David Gray1

(1781 - 30 September 1856)
FatherDonald Gray1,2 (say 1735 - aft. 1781)
MotherCatherine Waters1 (say 1740 - bef. 1856)

BMDB data

     David Gray was born in 1781 Thurso, CAI, SCT, this data being derived from his 1851 census entry and death cert. - BUT the only David baptism to these parents appears to be 1767.3,4
     David Gray married Christian Bain, daughter of William Bain and Isabella Waters, on 1 Sep 1809 Halkirk, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, entry reads: "David Gray in Brawl and Christian Bain in Ach[?scor?]clate married 1 September."5,6
     David Gray died on 30 Sep 1856 Mybster, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT; Dist 037 #24: ent 24; Gray, David, farmer, married, 1856 Sept 30th 3 30pm Mibster, 75, s/o Donald Gray farmer dec, Catherine Gray m.s. Waters dec, supposed to be disease of the heart, no med. attend., bur Halkirk churchyard, inf D Gray son. (assumed to be Donald.)1
     David Gray is commemorated at Halkirk, Caithness, #15 (wall tablet in enclosure): Dav(id) Gray innkeeper Mybster 30.9.1856 75, w Chris(tian) Bain d Achalone 25.3.1873 83 (bro Jas Bain fr Geise Mains 13.8.1868 82); Jas Sutherland fr (farmer) and innkeeper Mybster 13.12.1886 75, w Margt Gray 10.3.1904 87; Jessie M. Gunn 10.1.1939, h Jas W. Sutherland 14.1.1982 76."3

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     David Gray was innkeeper Mybster, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT.7 He was living Brawl, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, in Sep 1809.6
     David Gray appeared on the census of 1841 Mybster, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, with Chris Bain, as GRAY: David 50 publican; Christina 40 ; Assumed children: Catherine 20, Margaret 20, Donald 15, William 10, James 10. All b County (NB enumerators were instructed to round ages down to the nearest multiple of 5.)7
     David Gray appeared on the census of 1851 at the Mybster Inn, Mybster, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, with Christian Bain, enumerated as GRAY: David, 69 farmer of 6 acres & Innkeeper, b Thurso; wife Christian, 60 b Halkirk; Dtr Catherine unm, 35 innkeeper's dtr b Halkirk; Servant: Angus ROSS 14 herd boy b Farr, SUT.4

Wills/bequests

     An Inventory of the estate of David Gray was taken in May 1858 David GRAY, farmer and Innkeeper, Mibster pp451-456
presented by William Gray writer in Wick 10 May 1858, inventory of personal estate of the late David Gray Achlibster or Mibster, who died there on the 30 Sept 1856
value of estate £422.5.1
At Mibster, 8th May 1858, appeared Mrs Christina Bain or Gray residing at Achlibster or Mibster, relict of the late Mr David Gray, sometime residing there, who being ... the said David Gray died on the 30th day of Sept 1856 leaving a mutual disposition and settlement of his estate and effects dated 18 May 1852....
inventory includes "close bed and curtains (several) chalfsack blankets and cover,
in witness whereof these presents written by Donald Gray writer in Golspie are subscribed
Witnesses Alexander Munro residing at Halsary and James Gray residing in Golspie clerk to the said Donald Gray (signed) David Gray Christina Gray, Alexander Munro witnesses James Gray witness.8

Family

Christian Bain (cir. 1790 - Mar 1873)
Children
  • Isabella Gray9 (cir. 1811 - Mar 1897)
  • Catherine Gray (cir. Apr 1813 - Nov 1863)
  • Anne Gray (cir. Dec 1815 - Jul 1889)
  • Margaret Gray10 (cir. Jun 1818 - Mar 1904)
  • Janet Gray11 (cir. Nov 1820 - )
  • Donald Gray1 (cir. Jul 1823 - aft. 1873)
  • William Gray (cir. Jun 1826 - Nov 1876)
  • James Gray (cir. Apr 1829 - Sep 1855)
Last Edited21 Apr 2014

Citations

  1. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 30 Sep 1856 David GRAY s/o Donald & Catherine, transc. Lorna McIntosh 1994.
  2. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 1856 David GRAY, Dist 037 #24, copy d/loaded Jan 2006.
  3. A S COWPER & I ROSS, MIs: CAI Halkirk, Vol 3 pt 11, #15 (Wall tablet).
  4. FreeCensus, UK online at http://www.freecen.org.uk/, 1851 Halkirk, CAI SCT1851/37 ED 6 Pg 16 Sched 41, extracted Jan 2006.
  5. BAIN, International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  6. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Marr 1 Sep 1809 David GRAY (Brawl) & Christian BAIN (Ach..clate), Halkirk, CAI 037/00 0010 0326, copy d/loaded Nov 2013.
  7. 1841 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Mybster, Halkirk, CAI Par. 37 ED 9 Pg 7, hsehold of David & Christina GRAY, rechecked Nov 2013.
  8. WILL: Scottish Wills - SctPeople/SCAN project by initially from the SCAN project online at http://ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk, Inventory of David GRAY, farmer and Innkeeper, d Mibster 30 Sep 1856, SRO cc 14/40/5 ,extracted Sep 1994.
  9. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 11 Mar 1897 Isabella SUTHERLAND nee GRAY, Dall of Rangag, Latheron, CAI Dist 038 pg 5 #15, copy d/loaded Feb 2009.
  10. Brian GRAY, "Corres. CAI GRAY families", 'The Caithness Connection: A history of one Gray family'; plus fam tree of Alexander GRAY/Mgt BREMNER, Dth 1904 Margaret SUTHERLAND d/o David GRAY, aged 87, Thurso, from correspondence between Marina EATON & Brian, copy rcvd Nov 2013.
  11. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Bap. 30 Nov 1820 Janet d/o David GRAY & Christian BAIN in Achlibster, Halkirk, CAI, copy d/loaded Nov 2013.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.