Daniel Horatio Gray (1785 - 1867)

Born 25 Jul 1785 in Stephentown, Rensselaer, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Naomi (Thomas) Gray — married [date unknown] in Berlin, Rensselaer, New York

Husband of Phebe (Godfrey) Gray — married [date unknown] in Berlin, Rensselaer, New York

Descendants

Died 11 Feb 1867 at age 81 in Cedar Hill, Dallas, Texas, United States

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Biography

Daniel H Gray was born to Daniel Gray and Sarah Harris in Stephentown (currently Berlin), New York on July 25, 1785. Daniel marries Naomi Thomas in Stephentown, New York and together they had six children before Naomi dies there on February 23, 1822.^[1]

Based on the date of birth of Russel Franklin Gray, the first child born to Daniel and his second wife, we can estimate that Daniel Gray married his second wife, Phebe Godfrey around 1822 near Berlin, New York. Together, this family traveled from New York to Illinois, where Clarindon and Margaret were born, and eventually continued to Texas where the family settles for the next several generations.

The 1830 Census shows Daniel living in Berlin, New York with a total of 12 people living in his household. Little information is given on this census regarding family members, employment, and dates of birth. Next door, is Stephen Rix Gray, his half-brother and his family. Also living in another home next door is a James Godfrey, a possible relative of his second wife, Phebe Godfrey. ^[2]

Daniel Gray and his family appear on the 1840 Census in Pike County, Illinois. Living nearby are two of his brothers, Stephen Rix Gray and Schuyler Gray, along with their families. Daniel indicates he is working in agriculture, but no further information is available. ^[3]

By 1850, Daniel and his family had moved to Panola, Texas. They arrived in Texas around 1840 as indicated by the births of their children. Daniel is working as a farmer and the oldest son is also helping with these duties. ^[4]

Phebe passed away on February 22, 1855 in Cedar Hill, Texas and married for a third time to Sarah Hickman. Daniel and his third wife are found in the 1860 Census living in Cedar Hill, Texas with two of his sons, Schulyer and Milam. Daniel and Schulyer are both working as farmers on their homestead. ^[5]

This third marriage proved to be less than happy as Daniel revealed to his brother Stephen in a letter dated June 12, 1866:

Dear Brother Stephen: -- Through the goodness of an allwise God I am yet on earth. I will give you a short sketch of my life for the last four years. You had heard that I was married the third time. The lady thinking that my two sons living with me would be compelled to go into the army, (Rebel,) thought if she could only get rid of me, horses, cattle, all would be hers at a blow; so she raised the hue and cry that I was Abolition. All knew I voted Union. Let me say right here, my dear brother, how would my conscience have wrung with despair, to have turned against our fathers, the veterans of the Revolution! "Union!" yes, that is my motto, and will be in my dying moments. They came with a rope, and one of them put his hand on my shoulder with the threat that they had come to hang me. I turned, and strength came to me like it did to Sampson, for I exclaimed in my heart, "God help me!" In an instant I seemed stronger than in my young days. I grabbed him by the throat, and said, "You shall die first!" He was in a vice from which he could not break away, and was struggling for his life, but my strength was like iron. Three more ran to assist him. Before they could get me loose the fellow fell down; half a minute more would have done the work for him. I told them they were a set of cowards. "Hang me if you dare! My boys will be home after awhile and they will lie 'round your cabins till they get the last dog. I am an old Texan and have seen bears, panthers, wolves; I have never turned out the way yet, nor for such a set of rascals as you are!" More than 2,000 have been put to death for being Union men. I was robbed of thousands of dollars of property. ***

Farewell, dear Stephen, and don't forget to write.

Your Brother,

D.H. Gray^[1]

Daniel Horatio Gray died on February 11, 1867 in Cedar Hill, Texas.^[1]

Research Notes

There is an entry on Find-A-Grave for Daniel Horatio Gray however, this burial location in Alto Springs, Texas cannot be confirmed. Currently, there is no headstone and Alto Springs is around 120 miles away from his place of death in Cedar Hill, Texas. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Raymond, Marcius Denison, p 112
2. ↑ United States Census, 1830
3. ↑ United States Census, 1840
4. ↑ United States Census, 1850
5. ↑ United States Census, 1860
6. ↑ Find A Grave entry for Daniel H Gray

• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, (FamilySearch : 29 July 2017), Daniel H Gray, Berlin, Rensselaer, New York, United States; citing 268, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 105; FHL microfilm 17,165.
• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, (FamilySearch : 15 August 2017), Daniel W Gray, Pike, Illinois, United States; citing p. 146, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 67; FHL microfilm 7,645.
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images,(FamilySearch : 12 April 2016), D H Gray, Panola county, Panola, Texas, United States; citing family 323, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, (FamilySearch : 12 December 2017), Danl Gray, 1860.
• Raymond, Marcius Denison. Gray Genealogy: Being a Genealogical Record and History of the Descendants of John Gray, of Beverly, Mass. (Tarrytown, New York, 1887) Page 112-4
• Daughters of the Republic of Texas. "Daughters of the Republic of Texas Ancestor Album, Volume 2" p 56 (Paducah, Kentucky, 2001)

See Also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #18892726