John W. Gray

As printed in 1910

JOHN W. GRAY.

Another one of the enterprising and successful agriculturists of Atchison township who ranks as one of the representative citizens of Nodaway county is John W. Gray, who was born in Noble county, Ohio, August 27, 1852. and in 1857, when five years of age, he came with his parents to Nodaway county, Missouri, settling two and one-half miles east of Clearmont. He is the son of James and Rachel (Haines) Gray. The father brought some good teams from Ohio, having made the trip in wagons, and upon arriving here entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, later disposing of part of it until he had but one hundred and twenty acres, on which he remained until his death, at an advanced age. in October, 1908, having put all the improvements on this place and having made rails himself with which the place was fenced. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, nine of whom are living. James Gray was born in Pennsylvania, January 11, 1818, having come to Ohio with his parents when small. He was a member of the Missouri militia, being in the field during the last three months of the war. Two of the cousins of John W. Gray also served in the army, one now being deceased. McClain Gray, uncle of John W., served through the entire struggle; he was a pioneer of this section of Nodaway county. James Gray was an active Republican. He was one of the best known and most popular men of his vicinity, a man whom everybody liked, and he was familiarly known as “Uncle Jim” or “Good Fellow Jim.” He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife was a Presbyterian. Pie died October 21, 1907.

John W. Gray was educated in the public schools of Nodaway county, to attend which he walked about three miles. During the Civil war, about 1862 or 1863, the family and many others in this neighborhood fled to Iowa, upon learning of a rumor that a band of rebels were approaching and killing all in their path. They lived in a school house for a time, later rented land in Iowa, and their children attended school there, but in a short time the family returned to their home here and lived in Nodaway county until 1886 when John W. Gray moved to South Dakota where they remained twelve years or more. He owned a half section of land in South Dakota, also leased a section and raised cattle and horses. When they closed out there they owned one hundred and sixty-five head of cattle and thirty-two horses. They sold out everything, household goods, implements, etc., and drove away from their home after a noonday meal as if they were going visiting, but never returned. They came back to Nodaway county and farmer the old place for one year, then bought one hundred and fifty-five acres, known as the John Johnson place, six miles east of Clearmont and this has since been the home of John W. Gray. He has prospered and has since purchased one hundred and ten acres, the Walter Pollock place, and the Charles Miller place, consisting of eighty acres, which joins Mr. Gray's original purchase on the west. He now has one of the best farms in the township and successfully carries on general farming and stock raising, handling a fine grade of Poland-China hogs and other good stock, favoring Shorthorn cattle.

Mr. Gray was married in 1876 to Rachel France, a native of Guthrie county, Iowa, and this union resulted in the birth of one son. Charles Weslev.

Mrs. Gray passed away in May, 1879, and in the fall of 1883 Mr. Gray was married to Julia A. Bennett, of near Hopkins, this county, where her father farmer for many years, having moved there from Iowa. To this union four children were born, David Clark, James Walter, John Edward and Harry Merlin.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray are supporters of the Methodist Episcopal church, and politically Mr. Gray is a Republican, having long taken more or less interest in party affairs, especially while living in South Dakota. Although he has never aspired to public office, he has served on the school board, both in South Dakota and in this community.

As printed in Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.