W. I. Twitty wrote that JAMES GRAY was first a Presbytherian, then a Methodist. He was remembered in 1881 as being well respected, impulsive, even rude at times, brave and daring. J. Gilkie writing in his 92nd year noted that JAMES GRAY served as a Major at Kings Mountain and was a good Whig and hated Tories with a perfect hatred.

JAMES GRAY had married ISABELLA McCLURE in 1776. They had two sons, SAMUEL and DAVID. DAVID married the daughter of David Dickey, his father's friend, and had 14 children, 3 of the children went to California to seek gold. One of DAVID's daughters married a Wilkins and one of their daughters married NATHAN MOORE. JAMES GRAY was born in Virginia in 1755 and died in Rutherford County in 1832. He is buried at Gray's Chapel Church on the Rutherford/Polk county lines. There he was honored by the Over the Mountain Victory Trail Association on Sunday, October 5, 1997.
--by Liz 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of James Gray S8594 f34NC, transcribed by Will Graves 12/7/06 rev'd 9/30/15.
State of North Carolina, Rutherford County.
On this tenth day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court now sitting, Major James Gray, a Resident of the United States in the County of Rutherford & State of North Carolina aged Seventy Seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration and ordered to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832.

That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and Served as herein stated. In the year 1775, I was living in Tryon now Rutherford County North Carolina, the Indians & Tories mustered very strong we was divided into two parties, the King's party & what called the Liberty men, there was considerable disturbance at all of our gatherings, each party rallied to his standard, the Young men formed a Company of Minute Men under Captain James Miller, we held ourselves ready at the call of an officer to perform duty, we was kept moving from post to post in the County until Ferguson [Patrick Ferguson] marched into the County with a considerable force when we had to cross the mountain to recruit our forces we joined the Regiment under the command of Colonel Campbell [William Campbell], we then came back and met Ferguson & his forces at Kings Mountain [Battle of Kings Mountain, October 7, 1780] where we paid him back in his own way. I had some satisfaction on that in taking some of my acquaintances that I knew pursued me when I was not able to defend myself, I think I was up to this time upwards of three years that I was not at any one time two weeks together at home, we was in a much worse situation than those who was in the Regular Army after the Battle of Kings Mountain. I came home immediately went on & took a Fort on Thicketty [Creek] [presumably Thicketty Fort, July 26, 1780].

I was then under Captain Edward Hampton, soon after that I was at the Siege of Ninety Six [May 21-June 19, 1781]. I continued there until the Siege was raised, I think I was at that four or five weeks, I was under Captain Inman [Joshua Inman], I came home from that place, was appointed Captain by Colonel Hampton and ordered to guard four stations, Russell's, Waddleton's, White Oak & Earle's. I was on that tour more than 6 months, during that time we had a Scrimmage with the British & Tories on Pacolet River, we defeated them, they made a stand at a strong fort on the Tiger River [Tyger River] we pursued them to that place, we found that they was too strong for us to meddle with, we returned home in a short time after General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford] came on with his force, I joined him at the head of the Catawba [River], we crossed the mountains in pursuit of the Indians and we overtook them, we killed several burnt several of their towns, we return home very soon after,

I was ordered out again by General McDowell [Charles McDowell], made a trip across the mountains we on that tour killed several Indians burnt some of their towns, we then had a number sufficient that we could defend ourselves, I kept no memorandum of my service went at every call which was often, in fact from the year 1775 to the end of the War I was in continual service. There was a large frontier for us to guard, at one period of our difficulties our service was hard, the Indians pressed us on one side the British on another & in the midst of the Tories & Ferguson at their head with a number of our citizens taking refuge under him and was alarming times, with me I knew I was a mark for them to shoot at & if they could by any means take me I had to suffer many deaths but I always took advantage of them I do not know, main Service was to keep the Tories from embodying & it was a continued service. I cannot say as to any certain time but I am confident that during the Revolutionary War I was at different periods more than two years in actual Service & often in the most dangerous Service. I hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declare that my name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State.

Question 1st By the Court: where and in what year were you born?
~~Answer: I was born in the year 1755 in Augusta County the State of Virginia.
Question 2nd: have you any record of your age?
~~Answer: I have the record of my age in my possession at this time.
Question 3rd: where was you used living when called into Service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War & where do you now live?
~~Answer: I was living in the County of Rutherford North Carolina when first called into Service and have lived there ever since & expect to continue there as long as I live.
Question 4th: how was you called into service, was you drafted did you volunteer or was you a substitute, if a substitute for whom?
~~Answer: I was a volunteer from the commencement of the War in the year 1775 to the end in 1781 & made several tours over the mountains in pursuit of the Indians after the close of the Revolutionary War. I cannot confine myself to the dates of the different transactions it was almost one continued service.
State the name of some of the Generals & field officers when at the battle of King's Mountain.
~~Colonel Campbell Sevier Cleveland McDowell at the Siege of 96, General Greene General Rutherford.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
S/ James Gray {Seal}

--submitted by Vonnie (47192880) 2-9-23 with edit to remove middle name Lewis with the following explanation:
I checked every piece of documentation I have on this Patriot to try and verify that he: 1. had a middle name and 2. that his middle name was Lewis. I found none. He didn't use a middle name when he wrote his Will nor did he use a middle name when he submitted his Application for Revolutionary War Pension. His headstone reads only "James Gray," with no Lewis. He he did not use a middle name in his official signature.

Not to be confused with James Gray buried in Georgia.
--thanks to Lucy (48516832) 11-9-23