History of Rush County Indiana Brant& Fuller Chicago 1888 Page 773 and 774 Surnames in this biography are: Gray, Purdy, Dick, Allen, Kirkpatrick, Parish, McCrary, JOHN T.GRAY, the subject of this biography, is the grandson of John Gray, who, with, his family, was among the first pioneer settlers of Union Township in the fall of 1833. They came from Bourbon County, Ky., the family consisting of six children. They          were:Samuel and Margaret, by his first wife, whose maiden name was Jane Purdy; Jane, William J, Elizabeth D. and Alice A., by his second wife. Prior to his removal, John Gray had purchased a part of the farm now owned by John T. Gray, his grandson.  Here he resided until his death. During life, his principal occupation was farming; but he also gave some attention to stock-raising.  He died in the fall of 1854, a member of the Presbyterian Church.  His wife survived him until March. 1871. Her maiden name was          Margaret Dick. William, who was the fourth child, and who was the father of John T. Gray,was born in Bourbon County, Ky., on September 17 1825. At the age of eight years he came to this county. At the age of twenty-one he began life on his own responsibility, and on September 19, 1846, was united in marriage with Cynthia A. Allen, daughter of Johnand Susan (Kirkpatrick) Allen. The former was born in Virginia, and the latter in Kentucky,but were married in Green County, Ohio, where Cynthia was born November 2, 1820. In 1834 they came to Rush County, and settled in Washington Township. William Gray and wife began  housekeeping in a log house which stood on the farm owned by our subject. He resided in this county until the spring of 1870, when he removed to Daviess County, Indiana, and thence to Tennessee, in the spring of 1875, locating near Gallatin, where he died on July 17, 1876. His wife still survives him. He was a member of the Christian Church. During life he owned some very fine horses: Aleck,Charley and Tuckahoe, which he purchased at the sale of his father's personal property.Tuckahoe lived until he was twenty-four years old. These horses were sired by a horse owned by Joseph Gray, known as Aleck, then by William Gray; Jerry, of          Archy-Lightfoot stock; Dick, of Bedford stock; Tom, of Gray Traveler stock; Jake, of Proud American stock; and from the latter he raised three stallions, and last Tom-Hal, sired by Shawhan.  Tom Hal, sired by Bald-Stocking, who paced ninety miles in ten          hoursand forty minutes. Bald-Stocking was sired by an imported Torn-Hal, a bay-roan horse fifteen and one-half hands high. Bald Stocking lived to be thirty-two years old, and was never known to lie down until the day of his death. Gray's Tom-Hal was purchased by William Gray when he was four years old, and was kept in the Gray family until he was twenty-seven years and six months old, when he died. His last season was the most successful,and he was owned by John T. Gray at the time of his death. He was of fast          stock,and his colts have developed good speed. He was the sire of the dam of St.Denis, record 2:23; Buffalo Girl, 2:12W; Jerome Turner, 2:17 1/4; and sired Little Gipsy,record 2:22;Limber Jack, pacer, 2:18W; Bay Billy, pacer, 2 :I3 1/4; Mattie Bond, pacer,2:27k; Syalger,trotter, 2:3I~4. John T. Gray was born in a log cabin on the farm where he now resides,July 11, 1847. He was the oldest in a family of five Sons: John, Joseph V.,James W.,Washington and Garrett D., of whom Washington is deceased.  John grew to manhood on the farm, receiving a fair education. As his father was a horseman, it became necessary for John, in early life, as he was the eldest, to assist in caring for the horses. Therefore his early training in this respect was exceedingly good, and has placed him among the foremost horsemen in the county at the present time. On August 13, 1868, he was married to Mary C. McCrary, daughter of Samuel and Elsie (Parish) McCrary,the          former a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and was a boy when he came to this country. Samuel and Elsie McCrary were married September 11, 1828, in Fayette County, and the former resided in this vicinity until his death, March 19, 1881. His wife still survives him. Mrs.Gray was born in Washington Township, February 2, 1851, and was reared here. This union has been blessed with four children; Charlie I., Flora M., Bessie Pearl,and Samuel W., all living. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are members of the Christian Church; also Charlie and Flora. Mr. Gray, besides caring for his farm, owns and controls probably the most noted breeding barns in the county. It was established by John Gray in 1835,and has continued ever since. After him came William Gray, and then his son, John T., who owns it at present. It now contains six stallions, two imported draft horses: Favory and Coco, the former one of the most noted Norman draft horses in America; two Hambeltonian general purpose horses named Medock, Sr., and Medock, Jr.; Frank          Hale,one of the best bred horses in the west, sired by Ben Franklin, by Daniel Lambert, by Ethan Allen, by Black Hawk, dam by Lapham's Horse, by Hill's Black Hawk, and sired and raised in Vermont, and is five years old; he is 15 hands high and weighs          1080 pounds; Tom Hal, a two-year-old, sired by Gray's Tom Hal; dam by Davy Crocket, and shows great speed as a pacer. Mr. Gray gives his whole attention to his fine horses. He is an honest and upright citizen, and owns a comfortable home. Politically, he is a          Democrat.