John Gray 1661-1732 and His Wife Joanna Morton

 John Gray was born Plymouth 1 Oct 1661 son of Edward and Mary (Winslow) Gray (Plymouth VR p 663). He was the grandson of Mayflower passenger Mary Chilton. I wrote about his parents here.

John married Joanna Morton at Plymouth 9 Dec 1686 (Plymouth VR p 85). She was born about 1667 at Plymouth, the daughter of Ephraim and Ann (Cooper) Morton. Ephraim’s water damaged will does not mention a daughter Joanna, but Robert Sherman in Mayflower Families 15:37 states that John Gray married the daughter of Ephraim and Ann (Cooper) Morton and explains that although Joanna is not mentioned in Ephraim's will, the 1709 will of Nathaniel Morton (Ephraim's son) names Ann Gray, the daughter of his sister Joanna Gray. 

Births of children of John and Joanah Gray are listed in Plymouth VR p 5-6:
Edward  born 21 Sep 1687;  died 20 Feb 1688

Mary born 7 Dec 1688; who died at age 14 on 17 Mar 1703

Anne born 5 Aug 1691; m. John Tinkham; died Plymouth 30 Dec 1714 at age 39

Desire born 1 Dec 1693; died 6 Dec 1695 at age 2

Joannah born 29 Jan 1696; m. Ebenezer Fuller; died 25 Sep 1776 at age 80

Samuel born 23 Dec 1702; m. Patience Wadsworth 

Mercy born 4 Feb 1704; m. Jabez Fuller; died in 1733 at age 78

I descend from Anne who I wrote about here.

John Gray received a large amount of land from his father Edward Gray’s March 1682/3 estate settlement as the eldest son. John chose the house and land where his father lived, contained in the two deeds of John Cooke and Francis Combe given and delivered to his father, with those small additions of land which were granted by the town of Plymouth to his father, and also two shares and a half of Punckaeest (sp?) land, being about 28 acres. 

I’m not sure if these appointments are this John or another of the same name: 

John Gray was named surveyor of highways in Plymouth in 1690. 

In 1691 John Gray was appointed constable of Plymouth. 

I assume the John Gray of Plymouth who was brought before court multiple times for drinking was a different John Gray. The John Gray that is the subject of this sketch was the son of the wealthiest man in the Colony and a large landholder himself. Also there is never any mention of this John Gray being of Kingston and when John Gray died, he is referred to with the honorific of “Mr.” which wouldn’t be applied to a known problem drinker. 

• Plymouth Court March 1688/89, John Gray was fined 5 shillings for being drunk, the fine going to help the poor.
• Plymouth Court September 1700, a John Gray of Plymouth was at court for being drunk; charges couldn’t be proven so were dismissed. 
• Plymouth Court, June 1704, John Gray fined 5 shillings for drunkenness, to go toward helping the poor. 

Again, not certain if the John Gray below is the one of this sketch. His father Edward was once himself in court for outspokenness. 

• Plymouth Court, September 1692, John Gray of Plymouth was fined 20 shillings and court costs for cursing, swearing and Breaking the peace and rayling against Mr. Cotton.” Cotton was the minister. 
• Plymouth Court December 1699, John Gray was presented for “reviling and rayling speeches against Major William Bradford and Mr. Ephraim Little, minister of Plimoth,” bound by recognizance to appear next term. 
• Plymouth Court June 1703, John Gray of Plymouth presented for profane swearing. Found guilty by jury and was bound, ordered to pay court fees and costs, and stand committed. 
• Plymouth Court June 1717, Samuel Fuller v. John Gray for defamation. Defendant pleaded in abatement. 

John Gray wrote his will on 23 September 1728 at Kingston. He mentions his wife Johannah, son Samuel Gray, son-in-law John Tincom, daughter Johanah Fuller, daughter Mercy Gray, daughter Ann Tincom. His will was probated 27 July 1732.

He left his wife Johannah the use, improvement and income of all his lands which he did not dispose of by gift and his best bed and furniture for it. Also 1/4 of the hay that son Samuel will cut.

 

He had already gifted son Samuel land by deed, but requested him all his lands, meadows, buildings and real estate not already gifted, after the decease of Johannah. Also all his wearing clothes and his gun and sword, a silver spoon, a bed and furniture (the bed he already has in his possession).

Samuel was to make sure John's daughter Marcy was paid what is due to the estate (30 pounds) by bond from his son-in-law John Tincom. He was also to allow daughters Marcy Gray and Johanah Fuller to pass over the land left to him. 

Also to Marcy above what he had already deeded her as a gift: a bed, bolster bedstead, suit of curtains, two pairs of sheets, a pair of blankets, two curtains, two pillows and curtain rods, two cows, chest of drawers, two black chairs, six common chairs, a pair of tongs and fire slice, a spit, trammel, small iron kettle, iron skillet, and a silver spoon. 

The rest of his personal estate: one third to wife, one third to be equally divided by three daughters Anne Tincom, Johanah Fuller, Marcy Gray, and all the remainder to son Samuel Gray, together with his pew at the meeting house in Kingston. Samuel was appointed executor. Witnesses: Thomas Croade, David Sturtevant, Jonathan Sturtevant. 

The inventory was taken at Kingston 7 Aug 1732 and included house and land worth 350 pounds; personal estate worth 211 pounds, 1 shilling, 4 pence. 

On 28 Sept 1689, John Gray of Plymouth two shares of land in the Puncateast Outlet in Little Compton in Bristol Co., deeded to Edward Gray. Nathaniel Southworth was a witness. (Note: Edward is John's half-brother.) (Mayflower Descendant, vol 34, 1937)

Mr. John Gray died Kingston 29 May 1732 at age 70. (Copy of Kingston’s First Book of Records, p. 36) He is buried at Kington's Old Burying Ground. 

Joanna died three months after her husband on 23 Aug 1732 at Kingston. She was about 65 years of age. 

Sources Not Included Above: 

Mayflower Descendant, Vol 21, page 62-64 (1919), transcription of John Gray’s will 

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

Mayflower Deeds and Probates 1600-1850, p. 145, available on ancestry.com, Edward Gray’s probate

Richard Sherman, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: James Chilton and Richard More, Volume 15, 1997