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Below is a family biography included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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GRAY, W. S., Principal of the school at Coatsburg; was born in Adams county, Ill., Feb. 15, 1853. He attended the district school until he was eighteen years old; afterward attended at Camp Point and Abbingdon College; remembers the first school was in a log house, 20x24; for benches took slabs and bored four holes in them, and put in legs; seats for writing-desks were made up against the wall, where the scholars had to take turns. Richard Gray, his father, was born on the Isle of Wight, Jan. 27, 1815; came to this country in the fall of 1828. He owns 170 acres of land, valued at $10,000; married for his first wife Miss Sarah Hart. She was born in Ohio. They have two living children, Maria and Albert H. For his second wife, he married Miss Elizabeth Kay. She was born in Kentucky, July 14, 1819. They have four children: Zachariah T., Richard M., Wm. Scott, and George H. He held the office of Assessor, etc.; came to Adams county in 1836, and can be claimed as one of its pioneers. They are members of the M. E. church.

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This family biography is one of 1444 biographies included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Adams County, Illinois

View additional Adams County, Illinois family biographies here: Adams County, Illinois Biographies

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