24/06/1805   William Gray was born "at Hawkesbury" and Baptised 11/08/1805 at St. Johns Parramatta.

Mary Wheeler (born c1808, was first reported to arrive in Australia from Norfolk Island round 1811 aged 2 or 3 years of age, with John Best (Friendship 1787 who supposedly became Father–in–law and very close friend of Williams) and his housekeeper Rebecca Chippenham (Chipman, Neptune 1790).

William Gray and Mary Wheeler were married on the 17/05/1827 at Evan, New South Wales. V18274048 3B/1827. They raised 5 children:-

Aug.   1824    William Gray writes a Memorial to Governor Brisbane saying that he and his family are at a rented farm in Evan (Penrith) and requests land to farm to help the family.

Nov.   1827    William Gray tried for stealing a bullock from Sir John Jamieson and sentenced to be hanged. His sentence was changed to Transportation to Moreton Bay there to serve 7 years hard labour in chains.

16/03/1830    Elizabeth Gray writes from Windsor a Memorial to Governor Darling pleading clemency for her son William Gray and the Memorial includes recommendations from his Prosecutor Sir John Jamieson and four others. (This Memorial is in the Brisbane Archives.)

1805 24 June, Born and was second child of John & Elizabeth Gray, place of birth Hawkesbury NSW. Baptised 11 Aug 1805 at St John's Parramatta NSW

1818 – 1820 After his father died in 1818 William then aged thirteen was obliged to help his mother earn money to keep the family.

1820 – 1826 In 1820 aged 15, he was instrumental in helping capture nine runaway convicts. He had a variety of jobs. These include being a market Constable and Pound Keeper in Sydney

1827 7 May, William Gray married Mary Wheeler. BMD Reel 5003 13 1/11 and Reel 5002 4048/3

1827 10 August, William Gray resigned as Constable at Penrith. S.G. 10 and 13 August IA.

1827 30 November, William Gray arraign, pleaded 'Not Guilty' in the Supreme Court of Criminal Justice to cattle stealing.

1827 1 December, Judgement of Death recorded against William Gray. Commuted to hard labor in chains at Morton Bay. S.A. Supreme Court Criminal Justice 27/146 no 530, in boxes S.S. T25; and C.P. T135.

1827 – 1835 He married Mary Wheeler on the 17th May, 1827 she was born on Norfolk Island in 1808. They had two daughters Rebecca Jane Wheeler - Gray (1825) who was reportedly born to a John and Mary Wheeler, but as children born out of wedlock were given their mother's surname we do not know who her father was, but William treated her as his own, and Elizabeth Ann Gray (1828.) In November of this year (1827) he was charged and convicted of Stealing a bullock and sentenced to Moreton Bay Penal Colony. Because of his good behaviour, he was later allowed to have his wife and two daughters join him. On 5 September 1830 another daughter Hannah Gray was born. William returned to Sydney after serving four and half years of his seven year sentence. Their only son William John Best Gray was born in 1832 and their last daughter Mary Gray was born on 10th January 1835. He worked as a stockman on several stations. Two of these were Carrol and Crageen NSW.

1842 – 1850 In mid November of 1842, William, Mary and their five children left Windsor NSW and went to Queensland on a bullock dray and arrived in Brisbane the first week of March 1843. Eventually they settled in Ipswich Qld where their daughters were married. William and one of their son-in-laws, Richard Lovell went into the carrying business. They had a bullock team of their own and hired two teams from the Campbell brothers of Glengallon Qld.

Their daughters married : Rebecca Jane to Henry Kirby, Elizabeth to Charles Sloane, Hannah to Richard Lovell, Mary to John Campbell and later to William Wanstall and their son William John Best married Mary Ann Clay.

In February of 1851 William was not well and his mother travelled from Sydney to see him. Sadly, his health did not improve and he died on 4 April 1851 at the age of 46. He was buried in Ipswich Qld.

Mary died at Leyburn on the 25th January 1877 aged 69 years.

Mary Wheeler ¦ The Early Years ¦ Elizabeth Gray 1803 - 1836 ¦ William Gray 1805 - 1851
Jane Gray 1808 - 1880 ¦ John Gray Jr. 1810 ¦ Hannah Gray 1813 - 1856
Ann Louise Gray 1815 - 1874 ¦ Richard Gray 1817 - 1896

Letters from Elizabeth Killett Gray ¦ Trials ¦ Trips & Ships ¦ Letters from William J.B. Gray
Crest & Tartan ¦ Special Acknowledgements


In the Beginning

THE SECOND GENERATION

Rebecca Gray ¦ Elizabeth A. Gray ¦ Hannah Gray ¦ William John Best Gray ¦ Mary J. Gray

THE THIRD GENERATION

William R. Gray ¦ Emily J. Gray ¦ Eliza A. Gray ¦ Mary E. Gray ¦ Henry Best Gray ¦ George C. Gray
Wallace J. Gray ¦ Edward Gray ¦ Joseph F. Gray ¦ Annie A. Gray ¦ Arthur Lytton Gray

THE FOURTH GENERATION

Noel Francis Gray ¦ Eric Gray ¦ Francis Gordon Gray ¦ Athol C. Gray

THE FIFTH GENERATION

Athol Wayne Gray ¦ Jennifer L. Gray ¦ Kerry Lytton Gray ¦ Eric G. Gray ¦ Gordon W. Gray
Alan J. Gray ¦ Neal J. Gray ¦ Ian Gray

THE SIXTH GENERATION

Brendon John Gray ¦ Allyson Joy Gray ¦ Rohan Paul Gray ¦ Guy B. Phillips ¦ Melinda Phillips
Susannah Phillips ¦ Shannon Gray ¦ Dylan J. Gray ¦ Rachael Lee Gray ¦ Elisha M. Gray
Tehia L. Gray ¦ Jason M. Gray

THE SEVENTH GENERATION

Dylan James Gray ¦ Ethan Kane Gray ¦ Riely Paul Gray ¦ Patrick B. Phillips ¦ Madaline Phillips
Dylan Bright ¦ Ethan Lawrie Gray


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