Anderson Floyd Gray (1907 - 1946)

Born 15 Jun 1907 in Hemphill, Rapides, Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Alice Estelle (Cutts) Gray — married 12 May 1928 in Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Descendants

Died 14 Sep 1946 at age 39 in VA Hospital, Alexandria, Rapides Parish Louisiana

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Gary Gray [send private message], Chere Lee [send private message], and Jane McManus [send private message]

Biography

The following stories were recorded by Gary L. Gray, son of Floyd D. Gray Sr. They were told to me by my aunts, Elaine and Doris, and my father. While they sound harsh, they knew my grandfather. I didn't. That being said, the letter my grandfather wrote to my aunt Elaine (posted on this page) sounds like the words of a more kind and humble man.

My Grandfather was involved in a fight with a man by the last name of Page, in which Mr. Page was the loser. Sometime after that, Anderson was riding in a flatbed truck driven by my great uncle, James Arthur Cutts. It is said that Page came out of some bushes beside the road as the truck approached. Page was carrying a knife and, rather than trying to get away, Arthur stopped the truck and Anderson was attacked, receiving severe cuts to his arms and abdomen. Daddy says he can remember huge scares on his daddy's side. The Gray family always believed Uncle Arthur was in on a plan to kill Anderson but there was never any proof of this.

This incident had to have taken place after April 30, 2026 (the latest date in the records) due to lack of significant scars during his last Navy physical which was undated.

During another interview on March 11, 2000, I was told this story.

Aunt Dot said that in all their life, their mother Essie, never said a negative word about their father. As she put it, all Mother talked about was how good he was, how good looking he was and how good looking "he thought he was". But as Aunt Elaine put it, her Daddy was "the Devil". They said they could remember their mother working behind a mule and plow in the field at their home. All the while, A.F. was standing by the field yelling and cursing at her. While this in itself may not seem severe to the extreme, you must also know that this was the day before my Grandmother gave birth to my uncle, Leonard Elmer Gray. They said they remember standing on the porch of their home and Aunt Elaine asked "Why would they want to bring another child into this world".

For me these stories really aren't that surprising. Our Gray family has a long history of sharp tongues and short tempers. [edit]

Military Service

Anderson joined the U.S. Navy in 1925 and was assigned to the USS Argonne (AS-10), which had been converted from a transport to a submarine tender. He was discharged in 1926 when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He fought the disease until it took his life in 1946.

Branch: U.S. Navy

Enlistment: August 22, 1925 (Per Military Service Record obtained from the National Archives)

Active Duty Date: November 24, 1925 (Per Military Service Record obtained from the National Archives)

Service Number: 002739790

Assignment: USS Argonne (AS-10)

Rank: Apprentice Seaman

Discharge Type: Medical (Diabetes)

Discharge Date: April 30, 1926 (Per Military Service Record obtained from the National Archives)

Pension: Initially received $21.00 per month due to medical disability in the line of duty.

Death

Date: September 14, 1946

Place: Alexandria, Louisiana

Cause: Diabetes Mellitus

Burial

Hemphill Star Cemetery, Boyce, Rapides Parish, Louisiana [1]

Sources

1) Family conversations and interviews;

2) Letters from Anderson;

3) Military Service Records obtained from the National Archives