James Gray was born 25 May 1804 in Scotland, United Kingdom and died 3 October 1868 Sutter County, California, United States of America of unspecified causes. He married Mary Ann Carr (1810-1868) in New York City, New York.
James Gray came to the United States in 1829 and later sent for Mary A. Carr, whom he married in New York City. He followed the trade of millwright for several years in Massachusetts, Iowa, and Illinois, and was at one time a captain of a ferry boat on the Mississippi River. Taking up government land about forty miles north of Keokuk, Iowa, he improved a farm and carried on general farming for a time, and then removed to Hancock County, Illinois, becoming a pioneer settler of that place. He was living there during the intense excitement caused by the swarming of the Mormons into that county, when on June 27, 1844, Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed by an infuriated mob in the jail at Carthage, the county seat . James Gray subsequently took an active part in forcing the entire Mormon population to leave the state.
In 1854 (1855, or 1852 ) he and his family came overland with ox teams and covered wagons to California.
James Gray and Mary Carr were in a small wagon train of about 30.
James and Mary located two miles from Yuba City on rented land. Initially they were permitted to purchase only 160 acres. They subsequently purchased more, however, gradually increasing their holdings until they had a farm of 800 acres. When they first came here to California, they planted grain. In addition to managing his valuable farm of 800 acres, he also owned and operated a threshing machine during the harvest season for many years. He also built mills for granaries. He was of strong physique, great intellectual vigor and active until his death in 1868, at the age of sixty-four years. He never failed to cast a Republican ballot at elections.
Patronimics would tell us that his father is Robert Gray and his mother is Marion
The address of the old homestead is 976 Franklin Avenue, Yuba City, California. Franklin Avenue is parallel to Gray Avenue.
Events
Immigration to USA from Scotland 1829 possibly, First Child Birth 1835, Child Born in Iowa 1840, Child Born in Hancock County, Illinois 1842-1850, Migration to California 1854 or 1855.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Robert J Gray (1835-) | |||
| Jane Gray (1836-) | |||
| Mary A Gray (1838-) | |||
| James Carr Gray (1842-1918) | |||
| William Jackson Gray (1844-1899) | |||
| Alexander Gray (1846-) | |||
Residences
Footnotes (including sources)
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