History of Bridport, (Addison County) Vermont United States of America

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Edgar Harkness Gray, chaplain, was born in Bridport, Vt., Nov. 28, 1815; son of Daniel and Amy (Bosworth) Gray. He was early left an orphan worked for a farmer, learned the printer's trade, determined to become a Baptist minister and paid his way through Waterville college by teaching a primary school. He was graduated in 1838 and after studying theology under President Pattison was ordained in 1839, was pastor at Freeport, Maine, 1839-44, at Shelburne Falls, Mass., 1844-47; Bath, Maine, 1847-50, and again at Shelburne Falls, Mass., 1850-63. He went to Washington, D.C., as pastor of the E Street Baptist church, serving there 1863-70; was again in Shelburne Falls, Mass., 1870-73; in Washington, D.C., as pastor of the North Baptist church, 1873-78; and in religious extension work in California, 1878-94. In California he was pastor of the First Baptist church, San Francisco, 1878-80; Vallejo, Cal., 1880-82; and of the First Baptist church, Oakland, 1882-94. He was chaplain of the U.S. senate, 1865-69, and officiated at the funeral of President Lincoln and that of Representative Thaddeus Stevens. He was married in 1840 to Mary J. Rice, and after her death to Mrs. Mercy M. Fay in 1876. After Dr. Gray's death his widow gave $30,000 to the Pacific Baptist theological seminary, Oakland, Cal., of which her husband was dean; $30,000 to the Baptist mission society; $100,000 to foreign missions and $25,000 to California college. Mrs. Gray died in Oakland, Cal., May 20, 1898. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on Mr. Gray in 1864 by Rochester university, and in 1897 a window inscribed to his memory was placed in his first church at Freeport, Maine. He died in Oakland, Cal., in 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Bridport, (Addison County) Vermont

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