Biography of Truman W. Gray, pages 720/721/722.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Truman W. Gray



	Descended from honored ancestry and himself numbered among the 
leading citizens of DeKalb county, Indiana, the subject of this sketch 
is entitled to specific recognition in a work of this character.  A 
residence in this county of many years has but strengthened his hold on 
the hearts of the people with whom he has been associated, and today no 
one here enjoys a larger circle of warm friends and acquaintances, who 
esteem him because of his sterling qualities of character and his 
business ability.

	Truman W. Gray, one of the most respected citizens and successful 
farmers in Fairfield township, was born March 18, 1824, not far from 
Black Rock, New York, and is the son of John and Julia (Rowland) Gray, 
the former a native of Ireland and the latter a native of Pennsylvania, 
the daughter of Luke Rowland, a native of Connecticut, and who loved to 
be one hundred years of age.  John and Julia Gray moved from New York 
to Ashland county, Ohio, when the subject was a young lad, and when the 
latter was but eleven years old his father died, leaving his widow the 
care of a son and six daughters. Because of he moderate financial 
circumstances of the family, Truman was compelled to take a man’s place 
early in life, and was consequently denied the educational advantages 
for which he was ambitious. His first work was as a farm hand and he 
was also employed for a time in a tannery. Eventually he moved to 
Mercer county, Ohio, and bought eighty acres of land, which at that 
time was totally unimproved.  He erected the first house and barn on 
the place. To the cultivation and improvement of that farm he devoted 
the best years of his early life and remained there until November. 
1871, when he came to DeKalb county, arriving here on November 14th, 
and locating on a farm he had bought in section 35, Fairfield township.  
He had thus been a resident of Mercer county, Ohio, for about twenty-
four years, and has resided here forty-two years.  The trip from Ohio 
to Indiana was a long and tedious one, the family driving through in 
wagons, four days being consumed on the road, during which it rained 
and on the last day snowed heavily, so that the members of the little 
party were well chilled before they reached a comfortable fireside.  
They first rented a house three-quarters of a mile from their farm on 
the Squires place, where they remained until they bought the farm later 
in the winter.  Mr. Gray is the owner of one hundred and twenty-four 
acres of land, which is as well improved as any farm in the locality, 
there being two residence houses on the farm, the one in which he now 
resides being built in 1883.  It is commodious and convenient and was 
built according to Mrs. Gray’s ideas.  During the past two years the 
farm has been rented, though Mr. Gray still lives in the home built by 
him.

	While a resident of Ashland county, Ohio, Truman Gray was married 
to Susan Springer, who was born in that county, the daughter of Johann 
and Elizabeth Springer, who were of good old Pennsylvania Dutch stock 
and respected residents of their community.  Mr. Gray proved to her 
husband a true helpmate in the broadest sense of the term and to her he 
attributes much of the success, which accompanied his efforts in his 
new home.  Mrs. Gray died on February 21, 1907. To these parents were 
born six children, tow of whom died in infancy, the others comprising 
two sons and two daughters.  Herbert died at the age of three and one-
half years; Ida Josephine died when about six months old; Iona married 
Douglas Dudgron, and died some time during the seventies; John Henry, 
who was born on November 7, 1853, in Mercer county, Ohio, is the only 
one of the children now living.  He never married, and has spent his 
entire life with his father and is his companion now.  He is a member 
of the United Brethren church. Truman Gray is a member of the Masonic 
order, in which he was raised to the degree of Master Mason at 
Willshire, Ohio, and in the workings of which he has always been an 
appreciative participant.  His has been a long and well spent life, 
characterized by hard labor and persistent toil, and now. In the golden 
sunset of his years, he can look backward over a career over which 
there falls no shadow of wrong, and which, in the main has been full of 
joy and happiness, for he is a man who sees the best in everything, and 
who has by his own influence and effort contributed in a measure to the 
happiness and well being of those about him.  In every relation of life 
he has been true to this highest ideals and his daily life has been 
such as to win the respect and esteem of all who know him.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com