MARVIN LEWIS GRAY

The following bio was taken from page 214 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

Samuel Gray (1813-1872), who was of English descent, left Tennessee in the mid 1800’s, bringing his wife, Elizabeth (1818-1865), his widowed mother, Delilah Gray (1783-1858), originally from South Carolina, and his eight children to the green, rich lands of East Texas. His children were: Ephraim Aaron, Addie Ballenger, Margaret Oberthier, Sally Gray, Carolyn Stone, John, Jesse, and Zachariah, who never married and who fought in the Civil War and was killed.

Ehpraim Aaron Gray (1857-1919) married Lela Missouri Burton (1862-1943). She was one-half Choctaw Indian. A member of the family has an original letter dated September 6, 1906 from the Claims Agent in Ringold, Texas for her application into the Choctaw Tribe.

Lela Missouri’s father, a full-blood Choctaw Indian, was named Lewis Burton. He fought and was killed in the Civil War. Lewis’ wife, Sally, came to East Texas from Georgia. She told of hardships endured during the Civil War and of Yankee soldiers coming through on a rampage, taking their food, even cleaning the food off their table. They were so relieved that the soldiers took only their food and not their lives. Lewis and Sally Burton’s children were: Annie Pool, John Burton, Albert Burton, and Henry Burton.

Ephriam (Efe) and Lela Missouri had eight children: Marvin Lewis, Sam, Zachariah, Echols, John, Eunice Dunn, and Lillian Gray. Lillian Gray is the only member of this generation now living. She has told us stories of how people "fared" in olden times; of going to the fields and working from daylight until dark when she was very young; of the compassion and love that people had for one another; of the big bells that hung in the yards of most families and were rung when help was needed, whether sickness or some other emergency. They raised their own tobacco but had to buy snuff at the store. Lillian says, "And the prettiest thimbles were in those snuff bottles." Nearly everyone either dipped or sniffed snuff or smoked.

Marvin Lewis Gray (1884-1949) was married to Elizabeth Kathryn Howard (Liza) (1888-1964) from Pine Hill. From this union were born: Mary Lois Green, Margie Ellen Green, Annie Faye Morris, Bonnie Bell Reynolds, Hazel Marie Irwin, Monnie Grace Williams and Marvin Lewis Jr.

Papa Gray (Marvin Lewis, Sr.) butchered and peddled meat in winter when the children were young, farmed for a living, and was an avid fisherman. Mama Gray (Liza) was one of the most beloved women in the community (Oak Hill). Fond memories of these grandparents include the delicious cold milk and butter drawn up from the well just before supper time, the hot old-fashioned syrup pie, of neighbors sitting on the front porch, of jumping from bale to bale of cotton, of ice wrapped in an old quilt in the fireplace in the summertime, of rummaging for good things to eat in the "safe," and of love.

Mary Lois Gray married Clyde B. Green in 1925, and their children are: Betty Joyce Hale, Justin Clyde, June Faye Faulkner, Gloria White, and Joe Reginal. Theirs was a good and happy childhood. They were loved and cared for. The parents set a good example of having respect for others, having pride in oneself, being honest, and maintaining high morals.

Betty Joyce Green married Kos Quinton Hale in 1946. Quinton served in World War II from December 8, 1941 until November 1945. Their children are: Kenneth Gray Hale, whose wife is Mollie Craig and whose son is Kirklyn Gray; and Joel Rogers Hale, whose wife is Barbara Long and whose son is Joel Clifton.

Submitted by Mrs. Quinton Hale