Although my heart wanted to get back to more regular posting, things just kept happening. Still trying to get back our website domains and have an isp that works, but I’m giving up. So, I thought about it and realized I needed some focus to my genealogy today.
My third great grandparents on both sides of my family are my stumbling blocks. I’ve found that searching for a John Gray is pretty much as bad as looking for John Smith….sigh…and as one famous Gray researcher put it “Grays pretty much propogate like barnyard cats”. Indeed. To top it off I have no idea what the REAL name for his bride is. In census work she is Devina, Lavina, Loubenia, get the idea? And there was never a connection to her maiden surname. According to the census materials again, John Gray was born in 1799 and his lovely bride about 1806. The other important facts that I know are they were into farming, helped raise grandchildren, they lost two sons in the civil war and they were buried in Bold Springs Cemetery in Cairo, Georgia. According to census evidence they both were also born in Georgia….where is speculative of course. John died in 1881 and Devina in 1898 according to a gedcom, but I have no death certificates or evidence other than their burial information which was obtained the same way. It appears they had 7 children, J Mench, William, Sarah, John, Martha, Amanda and Susan with the two eldest having been killed in separate battles of the civil war. Of course that leaves the only brother to research being another John….swell…LOL!
Love to hear from collateral kin who may have evidence and/or family stories to corroborate or squash current info.
John Gray is my 4th great-grandfather. His daughter Unity Kate is my 3rd great-grandmother. Have been tracking Unity’s son with her husband Elijah Drew – John Thomas Drew (named after his grandfather). Don’t know which line you are trying to follow but if you come up with any info on John/Lavina would be interested to know what you find out.
Hi Steve,
Do you have any time frame for your John Gray and daughter Unity Kate? It would help me figure out if there’s any connection and I will certainly update John and Lavina/Devina/Loubenia with anything I run across.
Happy hunting,
Suzie