The T. C. Gray Family

By Earle Walker

Thomas Chesterfield Gray (known as Check Gray) was the youngest son of Bedford Gray, and came from Benton, Kentucky, to Texas in 1878. He settled five miles west of Jacksonville in the Earle's Chapel community.

In 1889, he married Amanda Louisa Earle, daughter of Matilda Benge Earle and James C. Earle, eldest son of Elijah Earle for whom Earle's Chapel community was named.

About 1893, Check and Amanda Gray moved to the present town of Jacksonville. Seven children were born to this union, of whom the following survive: Ora (Mrs. Lonnie Ford), Loleita (Mrs. Bill Sanders) and Thelma (Mrs. Sam Bollinger), all residing in Jacksonville.

For many years, Mr. Gray was an official with the railroad company. In 1900, he was elected city marshal of Jacksonville, the only peace officer employed by the town. T. C. Gray had many friends and always was ready to do his part in the advancement of the town. One of his many kind deeds was to save the life of a boy, who accidentally had come in contact with a live electric wire, while watching a circus parade from an upstairs building in the downtown area.

In later years, Mr. Gray was connected with Aber Basket Factory, where he remained until his death in 1930.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray built a home at 1011 Kickapoo Street, moving into it in 1902. Mrs. Gray remained at this address until her death in 1967. The house still stands.

The War Between the States had been over only three years when Amanda Louisa Earle was born on November 7, 1868. When a little girl, Mrs. Gray would answer to the name "Dessa" just as readily as the name Amanda. She received this name as" the result of often saying, "I dessa gonna." Her first schooling was in a small building at Morris' Mill, which was near her home. She was the only student who was not "kinfolks" to the teacher, Miss Jerusha Neely.

Mrs. Gray, known to all relatives and friends as "Aunt Mandy," was loved and admired by all who knew her. She was remarkably spry and alert during her last years and had many hobbies, among which were reading, sewing, growing African violets and working crossword puzzles. She was an expert seamstress and speller and had an excellent memory. When speaking of her long life, she would often say that she was running a race with John Nance Garner, former vice president of the United States, for the 100-year mark.

Mrs. Gray never wasted time yearning for the "old days," but remembered many interesting things about them. She told of her family's dyeing wool, weaving cloth and spinning thread on the home-made spinning wheel, which she later donated to the Jacksonville museum in the City Library.

She saw much history, all the way from the frontier days of Jacksonville with its dirt streets, horses hitched in front of frame store buildings and saloons to today's jet age.

Mrs. Gray said the main social occasions during her early life were all-day singings with dinner on the ground, candy breakings, community Christmas trees and camp meetings. Families would spend two weeks at a time at camp meetings. One camp site was at Gove Springs, northwest of Jacksonville, and another at Ghent, southwest of Jacksonville.

Amanda Earle Gray was a member of Earle's Chapel Methodist Church, and later became a member of the First Methodist Church of Jacksonville.

She often said: "As I grow older, the world becomes more beautiful, and I appreciate every day of it, but if the day ever comes that I do not learn something which I didn't know the day before, then it will be time for me to go on." She greatly regretted never learning to drive an automobile.

Bruce Harper, Social Security representative, found Mrs. Gray to be the oldest woman in Cherokee County in 1963. In 1967, still alert and active, Mrs. Gray died shortly before her 99th birthday, leaving cherished memories to three daughters, numerous other relatives and a host of friends. Her grandchildren are Fred L. Ford, Vicks-burg, Miss.; Jack C. Ford, died in air crash in 1943; Jack D. Bollinger, lives in London, England; Billy Bollinger, Irving, Texas. There are nine great-grandchildren.

Check and Amanda Gray in 1920.

Mrs. T. C. Gray, left, on her 96th birthday and on the right at age 31.

Mrs. T. C. Gray poses with her children in 1902 at the family home, 1011 Kickapoo Street.