I am looking for the father of James Gray, who was born around 1826 in Virginia (according to his marriage license). In 1847 he married Mary Figg Hite in Shelby Co. KY. They had 3 children-Winfield Scott Gray, born November 1849, William, born Sept. 1854 and Ida B. Gray born about 1856. I have located Mary Hite Gray in 1860 in Daviess Co. KY. living with her parents. She married William Wootton in 1862. James Gray must have died between 1856 and 1860. On Winfield's death cert., it says that his father James was born in KY, so I'm not sure which is right.

Hello, can you tell us how this family connects to Spencer County, Kentucky?

Melissa Barker
Genealogist for Tennessee and Kentucky
E-Mail: kaitysmom@peoplestel.net

I think the Gray and Hite families lived in Mt. Eden, KY, which is near Spencer County, Kentucky. I know that William Hite (Mary Hite Gray's father) is buried in Mt. Eden, Kentucky.

It is very possible that the Gray family lived in Spencer County--I had never thought much about it--just assumed that they were from Shelby County. The two counties are right next to each other and Mt. Eden (where the Hite's lived) is very near the Spencer/Shelby County line.

I have discovered that James Gray was born in Kentucky and not in Virginia. I am still trying to find his parents. There is a John Sanford Gray from Nelson County, KY that had a son named James born in 1823. This possibly could be the one I am looking for because his mother's name was Elizabeth Figg Gray and James' wife was named Mary Figg Hite--so possibly a cousin down the line somewhere?