The Mystery of Giles Early.
Giles Early or Earley lived with the family of Nathan M. Gray for at least eight years.
He first appears with the family in Norton, Kansas, on the 1875 state census, where he is listed as J. Earley, 7 (born c. 1868), Male, White. According to this census, Early was born in Minnesota and came to Kansas from that state, so he did not come with the Grays from Illinois.
He’s still there in 1880, age 10 or 11 (born c. 1869 or 1870) listed as Early Giles with Gray Nathan, Gray Sarah, Gray Alice, and Gray Addie. He is shown on that census as born in Illinois, his father born in Ohio and his mother in Pennsylvania, same as Alice and Addie. The earlier census is probably more accurate about his place of birth.
He is mentioned in family letters – “I don’t know where Giles went, he is as lazy as ever.” (Ella to JK Gray, 13 Jan 1883; he would have been around 14). Two years later, he’s gone. He is not with the Grays on the 1885 state census, and I can’t find him elsewhere, nor can I find a death record. Who was he and why was he raised by the Grays? What became of him?