Introduction / Westray Grays / George Gray and Margaret Seatter / Robert Gray and Marion Meal

George Gray

George Gray was the oldest known child of Robert Gray and Marion Meal, and was christened in 1777 (the exact date is difficult to read in the microfilm of the original record, but it appears to be 29th September). In the 1841 and 1851 censuses he was recorded as a farmer at Gorn, Westray.

Also living at Gorn in 1841 were several people who were probably servants, as well as Barbara Gray, age 65. She was likely George's wife, although in 1841 that information was not actually recorded. She may have been Barbara Bews, and in that case she and George were likely the George Gray and Barbara Bews who were the parents of George Gray, christened in Westray on 9th January 1802. No further information has been found for this George Gray.

Barbara Gray of Gorn apparently died between 1841 and 1851, and in the 1851 census George, age 75, was recorded as a widower. Only a month or so later, on 10th May 1851, he married Helen (sometimes Hellenor, or Nellie) Craigie, age about 28 years. She was the daughter of James Craigie and Margaret Shearer, and had been born in Rousay. George and Hellenor had one daughter, Margaret Gray, christened 1st October 1854.

George died on 4th February 1861, before the census of that year. No gravestone has been found for him.

On December 14, 1861, Helen married 24-year-old John Stout (son of John Stout and Barbara Eunson), a labourer on the farm. They don't seem to have had any children. When the family left Westray is unknown, but they were not there at the time of the 1871 census, and a deed in the possession of a descendant shows that by 1876 they were living in Port Colbourne, Ontario, Canada.

Helen died in Port Colbourne on 19th October 1896. John Stout died in 1903.