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Jesse Franklin Gray settled at Mt. Pisgah before the CivilWar. How he got here is described inthis excerpt from Gray family research material that was published and archivedin the Arkansas History Commission in Little Rock following the death of theauthor in 1998. Kenneth Gray, wholived in Cabot, was the great grandson of Jesse Franklin Gray.
at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. His issue: Martha Ann Gray,William Hopson Gray, Harrison Thompson Gray, James Franklin Gray, Robert W.Gray, (second marriage) Walter Alexander Gray, Margaret S. Gray, Louella A.Gray, Joseph Gray - who died young, Idomin Gray - who died young, Rufus B.Gray, Sarah Jane Gray - who died young, and John Andrew Gray.
Jesse Franklin Gray, son ofWilliam J. and Phoebe Martin Gray, was born May 02, 1823, in GuilfordCounty. He was living with his parentsin Ashe County when his mother died. At age 9, Jesse was apprenticed to learnthe machinist trade. He did not like the man he was apprenticed to and ran awayto Scott County, Virginia, and lived with the Stephen Epperson Family. On December 10, 1846, Jesse married Mary AnnEpperson, daughter of Hopson and Anny Agee Epperson, niece of StephenEpperson. After the death ofHopson Epperson, Jesse, his wife, two children and brother-in-law HarrisonEpperson floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, Arkansas, White andLittle Red Rivers to his home at Mt. Pisgah in White County, Arkansas. Jesse received a state land grant in 1851of120 acres. He owned slaves, operated alumber mill and a remount station for stagecoaches that traveled the oldMilitary Road through Mt. Pisgah. Hisslaves dug a huge well which furnished water for the stage passengers, teamsand surrounding settlers. This well isstill visible near Mt. Pisgah Cemetery, for which Jesse donated land in1856. Jesse was active in Arkansaspolitics and was considered a radical in association with Thomas Hindman andothers. He was active in the 1860presidential election (Confederate Arkansas by Michael B. Gougan). MaryAnn Epperson Gray died December 12, 1860, and is buried at Mt. PisgahCemetery. Jesse then married MarthaJane Parks, who was born September 1, 1834, in Shelby County, Tennessee. She died May 11, 1902. Jesse died March 15, 1907, and was buried
Thisarticle and photo are courtesy of Ron Strong, a member of the White CountyHistorical Society, who lives at 230 W. Nicolet, Marquette, MI 49855,