Biography - GEORGE O. GRAY

George O. Gray, who has long been identified with the agricultural interests of Macoupin county, has for the past fourteen years been successfully conducting a general stole in Womac. He was born in Shaws Point township on the 7th of April, 1858, and is a son of John and Nancy (Quick) Gray, natives of Indiana. The father came to this county in the early days and entered some government land that he improved and cultivated. Later he disposed of this and bought another farm in Shaws Point township, that he was cultivating when he died in i860. He was long survived by his wife who passed away in 1904.

Shaws Point township is endeared to George O. Gray not only by the associations of his boyhood and youth, but those of later life as well, always having been his home. The district schools provided him with a very good understanding of the common branches, while at the same time he was acquiring a knowledge of agricultural methods. As soon as he was old enough he became self-supporting, his first business venture being the operation of a farm that he rented for two years. At the expiration of that period he removed to a place that had been left to him by his father and in the cultivation and improvement of which he has ever since been engaged. He has added to this until now it contains one hundred and nine acres of land that is under a good state of cultivation, always having been given careful attention and capable supervision. On the 1st of July, 1897, Mr. Gray opened a general store in Womac which he has ever since been conducting in connection with his agricultural operations. He has a large and well selected stock of merchandise and as his is the only establishment of the kind in the village, he enjoys a most excellent patronage.

For his wife and helpmate Mr. Gray chose Miss Rosie Jackson, to whom he was married on the 20th of February, 1883. Mrs. Gray is a daughter of Joel and Mollie (Glover) Jackson, natives of Tennessee whence they came to Illinois, locating in Macoupin county during the pioneer period. Here the father engaged in farming until 1910, when he retired and is now making his home with his son, a farmer in Shaws Point township. He is now seventy years of age, as was also his wife, who passed away on the 28th of April, 1911. To Mr. and Mrs. Gray have been born three children: George Truman, who passed away on the 9th of October, 1903; Elvis, who died in infancy; and Eva Pearl, who is eight years of age.

Mrs. Gray is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which Mr. Gray also attends. His political views accord with the principles of the republican party, for whose candidates he always casts his ballot. He has served as township assessor and for thirteen and one-half years was postmaster of Womac. The intelligent direction and supervision of his various activities has enabled Mr. Gray to attain the plane of affluence on the ladder of success, and in addition to his fine homestead he owns the building in which he conducts his business and several residential properties in Womac.

Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 635-636.