Posted By:April Hoover
Email:
Subject:Re: SEARCH FOR OLIVER GRAY
Post Date:May 08, 2003 at 22:31:21
Message URL:http://genforum.genealogy.com/ar/dallas/messages/106.html
Forum:Dallas County, AR Genealogy Forum
Forum URL:http://genforum.genealogy.com/ar/dallas/

Prof. Oliver Crosby Gray, A. M., LL.D., was born in Lincoln County,
Me., December 30, 1832, the son of Dr. Peter T. Gray and grandson of
Rev. Thomas Gray, who was a clergyman of the Unitarian Church, and who
spent a long, useful life in his ministerial work in Maine and
Massachusetts. Dr. Peter T. Gray was a native of Massachusetts, a
graduate of the medical department of Cambridge University, and an
eminent physician of Jefferson, Me. His wife, Elizabeth (Kennedy)
Gray, was a lady of unusual attainments, and the daughter of Nathaniel
Kennedy, a worthy citizen of Waldoborough, Me., who dated his ancestry
back to early Scotch-Irish settlers in that State. Prof. Oliver C.
Gray was the eldest of a family of three sons: Thomas K. is a druggist
at Minneapolis, Minn., and a man of wealth, and John D. is a druggist
of Stockton, Cal. The boyhood days of Prof. Gray were spent in his
native State, and in 1849 he entered Waterville (Me.) Classical
Institute, where he spent two years in a preparatory course. In
August, 1851, he entered Colby University, graduating with the class
of 1855 in a thorough literary and classical course, taking his A. B.
After graduating he went to Minneapolis, where he had charge of the
public [p.945] schools, and was the first superintendent of those
schools. He remained here two years, and then spent two years as
principal of the Monticello Academy, of Wright County, Minn. After
this he was located for one year at Princeton, and took charge of the
female academy in Dallas County, Ark., but the breaking out of the war
caused him to leave his charge at that place and accept a responsible
position in the Confederate army. After the war he resumed his labors
at Princeton, and there remained two years, after which he accepted
the position of professor of mathematics in St. John's College, Little
Rock, Ark. Here he remained seven years, and was president of the
college the last three years of his stay, resigning his position to
accept the position of professor of mathematics in the A. I. U., which
position he held until 1885. During the seven years in St. John's and
eight and a half years in the A. I. U., he served as commandant of
cadets, and this, including four years in the war, makes a total of
nineteen and one-half years in military service. In 1886 Prof. Gray
was placed in charge of the public schools of Fayetteville, and held
the superintendency until May. 1888. During his incumbency of St.
John's College, in 1869, he was made M. A. by his Alma Mater, and in
1884 he had the degree of Doctor of Laws conferred upon him by that
university. He was elected to the office of mayor of Fayetteville, and filled the position from 1886 to 1888. He was married in Cushing, Me., to Miss Virginia L. Davis, a lady of education and refinement, who died in full communion with the faith of the Presbyterian Church. She had been a teacher of art in the A. I. U. for several years, and died in 1886, leaving a son and daughter: Carl R., a young man of unusually good business qualities, who is now holding the responsible position of commercial agent of the Frisco Railroad, with headquarters at Wichita, Kas., and Ethel, a student of the LewisAcademy at Wichita, Kas. Prof. Gray is a charter member of Frontier Lodge 1626, K. of H., and was representative to the Grand Lodge this year. He is a Mason, Knighted in Hugh De Payne Commandery. Little Rock, Ark., made in Princeton Lodge No. 16, Princeton, Ark., and to the thirtieth degree of the Ancient Scottish Rite at Little Rock in 1872. In July, 1888, he
was re-elected to his old chair of mathematics in the A. I. U., which
position he now holds.

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