Chatham County GaArchives Biographies.....Gray, Joseph Francis 1870 - living in 1913
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 15, 2004, 12:25 am

Author: William Harden
p. 658-659

   HON. JOSEPH FRANCIS GRAY. On the roll of Savannah's conspicuous and
progressive business men, none are eligible to a higher position than the Hon.
Joseph Francis Gray, state railroad commissioner and executive officer of the
Savannah Chamber of Commerce. Still to be numbered among the younger generation,
he has for more than a decade been a brilliant figure on the stage of Savannah's
railroad and commercial life. Mr. Gray is a native Georgian, his life record
having begun in the city of Atlanta, on November 23, 1870. He is the son of Luke
and Margaret (Carolan) Gray. His training for the responsibilities of life was
acquired in St. Patrick's parochial school, of Augusta, and in St. Mary's
College, at Belmont, North Carolina. His first adventures as an active factor in
the world of affairs were in the capacity of stenographer for the late Patrick
Walsh, editor of the Augusta Chronicle and at one time United States senator
from Georgia. In January, 1887, he accepted a position as stenographer in the
Augusta office of the Southern Express Company, with which he remained
identified until May, 1888. From the year last mentioned until 1890 he held a
similar position in the office of the general freight and passenger agent of the
Central of Georgia Railway in Savannah. From January, 1890, until October, 1893,
he held the position of traveling freight agent for the Central of Georgia
Railway. In his previous clerical positions he has assimilated a remarkable
amount of information of a business character and was admirably fitted for the
assumption of the duties of important positions. His advancement was steady. In
October, 1893, he became superintendent and treasurer of the Millen &
Southwestern Railroad with headquarters at Millen, Georgia. In February, 1900,
he became superintendent of the Offerman & "Western Railroad at Offerman,
Georgia, and on July 15, 1902, became freight claim agent of the Central of
Georgia Railway. In 1905 and 1906 he was auditor of traffic of the Central of
Georgia Railway and in 1906 and 1908 was terminal agent in Savannah for the
Central of Georgia and Southern railways.

   In 1909, Mr. Gray severed his connection with railroad interests to become
executive officer of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, in which position he has
entire managerial charge of this important organization. He is also its
vice-president. The chamber of commerce under Mr. Gray's direction has become
the most important factor in the modern growth and development of Savannah. It
numbers among its membership a large number of Savannah's public-spirited
citizens. Its quarters in October, 1911, were removed to the third floor of the
new Savannah Bank & Trust building. In 1909, Mr. Gray also was made one of the
state railroad commissioners of Georgia. Mr. Gray is a successful man. He has
done things and has made an imprint upon many enterprises.

   Mr. Gray was happily married on June 6, 1892, the young woman to become his
wife being Miss Dora E. Gassman, daughter of Charles and Mary A (McLaughlin)
Gassman. They have three interesting children: Joseph Francis, Jr., Mildred
Lucile, and Charles Aloysius. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are communicants of the Catholic
church and the former is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME I
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chatham/bios/gbs202gray.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 4.0 Kb