Mary M. Starr was born 17 March 1806 [Pardue] in Wilkes County, Georgia. Undoubtedly named for her paternal grandmother, she was the oldest child of Benjamin and Charlotte (Pinkston). She and Samuel Gray were married in Wilkes County, Georgia 14 August 1823 by William Robertson, JP. [Davidson citing Wilkes Co. Marriage Book 1 1806-1834 p. 279]

Samuel Gray was born about 1787 in Ireland. [Pardue citing 1850 Henry Co. GA census]

Although nothing is known about either of their parents, researchers speculate that Samuel and Eleanor (Gray -- born 1780), wife of Absalom Ogletree, were siblings. This opinion is based on their births in Ireland and their later relationships with the same families. The first appearance of Samuel’ s name in Wilkes County records is 5 May 1820 when he witnessed John Ogletree Sr. signing his will. John Sr. was Eleanor Gray’s father-in-law. One of the executors appointed by the will was Mary M. (Starr) Gray’s Uncle Joshua Starr. All appearances indicate a close and continuing friendship between Mary’s parents and Absalom and Eleanor (Gray) Ogletree.

Samuel is identified as a resident of Wilkes County 21 December 1825 when he purchased 202 ½ acres, identified as Lot #60 in the Third District of Henry Co. [Moss & Turner p. 112 citing Henry Co. Deed Bk B p. 33] The last record for him in Wilkes County is his application for the 1827 Land Lottery. Sign-up periods usually ended several months before the actual drawing date. He was among the lucky ones that year for he drew Lot #138 in the 18^th District of Lee County. [Alden Associates] However, by the 1830 census he, Mary and their five children were settled in Henry County. [Pardue]

Samuel was involved in several land transactions during the decade of the 1830s, all in the Third District of Henry County. [Turner p. 268 citing Henry Co. Deed Bk G p. 371; Ibid p. 158 citing Henry Deed Bk F p. 359; Ibid p. 219 citing Deed Bk G p. 139; Ibid p. 376 citing Henry Deed Bk H pp. 385, 386; Ibid p. 408 citing Henry Co. Deed Bk H p. 538]  Along with several members of Mary’s extended family, he voted 7 October 1833 for Governor, Senator and Members of the House. The precinct voting site was the home of Mary’s cousins, John W. and Sally (Starr) Poyner. [Rainer p. 59-60]   By the time of the 1840 census Samuel and Mary’s household consisted of the parents, six boys and three girls. [Pardue] Their youngest child was born later that year.

By 1850 the household of Samuel (63) and Mary M. (44) consisted of only five children but the Henry County Slave Schedule for that year shows nine. [Pardue] The 1860 Spalding County census shows the household of Samuel (73) consisted of his wife Mary (54) and sons Benjamin (35) and John S. (20). Samuel’s occupation is listed as farmer and the value of his real estate was $4000 and personal estate was valued at $9000. [Pardue] This Irishman did very well in America.

Samuel died before December 11, 1864, the date his son, Samuel Jr. was appointed executor of his estate. [Spalding Co. Minute Bk A p. 275] Mary appears on the 1870 Spalding County census, but isn’t on the 1880 census for that county. It is believed they were buried in the GRAY family cemetery located "just south of Manley Road, just off Patterson Road." [Pardue] Like so many other family plots, this cemetery was abandoned long ago and the stones are no longer visible. The Children of Samuel and Mary M. (Starr) Gray as given by Pardue:

1. Benjamin P., born 1824 in Wilkes County, married the widow Sarah A. (Manley) Strickland 28 January 1863. [Spalding Marriage Record A 1852-1873] They were still in the county by the 1880 census.

2. Frances, born 1825 in Wilkes County, married Thomas Hand 28 December 1845. [Ingmire]

3. Martha born 1827 in Wilkes died 1850 in childbirth along with the baby. She married Robert Wadkins Griffin 13 September 1849. [Ingmire; Morris; Pardue]

4. Hilliard M., born 1829 probably in Henry County died 8 Nov 1895 in Spalding County. He married Mary Jane Griffin 9 September 1847 in Henry County. [Ingmire] Griffin researchers suspect she was a sister of Robert Wadkins, but confirmation is still pending.

5. Berry born 1830 in Henry County.

6. Sarah S., born 1833 in Henry County, became the second wife of widower Robert Wadkins Griffin 4 May 1851 [Henry Co. Marriage Records 1851-1900] Older family members refer to her as Lena. She died before April 1878, for that is when he married his third wife. [Pardue] Their son Robert Lee, born 1869 died 6 September 1926, married his cousin Longia M. Gray, daughter of John Sanford.

7. S. E. born 1834 in Henry County. The 1850 census shows this person to be male, but is thought to be female by Gray researchers based on an aunt’s letter that lists the children of Samuel and Mary.

8. Samuel F., born 1836 in Henry County died 15 March 1890, Griffin, GA. He married J. L. Smith 13 Nov 1856 [Spalding Co. Marriage Record A 1852-1873]. The 1860 census gives her name as Mary and the 1870 census as Mary J. L. [Pardue] Samuel was appointed executor of his father’s estate. [Spalding Co. Minute Bk A p. 275]

9. Dr. Young Fletcher, born 1838 Henry County died 23 December 1875., married Annie Elizabeth "Bett" Malaier (1847-1920). She is likely related to Fenton and Hannah Malair, who married Benjamin’s brothers Joshua and Samuel Starr.

10. John Sanford born 6 June 1840 Henry County died 25 Feb 1893 Spalding County. A resident of the Pomona community, he was buried at the Sunnyside Methodist Church Cemetery. He and Sarah Elizabeth Smith (daughter of Asa) were married 31 July 1860 by his brother Samuel F. Gray, JP. [Spalding Probate Court Marriage License records] Sarah was born 26 January 1845 in Forsyth, Georgia and died 2 April 1909. [Pardue citing Bible / notes of Miss Lillian Lorene Gray] They had 12 children; their daughter Longia M. J., born 25 June 1868 Spalding County, married her cousin, Robert Lee Griffin, son of Sarah S. (Gray) Griffin.

Sources

Alden Associates, compilers. Ceded Lands: Records of St. Paul Parish and Early Wilkes County, Georgia. Albany, GA 1964.

Davidson, Grace Gillam, abstractor and compiler. Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County. Reprint in two volumes, Southern Historical Press, Inc. Greenville, SC 1992

Ingmire, Frances T. Marriage Records 1822-1850 Henry County, Georgia [Pardue citation]

Morris, Nancy, researcher and descendant Robert Wadkins Griffin

Moss, Kathleen Borders and Turner, Freda Reid. Henry County, Georgia Land Records 1821-1828: Deed Books A and B. Henry Co. Genealogical Society, McDonough, GA.

Pardue, Kaye, compiler. Descendants of Samuel Gray, 24 Jan 2000.

Rainer, Vessie Thrasher, compiler. Henry County, Georgia: The Mother of Counties

Turner, Freda Reid, abstractor. Henry County, Georgia Land Records Deed Books C/D, F, G, H: 1824-1838. Genealogical Society of Henry and Clayton Counties, Inc., McDonough, GA with help of R. J. Taylor Jr. Foundation, Atlanta. 1993