birthplace of her husband. She is a daughter of Asa and Sarah (Davis) Tedrow. Her father came to Pike county in 1836, thus casting in his lot with its pioneer residents; and he, too, gave his time and energies to farming. In his family were five children, of whom three are now living, namely: Mrs. Gray; Samuel, who resides in New Salem township; and Mrs. Mary Bradbury, who is living in Pike county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have a family of eight children: Alfred R., who married Sarah Shaffner and is living in New Salem township; Iva E., the wife of Samuel Laird, also a resident of New Salem township; Edgar F., of California; Ora m., the wife of Charles Bennett, a resident farmer of Griggsville township; Ralph B., who married Mabel Wood and lives upon the home farm; Everett E., who is now in California; C. May at home; and Vera Pearl, who is also under the parental roof. The children have been afforded good educational privileges, and are thus well qualified for life's practice and responsible duties. Alfred attended business college in Jacksonville, Illinois. Ralph was a student in Whipple Academy at Jacksonville. Everett learned the jeweler's trade in Peoria, and May was for two years a student in the Woman's College at Jacksonville.      Mr. and Mrs. Gray and their family are devoted members of the Methodist church, to which he is a liberal contributor; and he gives his political support to the prohibition party, but was formerly a democrat. He has served as school director, assessor and collector; and is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and improvement of his community. He is also devoted to the welfare of his family, and his efforts in their behalf have been far-reaching and beneficial. It is no unusual thing in this country for a man to work his way upward from a humble position to one of affluence, but each one who does this deserves commendation; for it shows his strength of character, his earnest purpose and unremitting diligence. Realizing that those qualities constitute the basis of financial advancement, Mr. Gray directed his efforts along those lines, and found that they were substantial elements for the building of prosperity. In the community where he resides he is popular; and he has a wide and favorable acquaintance throughout the county. Moreover, he is numbered among its pioneer settlers, having through sixty years resided within its borders. This has covered almost the entire period of its development and progress. and the changes which have been wrought have transformed it from a wild frontier region into a thickly settled district, giving every evidence of progress and prosperity. His memory goes back to the time when much of the farm labor was done by hand, when travel was by private conveyance or by stage and when few of the comforts and luxuries now common were to be enjoyed. His father broke his land with nine yoke of oxen; and hauled his grain to Hannibal, which city, in those early days, was the nearest market. His mind forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present; and no man rejoices more sincerely in what has been accomplished, as the years have gone by, than does Thomas B. Gray.                                                                                                          _______________                                                 SYLVESTER  S.  GAINES        Sylvester S. Gaines is the owner of a valuable farm of two hundred and forty-five acres in the midst of which stands a fine home. This place is located on sections 18 and 19, Barry township, and its well improved appearance indicates his careful supervision. He was born in Kinderhook township, July 25, 1860, and was educated in the public schools, and in a business college at Hannibal, Missouri. His parents were Samuel B. and Mary A. (Fitzpatrick) Gaines. The father is the owner of a large farm in Kinderhook township. He was born in Otsego county, New York, April 19, 1821, and was a son of Ebenezer Gaines, a pioneer of that district, who was a native of Kentucky, in which state he was reared. He wedded Ann Blakesley, also a native of Connecticut. They were married in Hartford county, and afterward removed to New York, where Ebenezer Gaines followed farming until his death, at the age of thirty-five years. In his family were six children, three sons and three daughters. Of this number Samuel B. Gaines was the fourth