This page will attempt to explain the Gray Family of Elbert
County, Georgia, around the early 1800's. It will also examine the relationship of these families to Reece Gray.
We know from Census figures that Reece Gray was born around 1909.
Year Age Reported
========================
1830 20-30
1840 30-40
1850 41
1860 53
1870 62
We also, know that the 1820 Census for Elbert County has listings for 3 Gray Families:
If we look at the 1820 census figures for each of these households, we see:
Hezekiah Gray 0 1
0 0 0 1 0
0 2 0 1
( 1 male 10-16, 1
male 45 and over, 2 females 16 to 26, and 1 female 45 and over)
Joseph Gray 1 0
0 1 3 1 0
0 0 3 1
John Gray 1
0 0 0 1 0
3 0 0 1
0
Hezekiah Gray was the only household with a male between the ages of 10 and
16 living in the household in the 1820 Census, and we know that Reese Gray
was 11 years of age in 1820.
When Hezekiah Gray lived in Elbert County, according to the 1820 Census,
the Octavious Spencer family was the previous farm on the Census. In other
words, they were next door, or across the road, or very near the Hezekiah
Gray family farm. Also, note that the Joseph Bell farm was 5 families
above the Hezekiah Gray family. It is assumed that the census was
taken in some sort of orderly fashion.
Then if we switch over to the 1930 Census (on page 151 for Elbert County):
151 Jones Drucilla
151 Bell James Jr
151 Butler James
151 Spencer Griffith
151 Gray Reese
We know that Hezekiah Gray moved from Elbert County between 1820, and 1830,
but at what appears to be the same piece of property, we find the Reese Gray
family. The Spencer family farm is still next door, but now run by
Griffith Spencer, rather than Octavious. The Bell family is still a
few farms away, but now run by James Bell. In 1830, Reece Gray would
be 21 years of age, and it would be unlikely that he would own a farm that
wasn't somehow provided by his family.
