WILLIAM ERNEST GRAY (JANUARY 22, 1868-APRIL 18, 1929)

WILLIAM ERNEST GRAY WAS BORN JANUARY 22, 1868 AT CHILHOWEE, JOHNSON COUNTY, MISSOURI, AND DIED AT HIS HOME IN CHICAGO, IL., APRIL 18, 1929, AT THE AGE OF 61 YEARS, TWO MONTHS AND 26 DAYS. AT THE AGE OF SEVEN HE CAME WITH HIS PARENTS TO MOUNT AYR WHERE HE GREW TO MANHOOD. AS A YOUNG MAN HE WAS FREIGHT AGENT AT MOUNT AYR AND NIGHT TICKET AGENT AT CHARITON. AT THE AGE OF 24 HE WENT TO COLORADO AND BECAME GENERAL AUDITOR FOR THE TELLURIDE POWER COMPANY, WHICH WAS A GREAT DEVELOPER OF ELECTRIC POWER. HE LATER BECAME ACTIVE IN RECLAMATION CONSTRUCTION IN THE NORTHWEST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LAND. HE ENTERED THE MANUFACTURING FIELD FOURTEEN YEARS AGO AND MADE HEADQUARTERS IN CHICAGO, WHERE HE RESIDED UNTIL HIS DEATH.

IN THE YEAR 1895 MR. GRAY WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE WITH MISS MARY REEVES SMITH AND TO THEM TWO SONS WERE BORN. THE ELDER SON DIED IN INFANCY. THE WIFE AND SON, WILLIAM CAREY, SURVIVE. BESIDES HIS WIFE AND SON, MR. GRAY IS SURVIVED BY HIS AGED FATHER, JOHN WESLEY GRAY OF MOUNT AYR; ONE SISTER, MRS. MARY POWERS OF CRESTON; ONE BROTHER, DAVID OF MOUNT AYR AND ONE NEPHEW, JOHN LEWIS GRAY OF MOUNT AYR.

WHEN A YOUNG MAN MR. GRAY DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND BECAME A MEMBER OF THE MOUNT AYR METHODIST CHURCH.