Thomas Gray researchers, Martha has been kind enough to call to my attention that material posted on Ancestry.com about Thomas Gray is not correct. Not wanting to perpetuate errors. I am sending her corrections to that poster and hope others on this site interested in Thomas Gray will see this correction. This is not my line. I did not pick up on errors as an avid researcher of this line would. I looked again on Ancestry.com and found submissions by a LDS member for Thomas Gray and wife Mary Wilson. This poster was Jon Baxter, posted Aug 26, 2001. His E Mail prob. no longer good but it was; jonbaxter@hotmail.com just in case. Immediately following my message is his work. Be sure to read the corrections by gypsy after my post following. Ginny Keefer James Wilson b ca 1745 Nash Co NC, d Aug 1797 Nash Co NC. Nash Co NC Will Book # 1, 1778-1868 Extract. If this is the same James Wilson as found in Jones Co land records of 1779, he may have had brothers named Josiah and Levin. The general problem in tracing this family is that there are over 30 James Wilson's in the 1790 NC census book. This James Wilson married Sarah __ of Nash Co NC. md ca 1770. Children; 1. Thomas Wilson d aft 1823 2.Richard Christian b ca 1780 d 25 Oct. 1823 Nash Co NC 3. Zachariah 4. James b ca 1776 Trenton, Jones Co NC. ??? [see below] 5. Elizabeth d 1844 Nash Co NC, md Lewis Tucker of NC md aft 1797 6. Sarah md Mr. Clifton 7. Mary [Polly] md Thomas Gray of Franklin Co NC, md aft 1797 8. Nancy James Wilson b ca 1776 Trenton, Jones Co NC, d 1821/26 in Edwards, IL Death date is abt 1821 according to TIB or abt 1826 according to son, Thomas Green Wilson. There was a Capt. William Wilson, and wife Ann Trott, who has a Rev War pension claim filed in Rutherford Co TN. He had a brother, John, killed in Rev War and another brother, Samuel, dead by 1838. He was born in Rowan Co NC. He moved to Rutherford co TN about 1815 and died there 14 Aug 1817. They had a son, James, born 1788. There may be a connection but it would be to an earlier generation. Roxanne Van Wagoner say his burial was in Bedford Co TN. James married Ellender [Eleanor] Shelfer b ca 1779 Jones Co NC. James was a son of James Wilson b ca 1745 Nash Co NC and Wife Sarah ---- of Nash Co NC. Children said to be; 1. Nancy b 27 Dec 1798 Jones Co NC, d 27 June 1884 Richmond, Cache, UT md Minor Winn b ca 17987 of 96th District, SC [Union Co] 2. Elijah b 14 Feb 1801 Trenton, Jones Co NC md Edna Sargent Pender, in Grantsville, Toocle, UT. He died 15 Jan 1860. All their children were born at Bedford Co TN 3. Levin b 1802 Rutherford Co TN, d 1845 md Mary __ 4. Elizabeth b 1806 Rutherford Co TN 5. Zachariah Davis born 12 June 1811 Farmington, Bedford Co TN, d 23 Aug 1884 Spanish Fork, UT md Lucinda Grant Beazley in Edwards Co IL 6. Ella b 23 Jan 1813 Shelbyville, Bedford Co TN, d 10 May 1877 Richfield, Sevier Co UT, md Andrew Morton Hamilton 7. Thomas Green b 14 Feb 1815 Rock Creek, Bedford Co TN, died 3 Dec 1903 Payson, UT md Helen Copley in Nauvoo, Hancock Co IL 8. Sarah b 20 Sept 1824 Nashville, Bedford Co TN, d Feb 1874 Monroe, Sevier Co UT md Dennis Lott Harris in Council Bluffs, IA. As I stated before, This is NOT my family and I have not proven this additional information. If anyone who reads this sees errors please use forward key and make corrections so we do not lead researchers astray. [Wasn't Lincoln Co taken from a portion of Bedford Co TN early on???? ] Thank you. Ginny Keefer nee White. PLEASE- READ BELOW for corrections by a Thomas Gray descendant of what I previously posted from Ancestry.com. ----- Original Message ----- From: gypsy97@bellsouth.net To: ginnykeefer@cox.net Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2005 7:03 AM Subject: Thomas Gray On Wed., March 23, 2005, you answered a query of mine on the LCT List, Subj. Gray Family. You reported what you found on Ancestry.com posted in Oct 2002 by Randy Dutton, and I understand that you always say when it is not your line, and when you haven't verified the info. I'm writing you because of something that has always puzzled me and seems wrong, and I respect your experience and knowledge of genealogical research. I'm sort of new at this. Randy Dutton lists Thomas Gray, b 1786 Rowan Co. NC, married to Jane McGahee. I have found papers in the Iredell County files that show he married Mary Wilson. Yes, she could have died and Thomas remarried Jane, but Thomas' will, written in Dec. 1810 and probated in Mar 1811, refers to his beloved wife Polly, which is a nickname for Mary. Also, Thomas' oldest son is named John Wilson Gray. Dutton goes on to list Thomas' children, and specifies Burgess, b. 1805 and Thomas b. 1806. I have acquired a certified copy of the original will of Thomas Gray, wherein he bequesths land to John, James, Burgess - when he becomes of age, and to Thomas all remainder of his plantation in NC. As to the lands in TN, he directs that John shall arrange to divide off 400 acre parcels, one for himself and one for each of the other three sons, and the remainder to be disposed of for the best advantage for the rest of the family. He never mentions anything about "when Thomas becomes of age". He does go into detail about laying off the land in NC intended for Burgess when he becomes of age or upon his mother's death. And so I have discussed this with Fletcher Gray, who is looking for "his" Thomas Gray, but I don't think it is the Thomas Gray who is the brother of Burgess. My feeling is that someone has published incorrect information which "fit" what they were looking for, and the error has been repeated and compounded so that it appears to be fact. Do you think I am seeing this clearly, or could there be some explanation. John Wilson Gray married Nancy Ramsey and among his children is a son, Thomas E. Gray, who married Lizzie Burns. What would you suggest as a next step? I am thinking of looking for guardianship papers at Iredell County; surely there would be papers for Burgess, and if in fact son Thomas was also under age, there would be papers on him as well. I have recently discovered that I am probably not in the line of Burgess Gray & Elizabeth Cunningham Gray, so this is all a moot point for me. However, I would love to clear this mystery up, for myself at least. As I said, there is so much misinformation - the Iredell Heritage Book has a piece about the Gray family and she gives Thomas year of birth as 1810. I hope to make a trip to Iredell county in the next couple of months, and would appreciate any advice you can give me as to what to search for. Thanks very much for your time and for your help. Martha Reed Swannanoa, NC