by Barbara J. Wood
GRAYTOWN
James W. Gray was a Texas Revolutionary veteran
Wilson County News | February 27, 2013
Maurine Liles, Wilson County Historical Society
Maurine Liles, Wilson County Historical Society
Spain had ruled Texas for over 200 years and Texans attempted to break the Spanish yoke several times. Once was in 1811 with the Las Casas Uprising and again in 1812 with the Gutierrez-McGee expedition, which culminated in the Battle of Medina. Both were failed attempts. In 1821, Mexico took the reins of power over the people of Texas. Soon, Anglo settlers began migrating to Texas. Texas was already populated by settlers of mostly Spanish descent, some of whom had large ranches and managed large herds of cattle. By the early 1830s Mexico was concerned with the number of Anglo settlers coming to Texas and placed some restrictions on these migrants. Santa Anna was becoming a force to reckon with. He was a dictator and called himself "Napoleon of the West." Texans liked independence but had no love for dictators. These issues must have been on the minds of Texans and men who came to Texas from other states and countries and volunteered to fight for Texas independence. Whatever the reason, they fought and Texas won her independence from Mexico. In the beginning, the Texans opposing Santa Anna and Mexico were volunteers until Sam Houston began to organize a regular army. James W. Gray came to Texas and entered into this fray.
James Gray was born Nov. 29, 1814, in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is unknown when he arrived in Texas, but he arrived in time to fight in the Texas Revolution. Records show that he made application to the Republic Claims for service rendered during the Revolution. He received a pension from the state of Texas in the 1870s. When he applied for the pension, it was stated that he was in the war when it started in Gonzales. He was 21 years old but even at this young age, he was older than some of the men who entered this fight for Texas independence from Mexico. He fought under the command of Edward Burleson at San Jacinto.
While the men were fighting for Texas independence, the hostile Indians were raiding Texas settlements and killing the citizens. After the Texans won victory at San Jacinto, the Indian hostility continued. Many of the men who fought in the war for Texas independence remained in the army of the Republic of Texas to defend the citizens. James W. Gray enlisted in the Republic of Texas Army on Oct. 10, 1836, and remained in that service until November 1837. The records show he received a pension through the Republic Claims for service as a soldier in the Republic of Texas Army. He also received a land bounty consisting of 1,280 acres for services rendered as a Texas soldier.
By 1837, the Republic of Texas had little money and the military had to be cut back. Yet, hostile Indians were still raiding farms and ranches. Texas citizens were brutally killed. Some of the men who fought in the Texas Revolution and became soldiers in the Republic Army were again called upon to defend the citizens of Texas. James W. Gray was no exception. Men, now private citizens of the Republic, rode with groups of men who were ranging the countryside chasing hostile Indians. These ranging groups did a similar job to that of the Texas Rangers. Today, some historians recognize men of these early ranging companies — Mounted Volunteers, Minutemen, and others as Texas Rangers. James Gray was a Mounted Volunteer. In 1839 he rode as a Mounted Volunteer in Capt. S.B. Franks' Company, which was under the command of Col. Henry Wax Karnes in a campaign against hostile Indians made from San Antonio in the summer of 1839. In another campaign, he rode under the command of Col. Juan Seguin. He also did service in later campaigns in defense of Texas Citizens.
James Gray married Simona Hernandez in 1841 in San Antonio. She was the daughter of Margarita Seguin and stepdaughter of Mariano Seguin, who received a large land grant near San Antonio. The 1850 census record shows that James Gray was a tinsmith and a merchant in San Antonio. At this time, he was 35 years old. His wife, Simona, was also 35. They had three children at this time. James was 8, Mary was 6, and William was 4 years old.
James Gray and his family moved to some of the land his wife had inherited from her mother. Gray established a home near the San Antonio River. He encouraged laborers and renters to move to the area. Ranchers and cowboys began to trade in the community and James Gray began the process of founding Graytown. Gray and his wife gave land for a Catholic church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church was built there. It was the religious center for Catholics within a 30-mile radius of Graytown. A mercantile store, blacksmith shop, and some bars opened for business and he operated a ferry. A post office was established in 1860. Graytown was a part of Bexar County until 1869, and then it became a part of Wilson County.
The 1860 census shows James Gray and his family were living in San Antonio where he was a merchant.
The Civil War started in 1861. Texas was now a part of the United States and Texans voted to become a Confederate state. James Gray enlisted as a Confederate soldier. His name was on a document at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum titled: Partial list of Texas Ranger Co. and unit commanders. The list was compiled by Christina Stopka, a researcher at the museum. In 1862-63, Gray was a captain of Bexar County 30th Brigade TST.
In 1873, James Gray purchased some land in Lodi from Nemencio de la Zerda. Nemencio de la Zerda had established the Lodi ferry at a crossing on the San Antonio River in 1872 and it had made a crossroads community of Lodi. Gray's land was located at the corner of Goliad Road (the San Antonio and La Bahia roads) and the road to the Lodi Ferry. It was here at this busy crossroads that James Gray started a blacksmith shop, a tin shop, operated a store, and a bar. He continued to operate a business here until his death Sept. 12, 1884. He is buried in the Floresville City Cemetery with "Texas Veteran" engraved on his tombstone.
Many of the men who fought in the Texas Revolution, served in the Republic of Texas Army, fought hostile Indians, and engaged in other campaigns in defense of Texas had to wait until the 1870s before they could collect their service pay. Not all lived to realize any compensation. Without these courageous men who had a hunger for independence, and saw a need to win independence from Mexico, who generously donated their time, their gear, and in some cases their lives — the Republic of Texas may not have been established. Again and again, they stood up for Texas. If James Gray was alive today, and was called on again to fight for Texas, he may well answer the call.
First Communion
The First Communion class (girls wearing white veils)--and other students in weekly catechism class--pose with nuns outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Graytown Texas . Nuns--Sister Pauline on right--are members of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. The 1938 photograph courtesy of UTSA Llbrary.
Mariano Seguin Spanish Land Grant
[These remarks were compiled from several handwritten letters dated in the years of 1967-1971. They were written by J. G. Seguin, a great-great grandson of Mairano Seguin. ]
This land grant was more or less six miles long and three or four miles wide and three or four miles wide. Its northeastern border was bounded by the San Antonio River. Its southeastern corner was the site of a river crossing and the location of the Graytown Community. The southern border was in Wilson County passing north of Fairview to within three miles of the Atascosa county line and then turned northwest
into Bexar County. The northwestern corner is in Bexar County and top boundary of the grant returned to the San Antonio River.
Mariano Seguin was a cousin to Erasmo Seguin who owned a ranch north of Floresville which was a part of the original Simon and Juan de Arocha grant. Erasmo and his son
Juan were very much involved in the Texas Revolution for independence. The Graytown site was named after James Gray who had married the stepdaughter of Mariano Seguin.
She had inherited this property and she and her husband developed this acreage into one of the earliest communities in Wilson County.
Antonio C. Seguin was the son of Mariano Seguin and inherited the major portion of the Seguin survey. J. G. Seguin, the author of the letters used to develop this article, was the
last Seguin to own a portion of the original survey. His property was at the southern end of the grant about 16 miles from Graytown.
In 1850 or earlier, Antonio C. Seguin built a house on this ranch. The house at the ranch's headquarters was still being occupied in 1967. It was located about one half mile north off South Flores Road near Graytown, Texas and close to the San Antonio River. It was across the road from the Rafel Flores house. At this time Gaspar and Reynaldo Flores and their sisters were living in this house. These persons were grandchildren of Antonio Seguin. The Flores Family had built this home on some 70 to 80 acres which belonged to their Aunt Trinidad, a daughter of Antonio Seguin.The Seguin Ranch was named El Rancho Viego (the old ranch). The ranch headquarters included a mill, a general store and many smaller homes for the workers. Antonio C. Seguin, Sr. also had a cotton gin. He was a farmer, rancher and storekeeper. On the ranch he raised a large number of horses in addition to great herds of longhorn cattle. At that time the ranch was all open range with no fences to restrain the movement of the horses and cattle. This livestock would stray off the ranch and even move into adjacent counties, even as far as Pleasanton in Atascosa County. It sometimes took as many as three days to gather and return this livestock back to the ranch. On one occasion as the vaqueros were looking for a place to spend the night after riding all day looking for horses. They located a small house where an older gentleman was living by himself. The old man gave them permission to sleep outside the house and even treated them to some coffee. However, that night while the cowboys were asleep, the old man stole the sugar which they carried in their saddlebags.
Antonio Seguin dug many earth tanks and ponds on the ranch to provide water for the horses and cattle. These earthen impoundments were created by using teams of mules
and scrapers. Some of these ponds still exist and are still serving their original purpose.
At the south end of the Mariano Seguin survey there is a larger pond also called a lake. This lake was called by old timers and Spaniards Laguna Seca or Dry Lake. Generally the lake will always have at least some water in it. It takes about five inches of rain to fill the lake when it is almost empty. The lake will provide water for livestock for four to six months if there is no additional rain.
Later on in time it was decided that the lake should be called Seguin Lake since it had been owned by the Seguins for a period of over two hundred years. Some of the Seguin
heirs think the vicinity around the lake should be called the Seguin Lake Community as the old timers used to call the neighborhood in this area Laguna Seca Community.
Through time the Mariano Seguin survey has been divided into many tracts and sold to people not kin to the Seguins. The heirs divided this land from generation to generation and the new heirs started selling their share to unrelated individuals.
Following is a listing of some of the new owners not related to the Seguin family:
Walter Freeman of San Antonio – 900 acres
Red Berry - 610 acres
Esperanza Ranch - 800 acres
Rafel Flores of Graytown - 150 acres
Dr. Candelario Saenz - 300 acres
Andres Garza - 92 acres
Willie Robles of San Antonio - 31 acres
Mr. Kintarina of the Hill Top Vicinity - 164 acres
Leo Jasik and Stanley also own land out of the Seguin survey.
Plus, there are many other names who J. G. Seguin doesn't know.
Seguin heirs till owning land out of the Seguin survey in the 1968-1971 period:
Eugene Seguin - 210 acres
Ernestina Seguin - 210 acres
J. G. Seguin - 88 acres
Gaspar and Reynaldo Flores and their sisters - 70 to 80 acres
The site of the Graytown Cemetery was donated to the Catholic Church by Antonio C. Seguin.
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COURTESY / Compiled by Gene Maeckel from the files of the Wilson County Historical Society Archives, P.O. Box 190,
Poth, Texas 78147. Web Site: www.wilsoncountyhistory.org
Old Saloon
Old Saloon, Graytown, Texas, taken in 1912 ..... left to right: Luis Casas, Ben Aldana, Manuel Paz, Henry Weaver, G.W. Keilmann, Ben Cardona and Maximo Rodriquez. .... taken from Wilson County Centennial Book
Graytown, Texas
GRAYTOWN TEXAS ... is one of the earliest settled areas in Wilson County. It is located on the west side of the San Antoinio River just downstream of the junction of the San Antonio River and the Medina River, very close to the Wilson-Bexar County boundary. The residents living in this part of the San Antonio River valley were associated primarily with the ranching environment. These individuals were mostly vacqueros and ranch owners.
The town site is situated on a small rise on the western bank of the San Antonio River initially surrounded by massive, live oaks and mesquite trees. The western side of the town was bounded by the Alamo-La Bahia Road. Just to the south of the town,was the Maldonado River Crossing.
Fording the river at this site was convenient because there were gentle descents on both sides of the river. Also located in the area at a later time was a ferry operated by Mr. Seguin.
Graytown is sited in the Mariano Seguin land grant. Simona Fernandez Seguin inherited this property from her mother Margarita Seguin. Simona Fernandez Seguin was married to James Gray, a Scottish immigrant. James Gray surveyed a portion of this grant to develop a town site which was originally called Santiago but changed later to Graytown to honor the developer's name.
A plaza was the center point of the community; it bordering the Alamo-Bahia Road on the west and the Catholic Church on the east. The other two sides of the plaza were sites for local businesses serving the area. Graytown became a flourishing community and a center of activity in the trade and social life of the surrounding ranches.
On the north and south sides of the plaza there were various stores, shops and saloons.Included was a school,a post office and offices for a judge and a sheriff. Graytown, being located in the midst of thriving ranches,became a gathering place for their cowboys and ranchers who generally were descendants of the first settlers of the Bexar area. Included in the local population were a number of individuals who were brought into the area at the request of James Gray to helpdevelop the town. these included workers and renters. As this became the centerpoint of the local ranches,it also became a gathering point for herds of Longhorns to be driven up the trails to northern markets.
Graytown during its flourishing days was the religious, social and commercial center south of San Antonio. It was at the crossroads of travel routes from San Antonioto, La Bahia (Goliad), San Patricio, Matamoras, Laredo, and other points south and west. Crossing the river at this point provided a choice of going to the Alamo Presido on the east side of Bexar or the Villa de Bexar on the west. From areas as far away as thirty miles people would come to participate in the religion festivals and to receive the consolations of religion. This access by roads and trails to Graytown helped the Catholic church become the religious center of the area. It served people in Canada Verde, Elmendorf, Lodi, Calaveras, Parita, Las Islitas, El Salado, Los Arroyos, Chupaderas, and Seguin.
By far the Catholic church became the outstanding factor in the growth and development of Graytown.. Without it might never have become more that just an ambitious venture for James Gray. On April 1, 1854 the Rt. Reverand J.M. Odin, Vicar Apostolic of Galveston established the church here as the parish church for the surrounding territory. The Rev. Casimiro Raymond, a Frenchman, was assigned as the parish priest to serve the hundreds of scattered Catholics living on the ranches and small communities in the vicinity. To establish the physical church James Gray Sr. and his wife provided property at the east end of the plaza for a church and a residence for the priest. The church was first named St. James after James Gray the originator of the town and donor of the church property. In 1877 the church was renamed as the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This occurred because the great number of Mexican Catholics in the parish had a great devotion to the national patroness of Mexico. They requested a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe be placed in the church. A temporary substitute priest who came from Mexico learned of the request and carried with him from Mexico such a picture and had it solemnly erected in the church by Rt. Rev. Antony D. Pellicer, first Bishop of San Antonio. Slowly the official church title of St. James fell by the wayside and the church became known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe during its existence was blessed with one extraordinary French priest named Rev. Emilio Chapolard who served here for 50 years. One of the first improvements he made to the church was the purchase of a bell. The bell was cast by the West Troy Bell Foundry and shipped by water to Port Lavaca, Texas. From there it was brought overland to Graytown by a mule drawn wooden wagon. The priest later bought an organ for the church and erected the way of the cross. As a great lover of music he established a choir in his church plus choirs in the adjacent mission churches.
During prosperous times the town had a post office, a school, various stores and shops plus a number of residences. One residence of note was the spacious homestead of James Gray located at the west end of the plaza. The town reached a peak population of 369 in 1900. In its time it also had a sheriff and a judge with James Gray Jr. holding these positions. He also served as the local postmaster. For many years the post office was the central gathering place for the nearby ranchers and cowboys. A school opened in 1896 with an enrollment of sixty four students.
After 1900 the community began to decline when many of its residents began to move to Elmendorf. Elmendorf was located nearby on the railroad connecting San Antonio to the Gulf Coast and several industries had started operations there providing employment. The Catholic Church also relocated to Elmendorf depriving the Graytown community of its most important involvement with the nearby church missions. Gone was the uninterrupted offering of the Holy Mass, the awe inspiring ceremonies of Holy Week, the feast to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the solemn procession in honor of St. Isidor, the patron saint of the farmers. The post office closed in 1912 and after the end of World War II the school and the stores were closed.
Graytown exists today only as a location on the maps as all the activities in the town have ended, leaving only the cemetery, a few ruins and memories.
(Courtesy of Wilson County Historical Society)
James W. Gray
James W. Gray was a Texas Revolutionary veteran ...... Spain had ruled Texas for over 200 years and Texans attempted to break the Spanish yoke several times. Once was in 1811 with the Las Casas Uprising and again in 1812 with the Gutierrez-McGee expedition, which culminated in the Battle of Medina. Both were failed attempts. In 1821, Mexico took the reins of power over the people of Texas. Soon, Anglo settlers began migrating to Texas. Texas was already populated by settlers of mostly Spanish descent, some of whom had large ranches and managed large herds of cattle. By the early 1830s Mexico was concerned with the number of Anglo settlers coming to Texas and placed some restrictions on these migrants. Santa Anna was becoming a force to reckon with. He was a dictator and called himself "Napoleon of the West." Texans liked independence but had no love for dictators. These issues must have been on the minds of Texans and men who came to Texas from other states and countries and volunteered to fight for Texas independence. Whatever the reason, they fought and Texas won her independence from Mexico. In the beginning, the Texans opposing Santa Anna and Mexico were volunteers until Sam Houston began to organize a regular army. James W. Gray came to Texas and entered into this fray.
James Gray was born Nov. 29, 1814, in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is unknown when he arrived in Texas, but he arrived in time to fight in the Texas Revolution. Records show that he made application to the Republic Claims for service rendered during the Revolution. He received a pension from the state of Texas in the 1870s. When he applied for the pension, it was stated that he was in the war when it started in Gonzales. He was 21 years old but even at this young age, he was older than some of the men who entered this fight for Texas independence from Mexico. He fought under the command of Edward Burleson at San Jacinto.
While the men were fighting for Texas independence, the hostile Indians were raiding Texas settlements and killing the citizens. After the Texans won victory at San Jacinto, the Indian hostility continued. Many of the men who fought in the war for Texas independence remained in the army of the Republic of Texas to defend the citizens. James W. Gray enlisted in the Republic of Texas Army on Oct. 10, 1836, and remained in that service until November 1837. The records show he received a pension through the Republic Claims for service as a soldier in the Republic of Texas Army. He also received a land bounty consisting of 1,280 acres for services rendered as a Texas soldier.
By 1837, the Republic of Texas had little money and the military had to be cut back. Yet, hostile Indians were still raiding farms and ranches. Texas citizens were brutally killed. Some of the men who fought in the Texas Revolution and became soldiers in the Republic Army were again called upon to defend the citizens of Texas. James W. Gray was no exception. Men, now private citizens of the Republic, rode with groups of men who were ranging the countryside chasing hostile Indians. These ranging groups did a similar job to that of the Texas Rangers. Today, some historians recognize men of these early ranging companies — Mounted Volunteers, Minutemen, and others as Texas Rangers. James Gray was a Mounted Volunteer. In 1839 he rode as a Mounted Volunteer in Capt. S.B. Franks' Company, which was under the command of Col. Henry Wax Karnes in a campaign against hostile Indians made from San Antonio in the summer of 1839. In another campaign, he rode under the command of Col. Juan Seguin. He also did service in later campaigns in defense of Texas Citizens.
James Gray married Simona Hernandez in 1841 in San Antonio. She was the daughter of Margarita Seguin and stepdaughter of Mariano Seguin, who received a large land grant near San Antonio. The 1850 census record shows that James Gray was a tinsmith and a merchant in San Antonio. At this time, he was 35 years old. His wife, Simona, was also 35. They had three children at this time. James was 8, Mary was 6, and William was 4 years old.
James Gray and his family moved to some of the land his wife had inherited from her mother. Gray established a home near the San Antonio River. He encouraged laborers and renters to move to the area. Ranchers and cowboys began to trade in the community and James Gray began the process of founding Graytown. Gray and his wife gave land for a Catholic church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church was built there. It was the religious center for Catholics within a 30-mile radius of Graytown. A mercantile store, blacksmith shop, and some bars opened for business and he operated a ferry. A post office was established in 1860. Graytown was a part of Bexar County until 1869, and then it became a part of Wilson County.
The 1860 census shows James Gray and his family were living in San Antonio where he was a merchant.
The Civil War started in 1861. Texas was now a part of the United States and Texans voted to become a Confederate state. James Gray enlisted as a Confederate soldier. His name was on a document at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum titled: Partial list of Texas Ranger Co. and unit commanders. The list was compiled by Christina Stopka, a researcher at the museum. In 1862-63, Gray was a captain of Bexar County 30th Brigade TST.
In 1873, James Gray purchased some land in Lodi from Nemencio de la Zerda. Nemencio de la Zerda had established the Lodi ferry at a crossing on the San Antonio River in 1872 and it had made a crossroads community of Lodi. Gray's land was located at the corner of Goliad Road (the San Antonio and La Bahia roads) and the road to the Lodi Ferry. It was here at this busy crossroads that James Gray started a blacksmith shop, a tin shop, operated a store, and a bar. He continued to operate a business here until his death Sept. 12, 1884. He is buried in the Floresville City Cemetery with "Texas Veteran" engraved on his tombstone.
Many of the men who fought in the Texas Revolution, served in the Republic of Texas Army, fought hostile Indians, and engaged in other campaigns in defense of Texas had to wait until the 1870s before they could collect their service pay. Not all lived to realize any compensation. Without these courageous men who had a hunger for independence, and saw a need to win independence from Mexico, who generously donated their time, their gear, and in some cases their lives — the Republic of Texas may not have been established. Again and again, they stood up for Texas. If James Gray was alive today, and was called on again to fight for Texas, he may well answer the call.
[Compiled by Maurine Liles, on behalf of the Wilson County Historical Society.]
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COURTESY / Wilson County News