Edward
Gray was born about 1623 in England
(possibly Stapleford, Tawney, Essex, but I haven't found a source for this). He is my 9th great-grandfather
on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’s side.
He
arrived in Plymouth
ca 1643 and became a merchant, among the wealthiest men in Plymouth Colony.
Theodore Burbank wrote that there are stories Edward and his brother were “smuggled” out of England by relatives who wanted their inheritance
and that he was a descendant of King Henry I of France.
Edward did business on Main Street in Plymouth, between Leyden and Middle Streets.
 |
| Depiction of Leyden Street in Plymouth (source: preservemasshistory.com) |
He
married Mary Winslow in Plymouth
on 16 January 1650/51. Mary was the daughter of John and Mary (Chilton)
Winslow and a niece of Governor Edward Winslow. Mary Chilton was a Mayflower passenger.
Edward
and Mary had had six children:
1.
Desire, born 06 November 1651, married Nathaniel Southworth
2.
Mary, born 18 September 1653
3.
Elizabeth,
born 11 Feb 165_ (last digit worn, probably 5, 6 or 7), married Seth
Arnold
4.
Sarah, born 12 August 1659, married Samuel Little
5.
John, born 01 October 1661, married Joanna Morton
6.
Anna
The
births of the first five children are recorded in Plymouth Vital Records. Anna
is known as a child as she is listed in Edward’s 1684 detailed land division
amongst his heirs.
Mary
Winslow Gray died at Plymouth
before December 1665.
Edward
married, second, Dorothy Lettice on 12 Dec 1665. She was the daughter of Thomas
and Ann (maiden name unknown) Lettice. Edward and Dorothy had six children:
1.
Edward, born 31 January 1665/66, moved to Tiverton, Rhode Island
2.
Thomas, married Anna Little and Phebe ____, moved to Little Compton, RI
3.
Samuel, moved to Little Compton, RI
4.
Susanna born 15 October 1668, married John Cole
5.
Rebecca, m. Ephraim Cole
6.
Lydia,
b. 12 Marcy 1677/8, married Caleb Loring
Edward
and Susanna’s births are recorded in Plymouth Vital Records.
I
descend from his son John as well as his daughter Susanna.
Edward was involved in many land transactions, particularly with land in what would become Little Compton, Rhode Island. Here is a handful:
Mayflower Descendant, vol. 10:
18 Dec 1655, Edward Gray of New Plymouth, Planter, sold to Benjamin Eaton of Plymouth, land bordered by Edward Dotey and Samuell Cutbert, being the same lands Edward bought of Samuell Cutbert containing about 20 acres, the house upon the land that was built by Edward Gray with the bedstead, doors, shelves and such "flowring." Eaton to pay him 11 pounds sterling, with some to be paid in wheat and Indian Corn. Edward Gray signed with his mark. Benjamin was to take possession of the house and land the next September 1656.
Mayflower Descendant, 1909, vol 11:
10 Oct 1657, Mr. John Winslow sometimes of Plymouth in New England gent, for a valuable sum already paid by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter, house and land at Plain Dealing in Plymouth, bounded by Jonathan Shaw and Samuel King, and all the orchards and outhouses, woods, trees, fences, meadows, all the "boards shelves Dores lockes and glase in and belonging unto the said house." Mrs. Mary Winslow, wife of John Winslow gave her consent.
Mayflower Descendant, 1914, vol 16:
20 July 1661, Robert Ransom of Plymouth, planter, granted land already paid for by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter. Land Ransom purchased from Benajah Pratt, land commonly called the Purchase Land at Accushena Coaksett and a home lot of 20 acres between lots of William Spooner and Samuel Cutbert.
Mayflower Descendant, vol 17:
6 Aug 1662, Robert Lee, shoemaker, of Plymouth for sum already paid by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter, land at Punckateesett and places adjacent, upland and meadow. Samuel Sturtevant, Francis Billington, John Dunham Jr., William Spooner, Edward Doty, and James Shaw, also acknowledged that Edward Gray paid them for their shares in this land.
Mayflower Descendant, vol 17:
11 Aug 1662, Edward Gray of Plymouth, was paid by John Winslow of Boston, merchant, for eight shares of land in that tract of land which is belonging to the Town of Plymouth aforsaid, laying against Rhode Island, known by the name Punckateesett; seven shares that Edward bought from Robert Lee, Samuel Sturtevant, Francis Billington, John Dunham Jr, Edward Dotey, William Spooner and James Shaw. Then it goes on to say that John Winslow sold the eight shares to Edward Gray.
Mayflower Descendant, 1985, vol 35:
15 Aug 1664, Josias Wampatucke Sachem and (Wucksanuskett?) Squaw Sachem for a valuable consideration sold to Thomas Prence, Capt. William Bradford and Edward Gray of Plymouth "all our lands at Namassakett that is to say on the western side of the said Namassakett River from Packauke necke to (Naskacett?) brooke all alonge by the side of the said river and westward up to the meddows sould formerly to the Major belonging to Packauke necke." Reserving 8 acres for themselves to be set out by Edward Gray at some convenient place along the river.
Mayflower Descendant,1985, Vol 35:
10 July 1665, Edward "Graye" of New Plymouth, yeoman, for one heifer and 14 pounds sterling, sold to Robert Latham of Bridgewater 15 1/4 acres of meadow on Winnatucksett River or Brook, in Plymouth, lying between the meadow of Jacob Cooke and John Cobb. All 3/4 of an acre to be laid out by Robert Latham at or near a place called Monponsett Pond or else at Winnatucksett Meadows, to make up 16 acres of meadow which Edward formerly bought of Mr. John Winslow now of Boston.
Edward died at Plymouth in June 1681. He is buried at Burial Hill.
18 Dec 1655, Edward Gray of New Plymouth, Planter, sold to Benjamin Eaton of Plymouth, land bordered by Edward Dotey and Samuell Cutbert, being the same lands Edward bought of Samuell Cutbert containing about 20 acres, the house upon the land that was built by Edward Gray with the bedstead, doors, shelves and such "flowring." Eaton to pay him 11 pounds sterling, with some to be paid in wheat and Indian Corn. Edward Gray signed with his mark. Benjamin was to take possession of the house and land the next September 1656.
Mayflower Descendant, 1909, vol 11:
10 Oct 1657, Mr. John Winslow sometimes of Plymouth in New England gent, for a valuable sum already paid by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter, house and land at Plain Dealing in Plymouth, bounded by Jonathan Shaw and Samuel King, and all the orchards and outhouses, woods, trees, fences, meadows, all the "boards shelves Dores lockes and glase in and belonging unto the said house." Mrs. Mary Winslow, wife of John Winslow gave her consent.
Mayflower Descendant, 1914, vol 16:
20 July 1661, Robert Ransom of Plymouth, planter, granted land already paid for by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter. Land Ransom purchased from Benajah Pratt, land commonly called the Purchase Land at Accushena Coaksett and a home lot of 20 acres between lots of William Spooner and Samuel Cutbert.
Mayflower Descendant, vol 17:
6 Aug 1662, Robert Lee, shoemaker, of Plymouth for sum already paid by Edward Gray of Plymouth, planter, land at Punckateesett and places adjacent, upland and meadow. Samuel Sturtevant, Francis Billington, John Dunham Jr., William Spooner, Edward Doty, and James Shaw, also acknowledged that Edward Gray paid them for their shares in this land.
Mayflower Descendant, vol 17:
11 Aug 1662, Edward Gray of Plymouth, was paid by John Winslow of Boston, merchant, for eight shares of land in that tract of land which is belonging to the Town of Plymouth aforsaid, laying against Rhode Island, known by the name Punckateesett; seven shares that Edward bought from Robert Lee, Samuel Sturtevant, Francis Billington, John Dunham Jr, Edward Dotey, William Spooner and James Shaw. Then it goes on to say that John Winslow sold the eight shares to Edward Gray.
Mayflower Descendant, 1985, vol 35:
15 Aug 1664, Josias Wampatucke Sachem and (Wucksanuskett?) Squaw Sachem for a valuable consideration sold to Thomas Prence, Capt. William Bradford and Edward Gray of Plymouth "all our lands at Namassakett that is to say on the western side of the said Namassakett River from Packauke necke to (Naskacett?) brooke all alonge by the side of the said river and westward up to the meddows sould formerly to the Major belonging to Packauke necke." Reserving 8 acres for themselves to be set out by Edward Gray at some convenient place along the river.
Mayflower Descendant,1985, Vol 35:
10 July 1665, Edward "Graye" of New Plymouth, yeoman, for one heifer and 14 pounds sterling, sold to Robert Latham of Bridgewater 15 1/4 acres of meadow on Winnatucksett River or Brook, in Plymouth, lying between the meadow of Jacob Cooke and John Cobb. All 3/4 of an acre to be laid out by Robert Latham at or near a place called Monponsett Pond or else at Winnatucksett Meadows, to make up 16 acres of meadow which Edward formerly bought of Mr. John Winslow now of Boston.
Edward died at Plymouth in June 1681. He is buried at Burial Hill.
 |
| Edward's gravestone at Burial Hill (source: findagrave.com) |
Edward’s
stone, the oldest on the Hill, is of dark, compact slate and has an iron hood
which protects the edges from water and frost. By its side is a wooden slab
bearing the legend, "The Grave of Edward Gray, June, 1681." The
inscription on the stone is as follows:--
Here
Lyeth ye Body
of
EDWARD GRAY
Gent Aged About
52
years & Departd
this
life ye Last of
 | |
| Old postcard of Burial Hill |
June
1681
Sources
Not Listed Above:
Robert Sherman, Mayflower Families, Volume
15: James Chilton, Richard Moore, 1997.
Eugene Stratton, History of Plymouth
Colony It's History and People, 1986
Theodore
Burbank, A Guide to Plymouth's Historic Old
Burial Hill, Salty Pilgrim Press, Millis,
MA, 2006
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