Jonas Latham Gray was born on Aug 1, 1762 in Ledyard, New London county, Connecticut to Philip Gray and Hannah Latham. He is your 4th great grandfather (Tom and siblings). Jonas married Lucy Spicer on Jan 1, 1791 in Ledyard. They would have 7 children, Hannah 1791, Mary Polly 1794, Philip 1797, Alathea 1800, John 1803, Oliver 1806 (your ancestor) and Abisha 1809. Lucy would die in 1813 and Jonas remarried in 1815 to Mary Polly Vorce Gardner. Jonas himself passed away on Aug 16, 1832 at age 70 in Dimock, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.
I cannot write a better biography of Jonas than the one we have that was written by the Rev. Garford Flavel Williams' compilation of " Jonas Latham Gray and his wife Lucy Spicer Gray - Their Ancestors - Their Descendents", published about 1956. The Rev Williams is a descendent himself of Abisha Gray, Jonas' youngest child. He had quite the adventures in his life.
Story quoted below:
"Jonas Latham Gray was a carpenter and cabinet maker by occupation. Philip Gray was drafted for service in the Revolutionary War at the time when a son could serve in his father's place and Jonas Latham Gray went to training for war when he was less than eighteen years of age. He was trained at West Point and in the regiment of Colonel Canfield. J.L. Gray's service in the war is mentioned in the book 'Connecticut Men in the Revolution, page 82'. HIs service in the Revolution has been accepted by the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, largely due to the efforts of Carrie Gray Hurley. Mrs. Delphine Gray Bullard joined the DAR on the service of Jonas Latham Gray, October 23, 1929 (Nat. 255712) Tunkhannock (Pennsylvania) Chapter. She was for many years the only living granddaughter of a Revolutionary soldier in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Jonas Latham Gray went on a trading vessel with his father and brother about the time of the close of the Revolutionary War. They sailed to South America, went around the 'horn' and up the west coast of South America and the west coast of the United States. Later their sailing consisted of regular trips to the West Indies and return. They continued to sail for twelve years. Jonas L. Gray and his brother Asa Gray built a large ship and invested all their money in it. Asa Gray sold the ship while Jonas L. Gray was at sea and kept all the money and left the country. Jonas L. Gray was then penniless; he worked to pay up all of his debts in Connecticut and leaving a clean record, he and his wife, Polly and his three youngest children walked to Pennsylvania, leaving Connecticut January 1, 1819. He lived in Schoharie County, New York, briefly, but spent most of the remainder of his life at Dimock, Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania, where he died August 16, 1832, aged 70 years. He was buried first in a small cemetery near his farm, but his sons, J.W. and A.W. Gray moved his body to the present Dimock Cemetery, in May 1845. At that time they opened his coffin in the presence of all his living descendants. The body was in a remarkable state of preservation and his features were as natural as the day of his burial.
Jonas Latham Gray boasted of shaking hands with General George Washington and General Marquis de Lafayette. He listened to an address by Washington after he became the first president of the United States; and was in New York City to welcome Lafayette when he visited this country in 1824. Jonas Latham Gray was converted under the preaching of Bishop Francis Asbury and joined the Methodist Society. After 1800, Jonas Latham Gray began to live a strict Christian life according to the New Testament and the Methodist Disciple. He greatly enjoyed Methodist revival services and Methodist Camp Meetings and would walk miles each night to attend the services. He became very emotional, as was the custom then, and sometimes he would preach. These strong principles were adopted by practically all of his descendants. Jonas Latham Gray spent his last years as a cabinet maker. Several pieces of his work still exist. Strong decisions, strength of character, vivid memories, and loyalty to Christian principle are very marked in the descendants of Jonas Latham Gray.
Jonas Latham Gray's name is inscribed on a bronze tablet in the Court House at Montrose, Susquehanna Co, Pennsylvania, as one of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried within that county.
On Dec. 17, 1815, Jonas Latham Gray was married to Mrs. Mary (Polly) Voice Gardner. There were no children. She died at the home of stepson, Abisha W. Gray at East Rush, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, Aug. 28, 2865 aged 87 years. She is buried beside Jonas L. Gray in Dimock Cemetery at Dimock, PA. Her grave has recently been marked by our cousin Mary Gray Johnson. "
You can read more about Lafayette here.
https://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/lafayette.html
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marquis-de-Lafayette/The-French-Revolution
George Washington
https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/
Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2022. All rights reserved.
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