William Steven Gray Biography This biography appears on pages 1265-1266 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm WILLIAM STEVEN GRAY. William Steven Gray, an energetic and prosperous farmer of Yankton precinct, Yankton county, was born in Ivanhoe, Illinois, June 18, 1874, a son of William Bradford Dodge Gray, who was a son of William and Lucy Nelson (Dodge) Gray, natives of Massachusetts. They removed from their native state to New York, whence they emigrated westward and while on the journey William Bradford Dodge Gray was born, probably in Ohio. After his mother's death he was reared by his maternal grandparents, who resided in Lake county, Illinois, and there he grew to manhood. Subsequently be resided in Ivanhoe and Highland Park, that state, and had interests both as a farmer and as a merchant. Having sold his store, he came to South Dakota in the spring of 1880 and took up a homestead in Kingsbury county, between Lake Preston and De Smet. Later he secured a preemption and a timber claim and hauled lumber from Volga, a distance of thirty miles, to build his house. In the fall he went back for his family and following his return to this state continued to reside upon his land until 1890, when he removed to Yankton, where he lived for ten years. He then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, of which he is now a resident. While still living in Illinois Mr. Gray was quite prominent in Sunday School work and soon after arriving in this state he organized the Congregational church and Sunday-school, later becoming the minister of the Congregational church at Lake Henry and also serving several small mission churches nearby. In 1888 he became state superintendent of Sunday schools, which position he filled for several years after removing to Yankton. When Dr. D. K. Parsons gave fifty thousand dollars to the college at Yankton upon the condition that a stated amount be raised by the college Rev. Gray was sent east to secure the money from the Congregational churches in New York, New England and elsewhere and succeeded in getting the required amount. He served as treasurer of the college until removing to Cheyenne and has since been state organizer of Sunday schools in Wyoming, proving very efficient in that capacity. Although he has passed the age of three score years and ten he is still active and vigorous not only mentally but physically and in a wrestling match can throw any of his sons, who are all strong men. He was married in Lake county, Illinois, to Miss Julia Ann Payne, who died in Cheyenne in October, 1900. They were the parents of four sons: Burton Payne, a prominent attorney of Boston, Massachusetts; Edward D., a farmer residing near Yankton; William Steven; and Charles Nelson, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. William Steven Gray was six years old when he was brought by his parents to South Dakota territory and was reared upon the home farm. He early became familiar with agricultural but his scholastic education was by no means neglected and after completing his course in the public schools he entered Yankton College, from which he was graduated in 1898. A few weeks before commencement he enlisted in Company C, First South Dakota Infantry, McArthur's Brigade, for service in the Spanish- American war and his college diploma reached him in San Francisco en route to Manila. For three or four years before this he had been a member of the South Dakota National Guard and was a captain in that body at the time of his enlistment in the army. He served for eighteen months and participated in twenty five battles and minor engagements in the Philippine islands, being for one hundred and twenty days on the firing line. The worst battle in which he participated was fought on the River Marabion. He sailed to the islands on the steamer Rio de Janeiro, which was later sunk in San Francisco harbor, and returned to America on the transport Sherman. On the way out ho spent three days in Hawaii and upon his return was for a week in Japan, visiting Tokio, Nagasaki, Yokohama and other places of interest. On the voyage to San Francisco the transport encountered a two days' storm which nearly engulfed the vessel, the waves setting trunks afloat in the officers, staterooms on the upper deck. Mr. Gray was mustered out at Sioux Falls in October, 1900. He then turned his attention to farming and has since been engaged in the cultivation of the land, owning a fine farm in Yankton precinct which yields him a good income each year. He understands the scientific principles that underlie agriculture, is energetic, prompt in his work and manages the business phase of farming in an efficient manner and as a result his resources are increasing steadily. On the 1st of January, 1901, Mr. Gray was married in Yankton to Miss Belle Mooers. a native of Yankton and a daughter of Timothy and Martha (Ashard) Mooers, both of whom were born in New York but removed to Illinois when children. He was a carpenter by trade and was known as an expert workman. In 1871 he removed to Vermillion and three years later took Ill) his residence in Yankton, where he followed his trade for many years. To Mr. and Mrs. Gray have been born five children, Weston, Ellen, Dudley, John and William S., Jr. Mr. Gray is a republican in his political allegiance, while his church membership is held in the Protestant Episcopal church, of which his family are also members, and his fraternal connections are with the Modern Woodmen of America. He remembers vividly the first winter which he spent in South Dakota although he was then but a child. It has since been known as the winter of the deep snow, hut the family did not suffer from the cold so much as from hunger. Although they had money there were no provisions to be had and neighbors shared with the family the six barrels of corn meal and two barrels of hams which our subject's grandfather sent him by the first train that reached the western terminus of the railroad. The father killed an antelope which, however, did not last long as the other families in the district were frequent visitors at the Gray home. At one time the family was reduced to the necessity of grinding corn in a coffee mill and subsisting on the meal and it was a rule that each one grind his own meal. On the courage and determination that enabled the pioneers to endure such hardships and many others is the state of South Dakota founded and faith in its continued growth is based upon the conviction that the same resolution and energy exists in its people today and that they will not only continue the development of the state materially but will also solve the problems of a political and social nature that confront the commonwealth. Mr. Gray has identified himself thoroughly with the interests of his adopted state, can always be counted upon to further its welfare any way possible and is one of the most valued citizens of his county.