Eugene Gray is a native of this county, and was born in 1829; his parents were Thomas T. and Mary F. (Crandall) Gray, natives of New York, who came to Pike county the year of his birth. Our subject has spent the most of his life in mercantile pursuits; he first began to clerk in the store of Mowry & Massie at New Canton, and since 1872 has been a full partner with Mr. M. D. Massie, and as a firm they have met with success. In 1862 he enlisted in the 68th Ill. Inf., and the following year entered the 28th Ill. Inf., and was mustered out in 1866. During the last year of the service he was Quartermaster Sergeant, and prior to that he was most of the time on detached duty as Clerk. Politically Mr. G. is a Republican, is a member of the Town Board of New Canton, and Treasurer of Pleasant Vale tp. Mr. G. was married in 1868 to Lydia Ware, who is a member of the Baptist Church.”

Source:  History of Pike County, Illinois, Chas. C. Chapman, Chicago, 1888, pages 844-5