Born near Brookfield, Connecticut on December 15, 1802, Curtis Gray at the age of 16 learned the tanner's trade. He was listed in the 1840 census for Calhoun County. In 1850 he and his family were residing in Grand Rapids.
They came to Grand Haven in 1852, when Curtis went to work al Clark B. Albee's tannery for the next three years. From 1855 10 1863 he was County Sheriff and later Deputy U.S. Marshall. By 1870 he was once again a tanner. Curtis also was County Coroner for more than 20 years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley.
Living with him in Grand Rapids in 1850 were Emily Gray, who was born in Massachusetts about 1820; Edgar L. Gray, who was born about 1832 and became a prominent attorney in Newaygo; and Jane Esther, who was born in October, 1834, and married William Wallace of Grand Haven. Edgar and Jane were born in New York.
On January 4, 1860, in Kent County. Curtis married Louisa M. [Mary L.] Raymond, a widow and native of Montreal, Canada [New York]. Louisa lived from 1815 to November 19, 1894. In 1880 she was a milliner and dressmaker in Grand Haven. Louisa had several children by an earlier marriage: Euphemia, who was born on October 8, 1835 and married Lewis Bon of Grand Haven; Mrs. Lesperance of Muskegon; Mrs. Roberts of Denver; and Benjamin F. Raymond, who was born about 1846 and lived in Grand Rapids. Curtis died in Grand Haven on March 8, 1893 and was buried at Lake Forest Cemetery, as was Louisa.
______________________
PASSENGER ON FULTON’S STEAMER
C. W. Gray, of Grand Haven, Had That Honor When He Was Five Years Old
The Grand Haven correspondent of the Detroit News writes as follows to that paper:
Curtis W. Gray, of Grand Haven, has seen much more of this world than it falls to the average lot if man to see,
He was born in Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 10, 1802, and on Aug. 6, 1807, in company with his father, he rode from Albany to New York on Robert Fulton's first steamboat, Clermont, on her first trip down the Hudson. It took the Clermont just 80 hours to make the run-five miles an hour. Mr. Gray has since been over the same route in but 6 hours.
He was upon the first passenger train that ran Into Albany from Schenectady. At Albany the train could not make the grade into town and the coach was drawn up by means of a double track and a carload of stone. The car of stone ran down one track and pulled the passenger coach up the other. He learned the trade of tanner and currier at Pittsfield, Mass, in 1821. He and his wife, two children, and his father and mother came to Michigan and settled in the woods a couple of miles from Battle Creek on May 24,1887. In1840, he walked down to the town and voted for Grandpa Harrison. A little later, that same fall; his wife, father and mother all died within two or three weeks.
He came to Grand Rapids in1841 and to Grand Haven a few years later, where he entered the employ of C. B. Albee, Isaac Capon, for many years of the firm of Capon & Birch, tanners, and one of the most prominent capitalists of Hudland, finished his apprenticeship at Albee’s tannery. He has two children living, Mrs. William Wallace, of Grand Haven, and Edgar L. Gary, the well-known Newaygo lawyer and wealthy lumberman.
When over 60 years of age Mr. Gray was elected one or the coroners of Ottawa County, and held the office 25 consecutive years. He worried through a severe attack of the grippe a couple of years ago, and yet, aside from a slightly defective memory, his physical and mental condition is as good as that of the average man of 65.
__________________
The Evening Tribune Grand Haven, Mich. March 1893
March 6
Mr. Curtis Gray, who has been lying at the point of death for several days, was this afternoon still alive, though very low.
March 7
The condition of Mr. Curtis W. Gray is about the same today as yesterday. He is very low and death can be expected at any minute.
March 8
DEATH OF CURTIS W. GRAY.
One of the Oldest Citizens of Ottawa County.
Mr. Curtis W. Gray departed this life at an early hour this morning after a short illness. He was taken with a cold only a few days ago, which developed into grippe (influenza), resulting in his death.
Mr. Gray was born near Brookfield, Connecticut, in Fairfield Co., on Dec. 15, 1802. When still a boy of only five or six years of age, his father moved to Troy, New York. The trip was made by wagon and Mr. Gray still vividly remembered how when fording the broad Housatonic river, the water crept into the wagon box, wetting the straw on which the family lay. His father engaged in lumbering in Troy and when Curtis was 16 years of age he proceeded to learn the tanner’s trade.
In 1837 he came to this state, settling first in Battle Creek. Six years later he moved again, this time to Grand Rapids. In 1852 he came to Grand Haven and continued to reside here ever since. During his first three years of residence here, Mr. Gray worked in the C. B. Albee’s tannery, then one of the principal manufacturing institutions of the city.
Mr. Gray took and important part in Ottawa county public affairs in those years and in 1856 became sheriff of the county. The sheriff’s position was by no means an easy one then as Ottawa county contained a large number of disorderly ruffians of the backwoods period. Mr. Gray was sheriff eight years.
He also has been Deputy U. S. Marshal for a long term of years and in the office which people of the present knew him best, that of Coroner he served over 20 years.
Mr. Gray was first married when 26 years of age and had two children. Mrs. William Wallace of this city and E. L. Gray, a prominent attorney of Newaygo. He married his present wife 35 years ago. Mrs. Gray is herself nearly 80 years of age.
Mr. Gray despite his years has been around up to within a few days of his death. The neighbors have often thought it remarkable to see him leap the fence around his house. He retained his mental faculties up to his last sickness.
Mr. Gray celebrated his 90th birthday last December at which a large number of his old friends were present. He was as lively and as cheerful as a majority of men of middle age.
Mr. Gray was a member of sixteen years standing of the Presbyterian church, to which a majority of the old pioneers belonged.
He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley. Although far past the age of three score and ten, regrets are heard on every side of the death of the kindly old gentleman.
Funeral tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the residence.
They came to Grand Haven in 1852, when Curtis went to work al Clark B. Albee's tannery for the next three years. From 1855 10 1863 he was County Sheriff and later Deputy U.S. Marshall. By 1870 he was once again a tanner. Curtis also was County Coroner for more than 20 years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley.
Living with him in Grand Rapids in 1850 were Emily Gray, who was born in Massachusetts about 1820; Edgar L. Gray, who was born about 1832 and became a prominent attorney in Newaygo; and Jane Esther, who was born in October, 1834, and married William Wallace of Grand Haven. Edgar and Jane were born in New York.
On January 4, 1860, in Kent County. Curtis married Louisa M. [Mary L.] Raymond, a widow and native of Montreal, Canada [New York]. Louisa lived from 1815 to November 19, 1894. In 1880 she was a milliner and dressmaker in Grand Haven. Louisa had several children by an earlier marriage: Euphemia, who was born on October 8, 1835 and married Lewis Bon of Grand Haven; Mrs. Lesperance of Muskegon; Mrs. Roberts of Denver; and Benjamin F. Raymond, who was born about 1846 and lived in Grand Rapids. Curtis died in Grand Haven on March 8, 1893 and was buried at Lake Forest Cemetery, as was Louisa.
______________________
PASSENGER ON FULTON’S STEAMER
C. W. Gray, of Grand Haven, Had That Honor When He Was Five Years Old
The Grand Haven correspondent of the Detroit News writes as follows to that paper:
Curtis W. Gray, of Grand Haven, has seen much more of this world than it falls to the average lot if man to see,
He was born in Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 10, 1802, and on Aug. 6, 1807, in company with his father, he rode from Albany to New York on Robert Fulton's first steamboat, Clermont, on her first trip down the Hudson. It took the Clermont just 80 hours to make the run-five miles an hour. Mr. Gray has since been over the same route in but 6 hours.
He was upon the first passenger train that ran Into Albany from Schenectady. At Albany the train could not make the grade into town and the coach was drawn up by means of a double track and a carload of stone. The car of stone ran down one track and pulled the passenger coach up the other. He learned the trade of tanner and currier at Pittsfield, Mass, in 1821. He and his wife, two children, and his father and mother came to Michigan and settled in the woods a couple of miles from Battle Creek on May 24,1887. In1840, he walked down to the town and voted for Grandpa Harrison. A little later, that same fall; his wife, father and mother all died within two or three weeks.
He came to Grand Rapids in1841 and to Grand Haven a few years later, where he entered the employ of C. B. Albee, Isaac Capon, for many years of the firm of Capon & Birch, tanners, and one of the most prominent capitalists of Hudland, finished his apprenticeship at Albee’s tannery. He has two children living, Mrs. William Wallace, of Grand Haven, and Edgar L. Gary, the well-known Newaygo lawyer and wealthy lumberman.
When over 60 years of age Mr. Gray was elected one or the coroners of Ottawa County, and held the office 25 consecutive years. He worried through a severe attack of the grippe a couple of years ago, and yet, aside from a slightly defective memory, his physical and mental condition is as good as that of the average man of 65.
__________________
The Evening Tribune Grand Haven, Mich. March 1893
March 6
Mr. Curtis Gray, who has been lying at the point of death for several days, was this afternoon still alive, though very low.
March 7
The condition of Mr. Curtis W. Gray is about the same today as yesterday. He is very low and death can be expected at any minute.
March 8
DEATH OF CURTIS W. GRAY.
One of the Oldest Citizens of Ottawa County.
Mr. Curtis W. Gray departed this life at an early hour this morning after a short illness. He was taken with a cold only a few days ago, which developed into grippe (influenza), resulting in his death.
Mr. Gray was born near Brookfield, Connecticut, in Fairfield Co., on Dec. 15, 1802. When still a boy of only five or six years of age, his father moved to Troy, New York. The trip was made by wagon and Mr. Gray still vividly remembered how when fording the broad Housatonic river, the water crept into the wagon box, wetting the straw on which the family lay. His father engaged in lumbering in Troy and when Curtis was 16 years of age he proceeded to learn the tanner’s trade.
In 1837 he came to this state, settling first in Battle Creek. Six years later he moved again, this time to Grand Rapids. In 1852 he came to Grand Haven and continued to reside here ever since. During his first three years of residence here, Mr. Gray worked in the C. B. Albee’s tannery, then one of the principal manufacturing institutions of the city.
Mr. Gray took and important part in Ottawa county public affairs in those years and in 1856 became sheriff of the county. The sheriff’s position was by no means an easy one then as Ottawa county contained a large number of disorderly ruffians of the backwoods period. Mr. Gray was sheriff eight years.
He also has been Deputy U. S. Marshal for a long term of years and in the office which people of the present knew him best, that of Coroner he served over 20 years.
Mr. Gray was first married when 26 years of age and had two children. Mrs. William Wallace of this city and E. L. Gray, a prominent attorney of Newaygo. He married his present wife 35 years ago. Mrs. Gray is herself nearly 80 years of age.
Mr. Gray despite his years has been around up to within a few days of his death. The neighbors have often thought it remarkable to see him leap the fence around his house. He retained his mental faculties up to his last sickness.
Mr. Gray celebrated his 90th birthday last December at which a large number of his old friends were present. He was as lively and as cheerful as a majority of men of middle age.
Mr. Gray was a member of sixteen years standing of the Presbyterian church, to which a majority of the old pioneers belonged.
He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley. Although far past the age of three score and ten, regrets are heard on every side of the death of the kindly old gentleman.
Funeral tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the residence.
Born near Brookfield, Connecticut on December 15, 1802, Curtis Gray at the age of 16 learned the tanner's trade. He was listed in the 1840 census for Calhoun County. In 1850 he and his family were residing in Grand Rapids.
They came to Grand Haven in 1852, when Curtis went to work al Clark B. Albee's tannery for the next three years. From 1855 10 1863 he was County Sheriff and later Deputy U.S. Marshall. By 1870 he was once again a tanner. Curtis also was County Coroner for more than 20 years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley.
Living with him in Grand Rapids in 1850 were Emily Gray, who was born in Massachusetts about 1820; Edgar L. Gray, who was born about 1832 and became a prominent attorney in Newaygo; and Jane Esther, who was born in October, 1834, and married William Wallace of Grand Haven. Edgar and Jane were born in New York.
On January 4, 1860, in Kent County. Curtis married Louisa M. [Mary L.] Raymond, a widow and native of Montreal, Canada [New York]. Louisa lived from 1815 to November 19, 1894. In 1880 she was a milliner and dressmaker in Grand Haven. Louisa had several children by an earlier marriage: Euphemia, who was born on October 8, 1835 and married Lewis Bon of Grand Haven; Mrs. Lesperance of Muskegon; Mrs. Roberts of Denver; and Benjamin F. Raymond, who was born about 1846 and lived in Grand Rapids. Curtis died in Grand Haven on March 8, 1893 and was buried at Lake Forest Cemetery, as was Louisa.
______________________
PASSENGER ON FULTON’S STEAMER
C. W. Gray, of Grand Haven, Had That Honor When He Was Five Years Old
The Grand Haven correspondent of the Detroit News writes as follows to that paper:
Curtis W. Gray, of Grand Haven, has seen much more of this world than it falls to the average lot if man to see,
He was born in Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 10, 1802, and on Aug. 6, 1807, in company with his father, he rode from Albany to New York on Robert Fulton's first steamboat, Clermont, on her first trip down the Hudson. It took the Clermont just 80 hours to make the run-five miles an hour. Mr. Gray has since been over the same route in but 6 hours.
He was upon the first passenger train that ran Into Albany from Schenectady. At Albany the train could not make the grade into town and the coach was drawn up by means of a double track and a carload of stone. The car of stone ran down one track and pulled the passenger coach up the other. He learned the trade of tanner and currier at Pittsfield, Mass, in 1821. He and his wife, two children, and his father and mother came to Michigan and settled in the woods a couple of miles from Battle Creek on May 24,1887. In1840, he walked down to the town and voted for Grandpa Harrison. A little later, that same fall; his wife, father and mother all died within two or three weeks.
He came to Grand Rapids in1841 and to Grand Haven a few years later, where he entered the employ of C. B. Albee, Isaac Capon, for many years of the firm of Capon & Birch, tanners, and one of the most prominent capitalists of Hudland, finished his apprenticeship at Albee’s tannery. He has two children living, Mrs. William Wallace, of Grand Haven, and Edgar L. Gary, the well-known Newaygo lawyer and wealthy lumberman.
When over 60 years of age Mr. Gray was elected one or the coroners of Ottawa County, and held the office 25 consecutive years. He worried through a severe attack of the grippe a couple of years ago, and yet, aside from a slightly defective memory, his physical and mental condition is as good as that of the average man of 65.
__________________
The Evening Tribune Grand Haven, Mich. March 1893
March 6
Mr. Curtis Gray, who has been lying at the point of death for several days, was this afternoon still alive, though very low.
March 7
The condition of Mr. Curtis W. Gray is about the same today as yesterday. He is very low and death can be expected at any minute.
March 8
DEATH OF CURTIS W. GRAY.
One of the Oldest Citizens of Ottawa County.
Mr. Curtis W. Gray departed this life at an early hour this morning after a short illness. He was taken with a cold only a few days ago, which developed into grippe (influenza), resulting in his death.
Mr. Gray was born near Brookfield, Connecticut, in Fairfield Co., on Dec. 15, 1802. When still a boy of only five or six years of age, his father moved to Troy, New York. The trip was made by wagon and Mr. Gray still vividly remembered how when fording the broad Housatonic river, the water crept into the wagon box, wetting the straw on which the family lay. His father engaged in lumbering in Troy and when Curtis was 16 years of age he proceeded to learn the tanner’s trade.
In 1837 he came to this state, settling first in Battle Creek. Six years later he moved again, this time to Grand Rapids. In 1852 he came to Grand Haven and continued to reside here ever since. During his first three years of residence here, Mr. Gray worked in the C. B. Albee’s tannery, then one of the principal manufacturing institutions of the city.
Mr. Gray took and important part in Ottawa county public affairs in those years and in 1856 became sheriff of the county. The sheriff’s position was by no means an easy one then as Ottawa county contained a large number of disorderly ruffians of the backwoods period. Mr. Gray was sheriff eight years.
He also has been Deputy U. S. Marshal for a long term of years and in the office which people of the present knew him best, that of Coroner he served over 20 years.
Mr. Gray was first married when 26 years of age and had two children. Mrs. William Wallace of this city and E. L. Gray, a prominent attorney of Newaygo. He married his present wife 35 years ago. Mrs. Gray is herself nearly 80 years of age.
Mr. Gray despite his years has been around up to within a few days of his death. The neighbors have often thought it remarkable to see him leap the fence around his house. He retained his mental faculties up to his last sickness.
Mr. Gray celebrated his 90th birthday last December at which a large number of his old friends were present. He was as lively and as cheerful as a majority of men of middle age.
Mr. Gray was a member of sixteen years standing of the Presbyterian church, to which a majority of the old pioneers belonged.
He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley. Although far past the age of three score and ten, regrets are heard on every side of the death of the kindly old gentleman.
Funeral tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the residence.
They came to Grand Haven in 1852, when Curtis went to work al Clark B. Albee's tannery for the next three years. From 1855 10 1863 he was County Sheriff and later Deputy U.S. Marshall. By 1870 he was once again a tanner. Curtis also was County Coroner for more than 20 years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley.
Living with him in Grand Rapids in 1850 were Emily Gray, who was born in Massachusetts about 1820; Edgar L. Gray, who was born about 1832 and became a prominent attorney in Newaygo; and Jane Esther, who was born in October, 1834, and married William Wallace of Grand Haven. Edgar and Jane were born in New York.
On January 4, 1860, in Kent County. Curtis married Louisa M. [Mary L.] Raymond, a widow and native of Montreal, Canada [New York]. Louisa lived from 1815 to November 19, 1894. In 1880 she was a milliner and dressmaker in Grand Haven. Louisa had several children by an earlier marriage: Euphemia, who was born on October 8, 1835 and married Lewis Bon of Grand Haven; Mrs. Lesperance of Muskegon; Mrs. Roberts of Denver; and Benjamin F. Raymond, who was born about 1846 and lived in Grand Rapids. Curtis died in Grand Haven on March 8, 1893 and was buried at Lake Forest Cemetery, as was Louisa.
______________________
PASSENGER ON FULTON’S STEAMER
C. W. Gray, of Grand Haven, Had That Honor When He Was Five Years Old
The Grand Haven correspondent of the Detroit News writes as follows to that paper:
Curtis W. Gray, of Grand Haven, has seen much more of this world than it falls to the average lot if man to see,
He was born in Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 10, 1802, and on Aug. 6, 1807, in company with his father, he rode from Albany to New York on Robert Fulton's first steamboat, Clermont, on her first trip down the Hudson. It took the Clermont just 80 hours to make the run-five miles an hour. Mr. Gray has since been over the same route in but 6 hours.
He was upon the first passenger train that ran Into Albany from Schenectady. At Albany the train could not make the grade into town and the coach was drawn up by means of a double track and a carload of stone. The car of stone ran down one track and pulled the passenger coach up the other. He learned the trade of tanner and currier at Pittsfield, Mass, in 1821. He and his wife, two children, and his father and mother came to Michigan and settled in the woods a couple of miles from Battle Creek on May 24,1887. In1840, he walked down to the town and voted for Grandpa Harrison. A little later, that same fall; his wife, father and mother all died within two or three weeks.
He came to Grand Rapids in1841 and to Grand Haven a few years later, where he entered the employ of C. B. Albee, Isaac Capon, for many years of the firm of Capon & Birch, tanners, and one of the most prominent capitalists of Hudland, finished his apprenticeship at Albee’s tannery. He has two children living, Mrs. William Wallace, of Grand Haven, and Edgar L. Gary, the well-known Newaygo lawyer and wealthy lumberman.
When over 60 years of age Mr. Gray was elected one or the coroners of Ottawa County, and held the office 25 consecutive years. He worried through a severe attack of the grippe a couple of years ago, and yet, aside from a slightly defective memory, his physical and mental condition is as good as that of the average man of 65.
__________________
The Evening Tribune Grand Haven, Mich. March 1893
March 6
Mr. Curtis Gray, who has been lying at the point of death for several days, was this afternoon still alive, though very low.
March 7
The condition of Mr. Curtis W. Gray is about the same today as yesterday. He is very low and death can be expected at any minute.
March 8
DEATH OF CURTIS W. GRAY.
One of the Oldest Citizens of Ottawa County.
Mr. Curtis W. Gray departed this life at an early hour this morning after a short illness. He was taken with a cold only a few days ago, which developed into grippe (influenza), resulting in his death.
Mr. Gray was born near Brookfield, Connecticut, in Fairfield Co., on Dec. 15, 1802. When still a boy of only five or six years of age, his father moved to Troy, New York. The trip was made by wagon and Mr. Gray still vividly remembered how when fording the broad Housatonic river, the water crept into the wagon box, wetting the straw on which the family lay. His father engaged in lumbering in Troy and when Curtis was 16 years of age he proceeded to learn the tanner’s trade.
In 1837 he came to this state, settling first in Battle Creek. Six years later he moved again, this time to Grand Rapids. In 1852 he came to Grand Haven and continued to reside here ever since. During his first three years of residence here, Mr. Gray worked in the C. B. Albee’s tannery, then one of the principal manufacturing institutions of the city.
Mr. Gray took and important part in Ottawa county public affairs in those years and in 1856 became sheriff of the county. The sheriff’s position was by no means an easy one then as Ottawa county contained a large number of disorderly ruffians of the backwoods period. Mr. Gray was sheriff eight years.
He also has been Deputy U. S. Marshal for a long term of years and in the office which people of the present knew him best, that of Coroner he served over 20 years.
Mr. Gray was first married when 26 years of age and had two children. Mrs. William Wallace of this city and E. L. Gray, a prominent attorney of Newaygo. He married his present wife 35 years ago. Mrs. Gray is herself nearly 80 years of age.
Mr. Gray despite his years has been around up to within a few days of his death. The neighbors have often thought it remarkable to see him leap the fence around his house. He retained his mental faculties up to his last sickness.
Mr. Gray celebrated his 90th birthday last December at which a large number of his old friends were present. He was as lively and as cheerful as a majority of men of middle age.
Mr. Gray was a member of sixteen years standing of the Presbyterian church, to which a majority of the old pioneers belonged.
He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Grand River Valley. Although far past the age of three score and ten, regrets are heard on every side of the death of the kindly old gentleman.
Funeral tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the residence.
Inscription
Grand Haven Lodge No. 139 F. & A. M. Donated by the Estate of Brother Edward Bottje.
Gravesite Details
The double headstone is a replacement for what appears to have been a tall headstone, previously in it's place.
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
