Washington County
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Washington County
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Capt. William Gray
Capt. William Gray was born in Lynn, Mass., on the 26th of March, 1761.
Being of a warm, active temperament, and the struggle for independence occupying tLe thoughts and conversation of all around him, he became early inspired with the determination of doing all in his power to aid the cause of his country, and entered the service of the United States, as a private soldier, at the age of seventeen years, or in the year 1778, and served to the close of the war. At the attack on Stony Point, he had been promoted, for his good conduct, to a lieutenant, and was among the first who scaled the walls of that fortress.
At the close of the war he returned to his home, and married Miss Mary Diamond, of Salem. His uncle, the rich merchant, William Gray, for whom he was named, lived at that time in Salem, and from a humble situation in life, being bred a shoemaker, rose to be one of the richest merchants in Boston. He treated his nephew with great kindness ; and for many years, even after he moved to Ohio, annually sent him a sum of money, sufficient to aid very materially in the BUpport of his family. Soon after his marriage he resided in Danvers, where his two oldest children were born.
In the autumn of 1787 he joined the Ohio Company, and had the charge of one of the wagons that transported the first band of pioneers on to the waters of the Ohio. On this wagon was written, in large letters, "For Ohio" His family was left in Danvers, and did not come out until 1790, in company with Maj. Ezra Putnam, from the same place. He joined the settlement at Waterford, and when the war of 1791 broke out, was chosen commander of the garrison erected for its defense, called Fort Tyler. By his good conduct and prudence, this fortress was preserved unharmed, although several times in great jeopardy. The situation was a very exposed one, on the extreme frontier. On the head waters of the Muskingum, which washed its foundations, were seated numerous tribes and villages of the hostile Indians, who, at almost any season of the year, could embark their whole force in canoes, and in forty-eight hours land at the garrison. Their approach might have thus been made in the most secret manner, without even the knowledge of the rangers, who constantly scoured the country, watching for signs of the Indians. But an overruling Providence diverted their attention to other quarters, and they passed the four years of war with but little loss of life, but much of property. Soon after the peace, and men could till the earth in safety, he bought a farm near the present town of Beverly, and lived there, highly respected, until the time of his death, in July, 1812.
He was the father of ten children, nearly all of whom married, and their descendants are living in this county.
Source: A History of Belpre, Washington County, Ohio, by C. E. Dickinson, 1920, Transcribed by C. Anthony
