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William Norris Gray

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WILLIAM NORRIS GRAY owns a fine farm of 133 acres in Kittanning township, Armstrong county, which includes the old Gray homestead upon which he was born May 26, 1860.

The family is of New England stock. Aaron Gray, his father, was born in Kittanning township, Armstrong Co., Pa., and with the exception of the time he was in the army there passed all his life, engaged in farming. Though he had few opportunities for schooling, he became a well-educated man, self-taught, and he was an intelligent and useful citizen. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Union army, and had served about a year at the time of his death. He contracted smallpox, which proved fatal, and he died at Washington, D. C., where he is buried. He married Margaret Wagner, of Armstrong county, Pa., who after his death became the wife of William Collum, a native of Ireland, who is a farmer and still living in Kittanning township. Mrs. Collum died in 1892. She was a member of the M. E. Church. By her marriage to Mr. Gray she was the mother of four children, George, Catherine, Jeremiah and William Norris, the last named being the only survivor. The only child born to her union with Mr. Collum is deceased.

William N. Gray has always lived in Kittanning township. He received his education in the common schools near his early home. When a young man he acquired a thorough knowledge of the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a period of fourteen years, working at Pittsburgh, Ford City and elsewhere. Since then he has been engaged in general farming at his present place in Kittanning township, owning 133 acres, of which the old home place forms a part. He has made many improvements on this property since it came into his possession, being a thrifty and industrious worker, whose well-directed labors are apparent in every part of the farm. He raises wheat, oats, rye and corn, cattle, horses and hogs, and has been very successful. He has taken considerable interest in the welfare of the locality, and for the last four years has held the office of supervisor. In politics he is a Democrat. His religious connection is with the M. E. Church.

Mr. Gray married Elizabeth Collum, who was born in Ireland, and they have a family of four children, namely: Margaret, now the wife of John Barker, a farmer of Valley township, this county; and William John, David L. and Mamie, all at home.

Source: Pages 824-825, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by James R Hindman for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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