Captain Gray was born on the 22nd day of April, 1822, in Graves County, Ky., and was the son of Capt. Gilson and Rachel (Hodge) Gray, natives of North Carolina, who were among the early settlors of Graves County, Ky. The father was a Captain in the War of 1812. ... During his early manhoood he followed agricultural pursuits, and in 1840 he married Miss Mahala Sweeny, a daughter of David Sweeny, who was a school teacher and native of Tennessee. After his marriage Captain Gray lived in Kentucky and tilled the soil until 1852, when he came to Arkansas, and at furst stopped in White County. Not being pleased with the country, he started to return to his native state, but when he reached Black River Township, and became acquainted with some of the people, he concluded to settle there. He at first entered eighty acres of land, which he improved, and later bought 400 acres of J. N. Tunstall, which he added to this tract. He erected good buildings on the same and leared 40 acres of the land. Subsequently he bought 160 acres about 4 miles from the first, which was woodland. In 1854 he was elected to the office of constable, which office included the duties of deputy sheriff, in which capacity he sereved having been elected twice, until the breaking out of the war, in 1861. Being a strong Union man and his politics well known, he found plenty of oppurtunities to argue his opinions. In the spring of 1862, while in Batesville, he was asked under what flag he would fight, and made this answer: "I will be found under the stars and stripes, battling for God and liberty;" upon which he was struck by a citizen and surrounded by 100 others, one of whom had a rope to hang him. Being a highly respected Mason, some of the members of that order interfered in his behalf, and this saved his life.

Later, in May, 1862, Mr. Gray organized a company of 100 men, and, on the 24th of June, he joined Curtis' army at Batesville, and was mustered in at Jacksonport. From there he went to Helena, where he remained stationed to await orders.While lying there one-half of his command, unused to malarial atmosphere, sickened and died. Capt. Gray, himself, took sick with measles, and after sisty of his men had died, he and the remainder of his command were sent to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, for their health. Captain Gray was sent to the Fifth Military Hospital, and, notwithstanding that he was attended by the best medical skill that could be procured, and the most careful nursing, he continued to decline until December 2, 1862, when death came to his release. At present there are but eleven of his company of 100 men living (1891 Edition) , seven in Independence County.

*The above is an abstract of of brief history of H.V. Gray ... The Goodspeed Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeastern Arkansas.. Independence County.

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