Capt.
James Gray 1749-1822
The
Gray Family. - Another family that was prominent in
town for many years, but leaves no male descendent bearing their
name, was that of Captain James Gray.
Mr. Gray was born in Newburyport, Mass., October 8, 1749. He came
to Epsom when nineteen years of age and was employed by the town
to teach school.
In July, 1769, he married Jane Wallace, who lived but a few years.
At the breaking out of the war Mr. Gray at once joined the American
forces and received a captain's commission in the First New Hampshire
Regiment.
As will be seen by the accompanying papers, he was appointed an
enlisting officer by Colonel Marshall, of Boston, and did valiant
service at Ticonderoga.
He married, for a second wife, Susannah Parsons, of Newbury, Mass.,
daughter of Rev. Moses Parsons and sister to Judge Theophilus
Parsons. About 1778 they moved to Epsom, bringing into town the
first chaise ever owned in that place.
They lived for several years in the house of the widow of Rev.
John Tucke, the first settled minister in town, which we understand
to have been where George W. Bacheldor now lives. They then moved
on to Sandborn's Hill, and owned and occupied the farm now owned
by Samuel Quimby. Afterwards they bought on the turnpike, on what
has ever since been known as "Gray's Hill."
He had a grist-mill on the Little Suncook River, near where the
mill of Horace Bickford now stands. He was a delegate to the Constitutional
Convention in 1788, and was also town clerk, selectman and representative.
His appointment or commission as coroner for the county of Rockingham,
dated December 25, 1784, signed by Mesheck Weare, President of
the State, is still in a good state of preservation, in the hands
of his daughter, Mrs. Susan M. G. Perkins.
He was a teacher of vocal music and for several years was church
chorister.
The mother of Mr. Gray was with him when he first came to town,
and she was employed as a school-teacher.
Moses Parsons Gray, the oldest son of James and Susannah Gray,
was born in Epsom June 29, 1779. When quite a small boy he went
to Byfield, Mass., to live with is Grandmother Parsons, with whom
he moved to Boston and attended school there. At the age of fifteen
years he became a clerk in a store for a short time, but soon
entered his uncle's employ as a sailor, that he might learn the
art of navigation. When he became of age, he took command of the
ship "Diana" and made several voyages to the West Indies
and other foreign ports, having, while following the sea, visited
Spain, Portugal and Russia.
When about thirty years of age, he returned to Epsom, where he
resided until his death, which occurred November 8, 1858. After
coming to Epsom he taught school in the Cilley District and also
in the Centre District.
While in Boston, after he had left school, he employed his spare
moments in the study of surveying, which art he was very frequently
called upon to practice while in Epsom, there being hardly a division
line in the town but what he was acquainted with, and he was often
called to other towns in the capacity of a surveyor. A plan of
the town drawn by him is now in the possession of the town.
Although he never studied law, yet his reading and his intercourse
with his uncle, Chief Justice Parsons, made him familiar with
much that pertained to the profession, so that he was often called
upon to assist in the settlement of disputes.
While he was hardly ever elected to any office by the town, yet
he very frequently assisted those who were elected, and his peculiar
handwriting can be found in several places upon the records.
Theodore Parsons Gray, born August 8, 1781, followed the sea,
and was killed by falling from aloft to the main-deck, September
20, 1796, and was buried in "that vast cemetery where there
are no monuments."
Katharine L. Gray, born February 19, 1783, married Dr. John Proctor,
and lived in Epsom, where he died in June, 1837. She died in Georgetown,
Mass., March, 1854. They left no children.
Lucretia B. Gray, born May 5, 1785, married William Brown and
lived in Epsom, where she died May 11, 1875, leaving one son and
two daughters, one of whom, Mrs. Susan E. P. Forbes, has recently
purchased "Fatherland Farm," the old Parsons homestead,
at Byfield, Mass., where she spends her summers.
James H. Gray, born June 29, 1787, was also a sailor, and died
when but twenty-three years of age, upon an island off the coast
of Florida.
Judith Parsons Gray, born March 12, 1789, married John Rand, of
Epsom.
Of the eight children born to them, only one had died, - James
G., who died December, 1850.
The following found among the well preserved papers of the late
Captain James Gray, we deem of sufficient interest to be given
a place in the history of Epsom:
Letter from Captain Gray to his wife.
"CHARLESTOWN (No. 4), May 18th, 1777.
"My Dear Susie: As I would not, if possible, let any opportunity
of writing to you pass unnoticed, therefore I embrace the present
by the post to Exeter, viz. : Mr. Waldo. I arrived here last Tuesday
at night, as you will find by my Journal, transmitted to your
Father; but it was attended with some difficulty, the roads being
so excessively miry and my horse taken sick that I was obliged
to walk a considerable part of the way ; but at present am very
well. I expect on Tuesday next to take my departure for Ticonderoga,
to put my baggage upon my horse & travel through the woods,
which journey is eighty miles from here. When I left Exeter I
forgot my Coffe pot and thought not of it until I got to Keene,
so that I am now at a loss how to make use of my coffee. Since
I came here I have heard from my Brother, by Mr. Tucker, who left
him about a fortnight since in good health and high spirits. Capt.
McClary has been very ill here, but has marched since through
the woods.
"My Love and duty to the family. The reason of my putting
my Baggage upon my horse or going on foot is because the wagon
cannot get through the woods."
Letter from Captain
James Gray to his father-in-law, the original being in the possession
of his granddaughter, Mrs. A. W. Perkins, of Chichester.
"TICONDEROGA, June 26, 1777.
"Hon. Sir: The last letter which I sent you by Col. Little
I hope came safe to hand. I have now the pleasure, by Dr. Conner,
of Exeter, to write a second. The Wednesday after the date of
my first I set of from No. 4 for Ticonderoga. Our wagon not being
able to carry our Baggage through the woods, I was obliged to
load mine upon my horse and venture my body upon my Legs through
to my Journey's end, which, perhaps, may be said to be no small
risqué. However, after a tedious Journey, I arrived at
Ticonderoga, distance from No. 4 eighty miles, the 28th of May.
Nothing worthy of observation has occurred to me since I cam e
into Camp until the 17th instant, at which time the Camp at Ticonderoga
was alarmed by the report of small arms at about half a mile distant
from the Line, in the woods, which proved to be a party of Indians,
about thirty in number, which lay in ambush for us and had then
fired upon some of our men as they were returning from duty into
Camp, three of which were killed and one carried off by the Savages,
upon which a scouting-party was immediately sent in pursuit of
them; but so precipitate was their retreat that we could not overtake
them; but in their hurry to Crown Point they were met by a party
of Rangers, eleven in number, who readily gave them fire. The
Indians returned the same, upon which three or four rounds were
exchanged, when the Commander of the party of Rangers, Lieut.
Little, received a wound in the arm & was obliged to retreat
with the loss of three men. The next day a scouting-party came
upon the same grounds, where they found one Indian dead and took
another who could not keep up with his party; him they brought
into Camp and now have him confined.
"Sir: If I am not to tedious, I would observe that those
four men who were killed and taken belonged to one Company and
one mess, and the fifth, who was the only one left of the mess,
was the next day standing with his gun loaded in his hands, leaning
his chin upon the muzzle of his gun, when it went off, as he was
talking with is Brother, and drove the whole charge through his
head, dashing his brains through the side of the house by which
they were standing.
"I have just received news from Ticonderoga that the British
Troops are landed at Crown Point; this I believe to be depended
upon as a fact, so that we are now preparing for Battle.
"Gen. St. Clair has the Command of the Troops in this department.
We have fit for duty about 3000 men and about 1000 unfit for duty,
by reason of disorders that are incident to Camp life.
"The 18th I was ordered, with my Company, to take command
of this post, where we are to keep Garrison within the stockade.
How long we shall remain here I can't say. I will endeavor to
write again by the post who goes and comes through this Garrison.
"A letter, sir, would be very acceptable.
"My Duty and respects to all.
"Your Son,
"JAMES GRAY.
"REV. MOSES PARSONS, Newbury Falls.
"To be left at Mr. Davenport's Tavern."
Upon the bank of an
old document, headed "return of the 3d New Hampshire Regiment
of Foot, in the service of the United States, commanded by Col.
Alexander Scannel, Ticonderoga, June 28, 1777," in which
Captains Gray and McClary, of this town, were reported as on duty,
the former with thirty-nine men and the latter with forty-nine,
is found the following in Captian Gray's beautiful writing:
"Sunday, 6th July
1777, - Retreated from Sheensboro' & lost all my money, Baggage,
&c. Lodged in the woods at Night.
"Monday, 7th, - Got into Fort Ann at 6 in ye morning; everything
in the utmost confusion; nothing to eat. At 11 o'clock A.M. was
ordered to take the Command of a party upon a scout and marched
with 150 men besides 17 Rangers; had not marched from Garrison
into the woods more than half a mile, after detaching my front,
Rear and flanking Guards, when we met with a party of Regulars
and gave them fire, which was Returned by the enemy, who then
gave back. I then pursued them with close fire till they betook
themselves to the top of a mountain. At the foot of this mountain
we posted our selves and continued our fire until 6 P.M., when
a reinforcement of 150 more joined me; but night approaching obliged
me to return with my party to Garrison, after finding one of my
party killed and 3 wounded, and three of the enemy killed by our
first fire.
"Tuesday Morning, 8th, - Myself, with Capt. Hutchins, with
the same number of men, marched to the aforesaid mountain and
attacked the enemy very warmly. The engagement lasted about 2
hours, at which time the Commander of yo Garrison sent Colo. Ransleur
with a small party of militia to reinforce us. We then advanced
(firing) up the hill, where we found the enemy's surgeon dressing
a Capts Leg. Those, with two of their wounded soldiers, we took
and sent in, and a number of our own people, men & women,
who were the day before cut off by the enemy, we retook. At last,
finding out ammunition gone and none to be had in Garrison, ordered
off my wounded and some of the dead, and formed a retreat. Much
fatigued when I returned and found no refreshments, neither meat
or drink; immediately a Council was called and the prisoners who
were retaken brot upon examination, who gave information that
an express just arrived before we made this second attack and
gave the enemy intelligence that a reinforcement of 2000, with
Indians, were near at hand to join them, at which time they were
to make a general attack upon us. It was then determined upon
to retreat to fort Edward, after setting fire the Garrison. Accordingly,
the wounded were sent off, except one, who was one of my own Company;
him the Surgeon thot proper not to order off, that he would soon
expire, or that if he was likely to live, the enemy, when they
took possession, would take care of him. This I knew not of till
we were ordered to march, at which time I turned back alone (my
Company being gone) to the rear of the Army, where I found him.
I then picked up a tent & fastened it between two poles, laid
him upon it, and hired four soldiers to carry him. I took their
four guns with my own and carried them to fort Edward; this was
about 3 o'clock P.M.; rained very hard; distance from fort Ann
to Fort Edward, 14 miles; arrived at Fort Edward at 10 in the
Evening; no Barracks nor Tents to go into; therefore laid down
in the rain and slept upon the ground; the fatigue of this day
I believe I shall always remember.
"Colo Ransleur, wounded; Capt Weare, wounded; Ensign Walcutt,
killed; Isaac Davis, a sergeant in my company, killed. Our loss
is the two skirmishes about 15; the Enemy's unknown.
"Wednesdy 9th, - I found my self very much indisposed, having
no cloths to shift myself with & nothing to eat or drink,
but walking about to make myself warm. Upon parade I met Capt.
Peters (a Dutchman), a gentleman I never had seen but once before;
he seeing me in my helpless situation took me to his tent, gave
me a dram, then ordered some warm breakfast for me. Here I refreshed.
He then procured barracks for my Company and furnished with Blankets
to lodge on. I then sent my wounded men off to Albany. Applied
for kettles for my Compy, but in vain; obliged to mix our flour
in our hats and bake it upon Chips before the fire and broil our
salt beef upon the coals.
"Thur. 10th, - Confined to my barrack; sent for a Doctor
- none could attend - no appetite to food.
"Frid. 11, - Applied by an officer to Gen. Schuyler to go
down the river to recruit my health; could not obtain it.
"Sat. 12th, - Gens St. Clair, Poor, Patterson & Termo
arrived. Gen. Nixon's Brigade marched into camp in the Evening.
Gen1 Poor, having heard that I was sick, came with Colo Long &
Maj. McClintock to see me and gave me liberty to go to Saratoga
to recruit.
"Sun. 13th, - Set off on horseback and rode to Fort Miller,
where I met with Col. Scammell, then proceeded to Saratoga, but
the inhabitants being alarmed by the Tories, who every night were
plundering houses, were moving off; therefore, I was obliged to
ride until 12 at night before I could get a lodging. Lodged at
Mr. Van Vaiters.
"Mondy 14th, - Set off and well to Still Watter; could get
no entertainment; rode to 'Half-Moon.'"
Upon the above return
is the following:
"BILL OF LOSS.
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