John Doyle Gray

John Doyle Gray was born in St. Johns, Brunswick about 1841 ,the son of Henry and Sarah (Pierce) Gray. Julia Ann Innis was born in 1837 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  John and Julia were married at Richmond, Ontario. To this union were born twelve children:

  1. Mary (1858);

  2. Thomas (1861);

  3. James B. (1864);

  4. Rachel (1866);

  5. Ruth (1867);

  6. John W. (1869);

  7. Sara (1871);

  8. Julia (1873);

  9. Charles (1874);

  10. William (1876);

  11. Arthur P. (1878); and

  12. George (1880).

The Doyle family settled in Potter Township in 1880, putting up with the usual hardships of the early settlers, including the use of oxen to do the field work. A house was built of native stone which was used until 1927. A large hip-roofed barn was built and the latest arrangements for the feeding of animals were installed as well as the disposal of manure. John Doyle did not live to enjoy the use of the new barn as he passed away April 26, 1911. Julia Ann lived until May 26, 1917 with her son Arthur Pierce, on the farm which she and John had worked so diligently to establish.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 83