San Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE A. GRAY
GEORGE A. GRAY.--In
connection with the mercantile interests of Stockton, but few are more widely
or favorably known than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and who is
associated with the firm of L. W. Robbins & Co. He is a native of Canada,
born at Cowensville, near Montreal, July 4, 1852, his parents being John and
Margaret (McClay) Gray. Both parents were born in Scotland, and the father, a
native of the town of Cullen, learned the tailor’s trade in early life, but
afterward followed the vocation of buying wheat for mills. When the subject of
this sketch was a mere infant his parents removed to Sparta, Illinois, and
there he was reared and attended school. When a boy he was for two years a
deputy in the post office at Sparta, and after that served an apprenticeship at
printing in the office of the Sparta Plaindealer. He next learned the
trade of shoemaking, which he followed there until twenty-one years of age,
then went west and followed his trade there. Among the cities in which he was
so engaged were Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita. He was in the latter place
during its second year, when there was but little indication of its growth to
its present position. He remained in Wichita about three years, then went back
to Illinois, where he remained until 1878. In the latter year he came to
California and located in Stockton. He worked here with Thomas Hersey, after
which he became United States mail agent, running between San Francisco and Los
Angeles. Later he entered the employ of Nolan in the shoe trade, at first as a
workman, afterward as a salesman. Since 1887 he has been with the grocery house
of L. W. Robbins & Co., on Hunter street square.
Mr. Gray was married at Sparta, November
17, 1876, to Miss Anna Gossuch, a native of that place. They have one child,
John Crane Gray. Mr. Gray has taken an active part in Charity Lodge, No. 6, I.
O. O. F., in which he has passed all the chairs. He was Noble Grand in 1884,
and representative to the Grand Lodge in 1885. He also belongs to Charter Oak
Lodge, K. of P. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Gray has made a large
number of warm friends since locating in this city, and there is not a more
popular man connected with the mercantile trade of Stockton.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 578-579. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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