna signs by mark, which
is attested by DF Denill, Justice of the Peace, and Moses Herrick (her
son-in-law, the husband of Anna Gray). Elijah's son, James, stabbed and killed a local tavern keeper, Samuel Davis, in LeRoy, NY during an argument. The argument stemmed from the fact that James had apprenticed his son to the tavern keeper, and was unhappy because liquor and gaming were allowed on the premises. Elijah Gray Sr. was with his son at the time. James was found guilty and hanged in front of a crowd of 10,000 people in Batavia, NY. Elijah was found guilty as an accessory to the crime and was sentenced to life in prison. His sentence was later commuted and he was released but I am unsure why, unless it was because in the confession of James Gray it was stated that his father was innocent. I wrote to the New York State Prison, but received no information. Complete transcripts of the file were provided to me by the Genessee County NY historical society. After his release, Elijah and Anna moved to Canada for a time and appeared in the 1842 Census of the Gore District, Ontario living next door to his son, Nathan Gray and Archibald Meston. Archibald Meston was the father of Helen Meston, who married William Henry Gray. Per Betty Gray, that census showed 2 persons living on a farm owned by Benjamin Newsteads and that they were not naturalized citizens and had been living in the Province for 6 years. It further indicated that the household contained 1 male over agre 60 and 1 female over age 45. Elijah left a will, and upon his death, his estate advertised for his heirs, which included Nathan in the District of Gore in Upper Canada, and William Gray of York, Medina County, Ohio. Originally Nathan was named as executor, but Elijah Jr. ended up serving as executor. He left $200 to Nathan Gray and the remainder to his wife, Anna. His personal effects were only $100. Elijah Gray Jr. signed affidavit saying that handwriting was Elijah Gray's - so apparently he could write. Witnesses to Will: Nathan Townsend of Batavia, Ethan B Allen of Batavia. The will was recorded in 8 April 1849. He is buried in plot 26, St. Mark's Cemetery, LeRoy, NY. The inscription is interesting: Elijah Gray, d 13
April 1849, aged 89 |
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| Please contact Vikki Gray (the webmaster of this site) if you have further information on this family. | |
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E-mail Vikki Gray, LeRoy Township, Genesee
County, New York Coordinator.
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