He’s not BLACK
George F. Gray Family
Of Gadsden County, Florida
George F. Gray and his wife Frances Elizabeth Strickland Gray are descendants of some of Gadsden County’s early white citizens.
George F. Gray was born in 1848/1849 in Gadsden County. He was a son of James and Keziah Gray who appear on the 1850 and 1860 Gadsden census in the 7th district. Frances Elizabeth Strickland was a daughter of Abel and Lucy Vickers Strickland and married George F. Gray in Gadsden County on 24 February 1876. Elizabeth Strickland’s grandfather Bryant Vickers was in Gadsden County by 1825. George F. Gray’s grandmother Susannah Gray was a resident of Decatur County as the 1827 Georgia Land Lottery (residents of Decatur County)
show her as receiving Lot 290, District 8 of Lee County, Ga. Susannah Gray’s mark and brand was recorded in Decatur County on 19 February 1825. By 1841 Susannah Gray owned land in Section 17 T3N R2W in Gadsden County.
In Florida’s first statewide election in 1845 only five Grays voted in that election-one in Escambia County and four in Gadsden County-Robert, David, Sr., David, Jr. and John.
Census records for Gadsden show:
1850
James Gray 27 Fl
Kezia 23 Fl
Amanda 3 Fl
George 2 Fl
James 1 Fl
On 27 October, 1857 Susannah Gray deeded to her grandson George F. Gray the W1/2 of SE1/4 Section 17, T3NR1W in Gadsden County, Fl, and to her daughter Rebecca R. Vickers the N1/2 of SE1/4 Section 27, 80 acres.
1860-House 11
James Gray 36 Ala
Keziah 34 Ala
Amanda 13 Fl
George 11 Fl
William 10 Fl
James 8 Fl
Rosanna 4 Fl
Infant 6/12 Fl
Susannah 94 (?) Pauper SC
Andrew 23 Ga
House 10
David Gray 35 Ala
House 12
Isiah Gray 22 Fl
1870 Gadsden Census
Abram Strickland 35 Ga
Lucy 37 Fl
Elizabeth 12 Fl
Henrietta 10 Fl
William 8 Fl
John 6 Fl
Ernestine 3 Fl
Berry (Perry) 1 Fl
Fanny Vickers 85 Ga (This is Lucy’s mother, widow of
Bryant Vickers)
1880 Census-Leon County, Fl, Iamonia District
Abel Strickland household shows:
George Gray, son-in-law, 27 Fl Fl Fl
Elizabeth “ , dau 21 “ ” “
Ellen “, g. dau 3 “ ” “
1900 Gadsden Census, Quincy District-West Half
George Gray Jan 1849 51 m. 24yr Fl Fl Fl
Elizabeth May 1857 42 “ ” Fl u/k u/k
(Mother of 4-4 living)
Nellie Nov 1878 22 Fl Fl Fl
Lula Jan 1880 19 “ ” “
Fannie 1884 16 Ga Ga Fl
Ora Sept 1886 13 Fl Fl Fl
Civil War records show that George Gray enlisted in the Concordia Infantry on Sept. 4, 1861 for twelve months. If his age on census records are accurate he would only have been twelve or thirteen years old.