Hi Gypsydescendant,
I did wonder about your William Elias Gray. But it looks like he is too young to be this Elias. Could Elias be his father though? He would have been born before the marriage, Though Sophia would be rather too young to be his mother, assuming her age is correct. Maybe Elias married before though.
The marriage of Sophia Smith and Elias Gray is in Wisbech (Lincolnshire) March Quarter 1842. I haven't got the certificate yet to check it, but it fits. On Abigail and JOhn's marriage certificate Elias Gray is down as Abigails father 'Licensed Hawker' deceased.
I think he must have died quite early on, as I haven't managed to find Elias generally, but I do have Sophia, as a widow, on the census. The last one has her with Abigail and John Harris. My transcriptions as follows:
1891, Sophia is with her daughter Abigail:
RG 12/1513/23, Sall, Norfolk, Haydon Old Lane Van and tents
John Harris, Abigail Harris, 4 children and 'Sophia GRAY, mother-in-law, Widow, 65yrs, b Cambridgehsire.
In 1871 she is a 'widow' and is in Cambridgshire RG10/1609/108/pg 26 travelling with Abigail aged22 and a son Daria? aged 26.
The earliest I can find them so far is in 1861 RG9/960/94 pg 24, in Bythorn, Huntingdonshire where she is a widow and has in addition to Abigail : Golias, 19yrs, Mandos? son 15yrs, and Walter Gray who is a cousin.
(thanks to Rootschatters who pointed me towards some of these entries)
At a guess, as Abigail is the youngest at 12, Elias must have died no more than 12 years previously.
Cheers
Cindy