My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Little River County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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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James H. Gray, well known throughout the county as a practicing physician and surgeon of Rocky Comfort, was ushered into this world in Limestone County, Ala., on February 3, 1834. His father, Daniel M. Gray, was born in Tennessee, and there spent his early life; subsequently he moved to Alabama, where he married Miss Isabelle Monroe, a native of Scotland, who died in Alabama when our subject, the eldest of their three children, was but five years of age. When he was six years of age his father moved to Mississippi, and there made his home until 1857, when he went to Missouri and engaged in farming, until 1866, when he went to Texas, and there he received his final summons in 1867. After the death of his wife he married again and became the father of ten children--four boys and six girls—all of whom are now living, except one boy and two girls. James H. Gray passed his life from the age of six years to his twenty-fourth year in Mississippi, and obtained such an education as the common schools of that State afforded. In 1858 he moved to Louisiana and settled on a farm in that State, remaining there until 1867, with the exception of the four years spent in the Southern army, when he came to this place. He always had a predilection for the study of medicine, and in 1868 he entered the office of Dr. Alexander, and after remaining under his tutelage for some time, he entered the University of Louisville, Ky.; after taking one course of lectures at that place, he returned to Rocky Comfort and began the practice of his profession, at the same time studying with Dr. Alexander for several years, and here he has lived a life of usefulness for twenty two years, and built up an extended and lucrative practice. About five years of this time he carried on merchandising in connection with his profession. February 27, 1877, witnessed his marriage, to Miss Martha S. Hopson, a native of this county, and four children have been given to them. Those living are Walter E., Vestina W., and Lucetta W. Dr. Gray has served in all the important offices in the K. of H., of which he is an honored member, and is also a Master Mason, having been a member of that order for nineteen years. He affiliates with Rocky Comfort Lodge No. 408, A. F. & A. M., and the Medical Board of this county numbers him among its most prominent members. He is enterprising and public-spirited, and contributes liberally to all worthy public enterprises. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

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