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- Robert Gray, special insurance agent for the American Central Company of St. Louis, is a resident of Flora, and a native of Switzerland County, Ind., where he was born May 25, 1843. He is the youngest of a family of thirteen children born to Peter and Nancy (Wright) Gray. His father, who was born in Virginia in 1791, served as a soldier in the war of 1812, completing a term of five years in the regular army. He was reared in Kentucky, to where he returned at the close of his service, and was there married to Nancy Wright. They remained in Kentucky several years, during which time four children were born to them. They emigrated to Indiana and settled near Vevay, in Switzerland County, and there made a residence of several years, and where the rest of their large family were born. In 1852. they removed to Tipton County, Ind., where the parents died, the mother April 11, 1866, and the father in 1877. Robert received a very limited education in his youth, his total attendance in public schools not aggregating more than one year.
In 1862, August 11, he enlisted in Company C, of the One Hundred and First Indiana Regiment, and was wounded and made a prisoner on the 19th of September, 1863, at the battle of Chickamauga, having participated in the fights at Stone River, Milton and Tullahoma. He was retained a prisoner but a short time, after which he was attached to the United States Reserve Corps at Washington City. He was discharged April 14, 1864.
He then returned to Tipton County. Ind. where for two years he engaged in the lumber and milling business. He was there married March 11, 1866, and in March of the following year came to Illinois, and located at Iola, in Clay County. In 1872, he was elected to the office of Sheriff of Clay County, as a Republican, and served acceptably for the term of two years.
In 1875, he removed to Flora, and formed a partnership with Mr. M. H. Presley in local insurance business, and in 1876, became the traveling agent for the American Central Company, having the supervision of the States of Illinois. Indiana. Kentucky and Tennessee.
His wife, whose maiden name was Clara Lee, is a daughter of John and Parmelia Lee. She was born February 25, 1848, in Switzerland County, Ind. They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flora, and he of the Masonic- fraternity. They have two children. Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "
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