BIOGRAPHY: Joseph A. GRAY, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 294-5
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JOSEPH A. GRAY, ex-sheriff of Cambria county, and an extensive dealer in coal 
and real estate in Clearfield and Indiana counties, is a son of Philip and Susan 
(Lantzy) Gray, and was born in Susquehanna township, Cambria county, 
Pennsylvania, September 5, 1846. He was reared on the farm, receiving his 
education in common schools, and after he reached his majority, was engaged for 
a short time in farming, which he left to embark in a wider and more active 
field of operations -- the lumber business, along the Susquehanna river and its 
western branches. During a period of ten years, from 1876 to 1886, he did a 
large business, and ranked as one of the leading lumbermen of the State. His 
lumbering operations made his presence often necessary in Clearfield and Indiana 
counties, where he became impressed with their mineral and agricultural 
resources, and about 1887 he founded his present coal and real-estate business 
in those counties, where he has often handled and sold tracts of ten and twelve 
thousand acres of land at a single sale. Lack of railway transportation retarded 
the development of the coal fields of Central Pennsylvania, and Mr. Gray was one 
who had faith in their extent and good quality, and helped to bring to public 
notice their merits and area. With new railroads and increased output of mines, 
a marked development will come to the future, and with it others of that class 
of men whose faith in any enterprise is attested by active and continuous work 
under all kinds of circumstances. 
     On July 18, 1869, Mr. Gray was united in marriage with Margaret Hibsch, 
daughter of Adam Hibsch, of Chest township, this county. To their union have 
been born five sons and three daughters: Etta, John, Irenus, Archie, Bertha, 
Joseph, Maggie, and Edwin. 
     Joseph A. Gray is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in political 
opinion has always been Democratic, believing that the principles of the party 
of Jefferson and Jackson are for the best interest of the masses of the people. 
He has always interested himself in the local political issues of his township 
and county, never has refused to serve in any capacity required of him by his 
party, and served as sheriff of Cambria county from 1886 to 1889. His 
administration was conducted on business principles and seven years later he was 
again called upon by his party to serve as a delegate to the National Democratic 
convention of Chicago. Sheriff Gray is a pleasant, congenial and successful 
business man. While alive to every interest of his community and county, yet he 
has been content to win approval in his chosen and congenial field -- that of a 
successful business man. 
     The immigrant ancestor of the Gray family in this country was Caleb Gray, 
who left Germany and came to Huntingdon county, in which he resided up to 1844, 
when he settled in Susquehanna township, where he died in 1849, aged eighty-
three years. He was an iron-worker while in Huntingdon county, but after coming 
to Cambria, gave his time and attention to farming. He was reared a 
Presbyterian, but in later life united with the Catholic church, in which faith 
he died. He reared a large family, and his youngest child, Phillip Gray, was the 
father of Sheriff Gray.
     Phillip Gray was born in Huntingdon county, February 15, 1814, and died in 
Susquehanna township, this county, April 28, 1893. He was an extensive farmer, 
but at times gave some attention to lumbering, which he made profitable. His 
integrity and executive ability made him a man of affairs in his community, and 
caused his services to be frequently demanded by his neighbors and others who 
were acquainted with him. He was a democrat in politics, and a useful member of 
the Catholic church. He married Susan (Lantzy) Nagle, widow of Simon Nagle, and 
a daughter of Joseph Lantzy, a native of Germany, and a farmer of Susquehanna 
township. Mrs. Gray, by her first marriage, had one child, John S. Nagle, who 
was a Union soldier and is now dead. To Mr. and Mrs. Gray was born a family of 
five sons and four daughters: Caleb, a Union soldier, who was killed by a train 
at Hastings, in 1893; Elizabeth, widow of Mathias Huffman; Joseph A.; Mary Ann, 
wife of Charles C. McCombie; Catherine, married Michael H. Nagle; Daniel, a 
farmer of Susquehanna township; Philip, now engaged in farming in Allegheny 
township; Susan, wife of Marcellus McMullen; William, a resident of Hastings, 
this State; and Rosalie, who passed away in childhood.