John Hamilton Gray (1814 - 1889)

Born 3 May 1814 in St. George, Bermuda

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Ormonde) Gray — married 27 May 1845 in Dublin, Ireland

Died 5 Jun 1889 at age 75 in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

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Biography

John Gray was a Father of Confederation / était un Père de la Confédération.

John Gray is Notable.

'The Honorable John Hamilton Gray, known as a skilled orator, was an early premier of New Brunswick, and later a Supreme Court Judge in British Columbia. He was one of the Canadians known as the Fathers of Confederation.^[1]

John Hamilton Gray was born in 1814 in Bermuda. His father, William, was Britain's consul, stationed in Virginia when his son was young. Gray graduated from King's College in 1833. He began practicing law in 1837. ^[2]

John Hamilton Gray married Eliza Ormond, daughter of Harry Smith Ormond, in Dublin, Ireland, on 27 May 1845. His father was noted as William Gray.^[3]

Gray enjoyed a successful military career in New Brunswick, first as a captain in the calvary in 1840, major in 1850, and lieutenant colonel in 1854. His military associations led to a foray into politics where Gray ultimately (and briefly) served as the Premier of New Brunswick from 1856-1857. He resigned after losing the support of the Conservatives.^[4]

Gray subsequently left New Brunswick and moved to Ontario. John and his wife, Eliza, and their children were living in Ottawa, Ontario in 1871. Their children, all born in New Brunswick, were as follows in 1871:^[5]

• Florence Gray, 20
• John Hamilton Gray, Jr., 18
• Mabel Gray, 13
• Sibyl Gray, 11
• Pierpont Gray, 9

In 1873, Gray was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, where according to a biographer, "he made significant contributions" that are frequently overlooked.^[4]

John Hamilton Gray died on 5 June 1889 at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.^[6]

John Hamilton Gray's widow, Eliza Ormond Gray, a native of Ireland, died at the age of 67 on 3 December 1895 in British Columbia and is buried with her husband.^[7][8]

Sources

1. ↑ The Canadian Encylopedia viewed at:https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/john-hamilton-gray on April 3, 2024
2. ↑ Newspaper Article: "Death of Hon. J.H. Gray"
   Nanaimo Daily News Fri, Jun 07, 1889 ·Page 5, Nanaimo, British Columbia
3. ↑ Marriage Registration: "Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958"
   citing Page: 197; Digital film/folder number: 004195887; FHL microfilm: 101241; Record number: 4553; Packet letter: A
   FamilySearch Record: FTB2-9M3 (accessed 3 April 2024)
   John Hamilton Gray marriage in 1845 in Dublin South, County Dublin, Ireland.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Dictionary of Canadian Biography" , viewed at:http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?BioId=39678 on April 3, 2024
5. ↑ 1871 Census: "Canada Census, 1871"
   citing Page: 52; Line: 15; Digital film/folder number: 004396354; FHL microfilm: 4396354; Image number: 102; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03203-9
   FamilySearch Record: M4QJ-F57 (accessed 3 April 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-D44Q-YPB
   John Hamilton Gray (55), married in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Born in Bermuda.
6. ↑ Burial: "Canada, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
   Find A Grave: Memorial #6373
   Ancestry Record 60527 #95 (accessed 3 April 2024)
   John Hamilton Gray burial (died on 5 Jun 1889) in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. Born in Jun 1814.
7. ↑ Death of wife Eliza Ormond Gray: "Canada, British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004437589; FHL microfilm: 1927288; Image number: 810; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: B07615-7
   FamilySearch Record: FLK3-24K (accessed 3 April 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DYHP-1B
   Justice Gray in death record for wife Eliza Ormond Gray 3 Dec 1895 in British Columbia, Canada.
8. ↑ Burial: "Canada, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
   Find A Grave: Memorial #98855356
   Ancestry Record 60527 #1720168 (accessed 3 April 2024)
   Eliza Gray burial (died on 3 Dec 1895) in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. Born in 1828.

• Wikipedia:John Hamilton Gray (New Brunswick politician)
• C. M. Wallace, “GRAY, JOHN HAMILTON (1814-89),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Volume 11, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003
• British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993, database, FamilySearch (13 April 2017), John Hamilton Gray, 1889.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #6373, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.