Reuben is son of Joshua Gray (b. 1714 in York Co., ME) and his first wife Jennat Elliot. Reuben m. in 1763 Abigail (Black?). Reuben owned lot 1-92 in Sedgwick with house just above Walker Cemetery near and left of the main road from Brooksville Corner into Blacks Corner in Sedgwick. Legend is that he also had a cabin at the eastern end of his large lot, near Blacks Pond, where he and his family hid when English soldiers from Castine came raiding farms of those suspected of being rebel sympathizers. {see unpublished Stanley D. Gray MSS at NEHGS, Boston, MA} Son Reuben (Jr.) is first English white child born east of the Penobscot River (Castine, 1762). Mark E. Honey ("Castine Patriot," 8 July 2004, p. 5) states that Reuben "had two sons-in-law who served as soldiers in the Revolution, John Maker, husband of Mary Gray, and Alexander McCaslin, husband of Abigail Gray. A third daughter, Sarah, married Archibald Hainey of West Brooksville. Archibald Hainey, Sr. and his wife Margaret were supporters of the crown."
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~drowles/gray/10000002.htm offers: "The following is from and address given by Stanley D. Gray at the Gray Family reunion in 1903:
.....It is family tradition the Reuben Gray lived for a time in the Old French Fort, and that his son Reuben was born, probably in 1763, in the dwelling formerly occupied by Baron Castin. (Reuben Gray is the 3rd family to claim residence in the Old French Fort at Castine, the others being Staples and Stover. It is claimed by some that William Staples b. 1758, was the first white person of English parents born east of the Penobscot River. The Gray's, however, claim that Reuben Gray, son of Reuben, was the first. The Brooksville Vital Records show that William Stover has the same honor, but a record has been found showing that Mr. Stover was born in York, Maine, and doubtless if the records were searched, it would be found that William Staples was probably born at Fort Pownall, not the Old French Fort.) Many years had passed since the Baron had left the place, though some authorities say one of his sons had been at Majabagaduce but a few years before the coming of English settlers. Governor Pownall visited the peninsula in 1759 and found 'the ruins of a French Settlement, which from the site and nature of the houses, and the remains of the fields and orchards, had once been a pleasant habitation.' From this it would seem possible that Reuben Gray was really born in the house.... A grandson of Reuben, son of the soldier Reuben, recalls the following incident related by his grandfather, which indicates that the wives of some of the soldiers were at Fort Pownall.
"One evening his mother went a short distance outside of the fort for the purpose of milking her cow and on her way back she was seized by an Indian ambush, but being a very powerful woman she dragged the savage to the gate and entered with the loss of her skirts. That seemed to be the signal for a general attack and the fort was instantly surrounded by savages, but after a severe contest which lasted for several hours, the Indians were forced to retire with the loss of several of their number."
There is a persistent tradition that Reuben was wounded sometime during his military career. One account is that he was at Majabagaduce on a scouting expedition, and stumbling down a bank his gun was discharged. Another is that the accident occured at the fort, -- that he was a sentry posted on the top of the block house, and on being relieved and starting to descend fell down the stairs discharging his gun, --- and that he was taken in a whaleboat to 'Old York' for treatment.
It is told that during the Revolution he had a cabin in the woods far back toward the eastern end of his lot, near Black's pond, to which he and his family used to retire when English soldiers from Castine came that way raiding the farms of the known suspected adherents to the patriotic cause.
Mr Gray's manuscripts also gives this information:
'Reuben Gray's first log house was on a knoll on Levi Gray's farm, east side of stream forming outlet of Gray's Pond (Walker's) a short distance north of burying ground. Foundation not found.'"
Cf. "Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 3," pp. 96-97.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~drowles/gray/10000002.htm offers: "The following is from and address given by Stanley D. Gray at the Gray Family reunion in 1903:
.....It is family tradition the Reuben Gray lived for a time in the Old French Fort, and that his son Reuben was born, probably in 1763, in the dwelling formerly occupied by Baron Castin. (Reuben Gray is the 3rd family to claim residence in the Old French Fort at Castine, the others being Staples and Stover. It is claimed by some that William Staples b. 1758, was the first white person of English parents born east of the Penobscot River. The Gray's, however, claim that Reuben Gray, son of Reuben, was the first. The Brooksville Vital Records show that William Stover has the same honor, but a record has been found showing that Mr. Stover was born in York, Maine, and doubtless if the records were searched, it would be found that William Staples was probably born at Fort Pownall, not the Old French Fort.) Many years had passed since the Baron had left the place, though some authorities say one of his sons had been at Majabagaduce but a few years before the coming of English settlers. Governor Pownall visited the peninsula in 1759 and found 'the ruins of a French Settlement, which from the site and nature of the houses, and the remains of the fields and orchards, had once been a pleasant habitation.' From this it would seem possible that Reuben Gray was really born in the house.... A grandson of Reuben, son of the soldier Reuben, recalls the following incident related by his grandfather, which indicates that the wives of some of the soldiers were at Fort Pownall.
"One evening his mother went a short distance outside of the fort for the purpose of milking her cow and on her way back she was seized by an Indian ambush, but being a very powerful woman she dragged the savage to the gate and entered with the loss of her skirts. That seemed to be the signal for a general attack and the fort was instantly surrounded by savages, but after a severe contest which lasted for several hours, the Indians were forced to retire with the loss of several of their number."
There is a persistent tradition that Reuben was wounded sometime during his military career. One account is that he was at Majabagaduce on a scouting expedition, and stumbling down a bank his gun was discharged. Another is that the accident occured at the fort, -- that he was a sentry posted on the top of the block house, and on being relieved and starting to descend fell down the stairs discharging his gun, --- and that he was taken in a whaleboat to 'Old York' for treatment.
It is told that during the Revolution he had a cabin in the woods far back toward the eastern end of his lot, near Black's pond, to which he and his family used to retire when English soldiers from Castine came that way raiding the farms of the known suspected adherents to the patriotic cause.
Mr Gray's manuscripts also gives this information:
'Reuben Gray's first log house was on a knoll on Levi Gray's farm, east side of stream forming outlet of Gray's Pond (Walker's) a short distance north of burying ground. Foundation not found.'"
Cf. "Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 3," pp. 96-97.
Reuben is son of Joshua Gray (b. 1714 in York Co., ME) and his first wife Jennat Elliot. Reuben m. in 1763 Abigail (Black?). Reuben owned lot 1-92 in Sedgwick with house just above Walker Cemetery near and left of the main road from Brooksville Corner into Blacks Corner in Sedgwick. Legend is that he also had a cabin at the eastern end of his large lot, near Blacks Pond, where he and his family hid when English soldiers from Castine came raiding farms of those suspected of being rebel sympathizers. {see unpublished Stanley D. Gray MSS at NEHGS, Boston, MA} Son Reuben (Jr.) is first English white child born east of the Penobscot River (Castine, 1762). Mark E. Honey ("Castine Patriot," 8 July 2004, p. 5) states that Reuben "had two sons-in-law who served as soldiers in the Revolution, John Maker, husband of Mary Gray, and Alexander McCaslin, husband of Abigail Gray. A third daughter, Sarah, married Archibald Hainey of West Brooksville. Archibald Hainey, Sr. and his wife Margaret were supporters of the crown."
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~drowles/gray/10000002.htm offers: "The following is from and address given by Stanley D. Gray at the Gray Family reunion in 1903:
.....It is family tradition the Reuben Gray lived for a time in the Old French Fort, and that his son Reuben was born, probably in 1763, in the dwelling formerly occupied by Baron Castin. (Reuben Gray is the 3rd family to claim residence in the Old French Fort at Castine, the others being Staples and Stover. It is claimed by some that William Staples b. 1758, was the first white person of English parents born east of the Penobscot River. The Gray's, however, claim that Reuben Gray, son of Reuben, was the first. The Brooksville Vital Records show that William Stover has the same honor, but a record has been found showing that Mr. Stover was born in York, Maine, and doubtless if the records were searched, it would be found that William Staples was probably born at Fort Pownall, not the Old French Fort.) Many years had passed since the Baron had left the place, though some authorities say one of his sons had been at Majabagaduce but a few years before the coming of English settlers. Governor Pownall visited the peninsula in 1759 and found 'the ruins of a French Settlement, which from the site and nature of the houses, and the remains of the fields and orchards, had once been a pleasant habitation.' From this it would seem possible that Reuben Gray was really born in the house.... A grandson of Reuben, son of the soldier Reuben, recalls the following incident related by his grandfather, which indicates that the wives of some of the soldiers were at Fort Pownall.
"One evening his mother went a short distance outside of the fort for the purpose of milking her cow and on her way back she was seized by an Indian ambush, but being a very powerful woman she dragged the savage to the gate and entered with the loss of her skirts. That seemed to be the signal for a general attack and the fort was instantly surrounded by savages, but after a severe contest which lasted for several hours, the Indians were forced to retire with the loss of several of their number."
There is a persistent tradition that Reuben was wounded sometime during his military career. One account is that he was at Majabagaduce on a scouting expedition, and stumbling down a bank his gun was discharged. Another is that the accident occured at the fort, -- that he was a sentry posted on the top of the block house, and on being relieved and starting to descend fell down the stairs discharging his gun, --- and that he was taken in a whaleboat to 'Old York' for treatment.
It is told that during the Revolution he had a cabin in the woods far back toward the eastern end of his lot, near Black's pond, to which he and his family used to retire when English soldiers from Castine came that way raiding the farms of the known suspected adherents to the patriotic cause.
Mr Gray's manuscripts also gives this information:
'Reuben Gray's first log house was on a knoll on Levi Gray's farm, east side of stream forming outlet of Gray's Pond (Walker's) a short distance north of burying ground. Foundation not found.'"
Cf. "Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 3," pp. 96-97.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~drowles/gray/10000002.htm offers: "The following is from and address given by Stanley D. Gray at the Gray Family reunion in 1903:
.....It is family tradition the Reuben Gray lived for a time in the Old French Fort, and that his son Reuben was born, probably in 1763, in the dwelling formerly occupied by Baron Castin. (Reuben Gray is the 3rd family to claim residence in the Old French Fort at Castine, the others being Staples and Stover. It is claimed by some that William Staples b. 1758, was the first white person of English parents born east of the Penobscot River. The Gray's, however, claim that Reuben Gray, son of Reuben, was the first. The Brooksville Vital Records show that William Stover has the same honor, but a record has been found showing that Mr. Stover was born in York, Maine, and doubtless if the records were searched, it would be found that William Staples was probably born at Fort Pownall, not the Old French Fort.) Many years had passed since the Baron had left the place, though some authorities say one of his sons had been at Majabagaduce but a few years before the coming of English settlers. Governor Pownall visited the peninsula in 1759 and found 'the ruins of a French Settlement, which from the site and nature of the houses, and the remains of the fields and orchards, had once been a pleasant habitation.' From this it would seem possible that Reuben Gray was really born in the house.... A grandson of Reuben, son of the soldier Reuben, recalls the following incident related by his grandfather, which indicates that the wives of some of the soldiers were at Fort Pownall.
"One evening his mother went a short distance outside of the fort for the purpose of milking her cow and on her way back she was seized by an Indian ambush, but being a very powerful woman she dragged the savage to the gate and entered with the loss of her skirts. That seemed to be the signal for a general attack and the fort was instantly surrounded by savages, but after a severe contest which lasted for several hours, the Indians were forced to retire with the loss of several of their number."
There is a persistent tradition that Reuben was wounded sometime during his military career. One account is that he was at Majabagaduce on a scouting expedition, and stumbling down a bank his gun was discharged. Another is that the accident occured at the fort, -- that he was a sentry posted on the top of the block house, and on being relieved and starting to descend fell down the stairs discharging his gun, --- and that he was taken in a whaleboat to 'Old York' for treatment.
It is told that during the Revolution he had a cabin in the woods far back toward the eastern end of his lot, near Black's pond, to which he and his family used to retire when English soldiers from Castine came that way raiding the farms of the known suspected adherents to the patriotic cause.
Mr Gray's manuscripts also gives this information:
'Reuben Gray's first log house was on a knoll on Levi Gray's farm, east side of stream forming outlet of Gray's Pond (Walker's) a short distance north of burying ground. Foundation not found.'"
Cf. "Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 3," pp. 96-97.
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