William Gray

[pflaagan]

I am trying to locate William Gray who was born near London around 1818 & died around 1852.  He married Harriet Pryor about 1838. At least two of his sons emigrated to the US in the late 1870s & eventually came to North Dakota. One of his sons (Reuben or Rhuben) married Sarah Richardson in 1867 & his son, Alfred, is my grandfather.

[Kazza]

Hello there,

I am sorry your posting has remained unanswered for so long.

If you can update us maybe we can help.  Have you made any progress with this family?

Kazza.

[pflaagan]

According to the 1881 British census, Rhuben Gray was born in Alconbury Weston, Huntingdon & was a publican & farmer. His dwelling is listed as Speed The Plough-Fen Public House, Woodwalton, Huntingdon. His children were: Alfred, Harriet, Susenah. Amelia Joseph,Mary Ann, Rueben, Kate, & Florence. Alfred married Alice Ann Carter & migrated to the US. They were my grandparents.

To my knowledge all of Alfred's siblings stayed in England.

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi there

Not sure if you have made any progess in the last month, but here's what I have found:

1871 census
Forty Foot Bridge, Ramsey Hunts
Rubin Gray head married 26 (the 6 is obscured but I think that's what it is) brickmaker born Alconbury Hunts
Sarah Gray wife 22 born Guyhirn Cambs (it's south of Wisbech)
Harriett Gray daughter 2 born Ramsey Hunts

The IGI has a member submission, so it should be taken with a large pinch of salt, and should be checked with the parish register (Huntingdon Record Office would send a photocopy of the page for around $10):

William Grey married Harriett Prior 2 Nov 1841 at Old Weston Hunts (Old Weston is 5 miles across the fields from Alconbury/Alconbury Weston where Reuben was said to be born)

It would be worth getting a copy of the register as it would state which parish he was from and give his father's name.

I can find no trace of any Priors or Grays in Old Weston or Alconbury Weston in the 1841 census.

As you say that William Gray died in 1852 you really need to find him in the 1851 census which is the first census to give the place of birth. Do you know where he was living in early 1851 - from the births of his other children if you have the details?

Do you know when Harriett Prior died? - I can't find her in the 1871 census index, or in Alconbury Weston in 1861.

Unfortunately Hunts is not well covered on the IGI, and scanned copies of censuses on CDRom are only just beginning to appear s it's not straightforward, but if you have further info I'll see what I can find. All is not lost though as there are a couple of avenues which can be pursued.

Kind regards

David

[pflaagan]

According to my information, William Gray was born about 1818 & christened in southoe Parish church. I do not have his birth certificate to prove this, but would like to know how to go about getting it.

Harriet Pryor (Prior) remarried after William died to William Oliver. She had two children by him. I have found her in the 1881 census living with her son, Alfred Gray, her husband, & three of her children.

Children of William & Harriet Gray that emigrated to the U.S - Amelia, George Pryor Gray, & William John Gray. The first son changed his name to Joe Taylor in order to get into the armed service, & his son supposedly emigrated to Canada. I have been searching both the 1841 & 1851 census for William Gray, but have had no luck, so far. Thanks for your interest.

[bedfordshire boy]

Southoe is a village in Huntingdonshire about 8 miles south of Alconbury, but is a long way – 60 miles- north of  London.

I have checked the 1841 census for Southoe and have found the following family:

Charles Gray 55 , Sarah Gray 45; William Gray 20; Thomas Gray 19; George Gray 15; Mary Gray 7, all described as agricultural labourers and all were born in Huntingdonshire.

The adult ages in the 1841 census were rounded down to the nearest five, so Charles would have been between 50 and 54, and William between 20 and 24, which fits with your information that he was born in 1818.

Birth certificates were not introduced until 1837 so the best you can get for William is a copy of the parish register in which his baptism was recorded. Southoe parish records are not on the IGI but the LDS has microfilmed copies of them which can be viewed at your nearest LDS family history centre (film# 1040751 for 1813 onwards, and # 1040750 for 1812 and earlier).

I’ll carry on looking in 1841 to see if I can find Harriett

Let me know if I can do anything further

David

[bedfordshire boy]

The info you provided about Harriett Prior's second marriage to William Oliver failed to mention that in 1881 she gave her birthplace as Winwick Hunts, born 1819. I couldn't see her in 1841 Winwick although there are other Priors including a 7 year old Harriett.
The baptism can be looked up on film # 1040731 at the LDS as Winwick is not on the IGI.

You seem to have answered our own original question;
William Gray was born in Southoe Hunts 1818
Harriett Prior was born in Winwick Hunts 1819