Pablo Gray

A Genealogy of Pablo and Georgiana Gray

Corporal Company A 21^[1] Regt.. USCT

Pablo Gray^[2] ^[3], 30, 5'10 2", lumberman, 13 June 1863 Fernandina^[4]

Papers Available in Pension File:

Certified Copy of Certificate of Marriage certification date 9 May 1890

Declaration for Widow=s Pension dated 9 December 1890 by Georgiana Gray

General Affidavit of William Van Dyke dated 23 April 1891

General Affidavit of Thomas Williams dated 23 April 1891

General Affidavit of Benjamin Clark given 23 April 1891

General Affidavit of William Nattiel given 23 April 1891

General Affidavit of John Blake given 29 June 1891

Proof of Disability dated 6 January 1892 given by Thomas Williams

Proof of Disability dated 6 January 1892 given by William Nattiel

General Affidavit of Levi Jackson given 23 January 1892

General Affidavit of George Edwards given 5 January 1899

General Affidavit of Thomas Williams given 5 January 1899

General Affidavit of Anthony Gleu given 20 September 1900

Bureau of Pension Office of the Disbursing Clerk Notice dated 4 February 1914

Certificate of Marriage

This certifies that Pablo Gray of Fernandina Fla^[5] and wife Georgiana White of same place have this day been joined in Matrimony. Covenanting to live together as husband and wife, after God’s holy ordinance of Marriage until separated by death, dated October 13 1863. J Kennedy^[6] officiating minister

Witness

Pablo Rogers^[7]

Sarah Philips

State of Florida

County of St. Johns. I C. B. Bricknor Notary Public duly commissioned and residing in said County do hereby certify that I have carefully compared he original with the marriage certificate produced before me and that the above is a true and exact copy of the same and of the whole hereof witness my hand and seal this 9th day of May 1890 C. B. Bricknor Notary Public.

Declaration for Widow’s Pension

State of Florida, county of St. Johns, on this 9th day of December A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety personally appeared before me, a Clerk of the Circuit Court within and of the county and State aforesaid, Georgiana Gray of St. Augustine, County of St. Johns, State of Florida, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Pablo Gray who enlisted under the name of Pablo Gray at Hilton Head South Carolina, on the 13 day of June A.D. 1863, in Co. A. 21 regt.. USCT Corporal of Co A and served at least ninety days in the late war of the Rebellion, who was HONORABLY DISCHARGED and died Nov. 24, 1886 at St. Augustine. That she was married under the name of Georgiana White, to said Pablo Gray, on 13 day of October 1863, by Rev J Kennedy, at Ferinando (sic) Fla. There being no legal barrier to such marriage. That she has not remarried since the death of the said Pablo Gray. No children under sixteen. That she has heretofore applied for pension and the number of her former application is 424, 318^[8]. That she makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll of the United States under the provisions of the Act of June 27, 1890^[9]. She hereby appoints Allan Rutherford of Washington D.C. her true and lawful attorney to prosecute her claim, and she directs that the sum of ten dollars be paid for services. That her post office address is St. Augustine (Georgiana Gray), County of St. Johns, State of Florida.

Witnessed Al Lopez and R. F. Ximanies. Signature of Claimant Georgiana Gray x her mark.

General Affidavit.

State of Florida, County of St. Johns, in the matter of Pension Claim of Georgiana Gray, widow of late Pablo Gray soldier on this 23rd day of April A.D. 1891; personally appeared before me a clerk of Circuit court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths Wm Van Dyke aged 48 years, a resident of New Augustine.^[10] St Johns County in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows: I know the claimant Mrs. Georgiana Gray I have known her for 25 years. Since her husband=s death she has been entirely dependent on her own efforts for support and has no claim upon any one to assist her. That she has no income at all. She owns a small lot about three miles from town but has no means of improving it, and is at present dependent. This I know of my own knowledge. Post office address is New Hampshire. St. Johns County. He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution. Wm Van Dyke.^[11]

General Affidavit.

State of Florida, County of St. Johns, In the matter of Pension of Georgiana Gray widow of the late Pablo Gray soldier on this 23 day of April A.D. 1891: personally appeared before me ??? in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths Thomas Williams aged 54 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows:

I have known Mrs. Georgiana Gray since she was married to Pablo Gray. I think in fall of 1862. She is now entirely dependent upon her own efforts for her support and has been since her husbands death for many years. She now suffers with Rheumatism and much of the time is not able to move. She has a lot about 3 miles from town but her circumstances are such that she cannot put up a house that is decent to live in. It is now but partially furnished. All this I know of my own certain knowledge. Post office address is St. Augustine Fla. He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution.^[12]

A. E. Lopez and J. W. Allen witness Thomas Williams his mark.

General Affidavit.

State of Florida, county of St. John=s, In the matter of the Pension Claim of Georgiana Gray (widow) on this 23 day of April A. D. 1891: personally appeared before me a clerk of the court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, William Natteil aged 57 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the county of St. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows:

I know the soldier Pablo Gray very well knew him for twenty five years before his death. I was present at his marriage at Fernandina Fla to Georgiana Gray. Was at the church the night they were married. I knew Pablo Gray very well. He was never married before. He lived with a woman in St. Augustine for a number of years But was never married to her as it was in time of slavery and they were not married. I know Mrs. Georgiana Gray very well. Knew her before she was married at Fernandina. She was never married before to my knowledge. I am not sure the night they were married think it was in October 1862 as well as I can recollect. Post office address is St. Augustine Florida and further declares he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution.^[13]

A E Lopez and J W Allen witnesses William Nattiel^[14] his mark.

General Affidavit

State of Florida, County of St. Johns, In the matter of the widows claim of Georgiana Gray on this 23rd day of April A. D. 1891; personally appeared before me a clerk of circuit court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, Benjamin Clark, aged 62 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows: I know the soldier Pablo Gray well. Knew him for 35 years before his death. Saw him get married at Fernandina. I was in the Baptist Church at the time he was married to Georgiana Gray, his wife now living here. I knew the minister who married them. His name was Kennedy. He was chaplain, now dead. He was not the regular pastor of the Baptist church and there was no records kept of the marriages in the Church book as in the time of war there was a great deal of confusion. Pablo Gray was never married before. He lived with a woman who belonged to Mrs. Hernandez at St. Augustine by the name of Eliza Hernandez but he was never married to her. Georgiana Gray was never married before she married Pablo Gray to my knowledge. He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution. Benjamin Clark^[15] (no witnesses because he signed it himself.)^[16]

General Affidavit.

State of Florida, county of St. Johns, In the matter of Widows claim of Georgiana Gray widow of late Pablo Gray soldier. On this 29th day of June A.D. 1891 personally appeared before me a clerk of circuit Court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, John Blake aged 37 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows:

John Blake upon oath states that he is well acquainted with Georgiana Gray the claimant.. That he has known her in the past twenty-five years and knew her late husband Pablo gray. I knew from my own personal knowledge that she was never married since the death of Pablo Gray and that she is still a widow at the present time. And this I knew of my own personal knowledge as I see her quite often -- resident near her in the south part of the town. Post office address is St. Augustine Florida. He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution. John Blake (signed it himself)^[17]

Attempt to increase pension by making it a disability pension

To increase the payment of the pension to between $6 to $12 per month as a disability pension it was necessary for widow to prove that the soldier was war injured. At this point because physical examinations were rather out of the question the testimony of either a Commissioned officer or two of the soldier=s comrades could testify.

General Affidavit.

For the testimony of EMPLOYERS or NEAR NEIGHBORS of soldier, (other than relatives) who have known him before his enlistment, or since his discharge and return from the army.

State of Florida, county of St. Johns, In the matter of Pension claim of Georgiana Gray widow of late Pablo Gray on this 23d day of January A.D. 1892; personally appeared before me a clerk cir ct. In and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, Levi Jackson aged 36 years a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida whose Post Office address is St. Augustine Fla well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit; and who being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid case as follows: That ___ have been well and personally acquainted with Pablo Gray all my life. Levi Jackson - being sworn states as follows -- I known Pablo Gray the late soldier when he returned from the service. Knew him to have asthma quite bad for years after his discharge from the service -- knew him to be suffering in such way that he was unable to do any manual labor. But did wating and ??? Boarding Houses and running of errands for persons for which he go but little pay. Further I knew him to suffer from the trouble continually for years and it increased upon him through the better part of his life and finally he died of aggravated asthma ? >? ? in the year 1886. ? ? But ? ? I think it was but am not sure. This I know of my own personal knowledge having lived near neighbor to house for 8 or ten years.^[18]

Proof of Disability

State of Florida, County of St. Johns In the matter of the claim of Georgiana Gray widow of the late Pablo Gray on this 6th day of January A. D. 1892 personally appeared before me a clerk of the circuit court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, William Nattul aged 51 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida who being duly sworn according to law, states that he was well acquainted with Pablo Gray applicant for Invalid Pension, and knew the said Pablo Gray to be the identical person of that name who enlisted or volunteered as a Corporal in Company A Regiment of 21st Vols. .... by reason of sickness lung - disease Wm Nattul upon oath states that he was in the same company with him that he Pablo Gray was suffering with asthma and continued to suffer after his discharge and died ? Disease which terminated in consumption on lung trouble. That the facts stated are personally known to the affiant by reason of knowing him all the time during service and afterwards to his death. He further states under oath that he never served in the military or naval service after his discharge from the army after his discharge in 1866. And this he states upon his own personal knowledge knowing lived neighbor where up to the time of his death. He further states he does not know the date of his death, but believes it was in 1886.

And deponent further states that he is well acquainted with the claimant, having known him for at least 40 years and further, that his knowledge of the facts above stated are derived from said acquaintance, and from having served as Private of Company A of the 21st Regiment of US Cold volunteers .... And deponent further states that the claimant was a sound and able-bodied man at and prior to enlistment, so far as he knew, and that he is totally disinterested in this claim. Post office address of Affiant is St. Augustine Fla.

E F Tuarred His

Wm Wancubucknor William X Nattiel

Mark

Proof of Disability

State of Florida, County of St Johns, In the matter of the pension claim of Georgiana Gray widow the late Pablo Gray

On this 6th day of Jany A. D. 1892; personally appeared before me a clerk of Cir court in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, Thomas Williams aged 53 years, a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida... who being duly sworn according to law, states that he was acquainted with Pablo Gray applicant for Invalid Pension, and know the said Pablo Gray to be the identical person of that name who enlisted or volunteered as a Corporal in Company A Regiment of 21st US Vols, and who died at St. Augustine on or about the >??? 1886 by reason of sickness lung disease.....Thomas Williams upon oath states that he Pablo Gray contracted the asthma while in the service and that he suffered with it a great deal. And it increased and up to the time of his discharge in 1866 he was suffering a great deal. This I know of my own personal knowledge being in the same company with him. That the facts stated are personally known to the affiant by reason of his being with him a great deal. I knew of his being an asthmatic. For he was fit in light duty on account of it. That he further declares that the asthma lead to lung disease of which he died in the year 1886 as near as I can remember. Do not know the day and the month.^[19]

He further states that he did not serve in the military or naval service after his discharge in 1866 and this he knows of his own personal knowledge having lived in the city with him^[20]. And the deponent further states that he is well acquainted with the claimant, having known him for at least 45 years and further, that his knowledge of the facts above are derived from said acquaintance, and from having served as Private of Company A of the 21st Regiment of Us Cold volunteers... so far as he knew, and that he is totally disinterested in this claim.

Post office address of Affiant is St. Augustine Florida

A E Lopez his

J H Allen Thomas x Williams

mark

State of Florida County of St. Johns Sworn to and subscribed before me, this day, by the above-named affiant, and I certify that I read said affidavit to said affiant, including the words erased, and the words added, and acquainted him with its contents before he executed the same. I further certify that I am no wise interested in said case, nor am I concerned in its prosecution; and said affiant is personally known to me, and that he is a credible person.

J W Allen

Clerk of Courts

General Affidavit

State of Florida County of St. Johns, In the matter of Pension Claim of Georgiana Gray widow of late Pablo Gray Co A 21st Regt USCT.^[21]

On this 5th day of January A.D. 1899, personally appeared before me a notary public in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths George Edwards aged 55 years a resident of St. Augustine in the County of St. Johns and State of Florida whose Post-office address is 113 Marine St St Augustine Fla well known to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in relation to aforesaid case as follows: George Edwards upon oath states, he knew the late soldier Pablo Grey very well. Knew him before he went into the service and when he returned from service. Knew also his widow very well - Georgiana Gray I lived neighbor to them. They always lived together as husband and wife And now never divorced^[22] And that she is still the widow of Pablo Gray deceased. He further states that he knew of the late soldiers sickness after returning from service. He suffered from Asthma and chronic trouble and disease of the lungs. He suffered a great deal from this trouble this I knew for I often saw him during his sickness He was wholly unable to do any manual labor and could only do a few errands now and then. For the last few months before he died he suffered continually from the difficulty and died Nov 24, 1886. The above I know from my own personal knowledge. He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution.

George Edwards

General Affidavit

State of Florida County of St Johns In the matter of pension claim of Georgiana Gray widow of late soldier Pablo Gray Co A 21st Regt. On this 5th day of January A. D. 1899, personally appeared before me a notary public in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths Thomas Williams aged 59 years, a resident of St. Augustine, in the County of St. Johns, and State of Florida whose Post-office address is Dumas St. St Augustine Fla. Well known to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in relation to aforesaid case as follows That he knew the late Pablo Gray Corporal in Co A 21 St.. Regt USCT ; That he was in the same Company with him; Further that he knows his widow Georgiana Gray very well; That they lived together as husband and wife up to his death that they had never been divorced. And that she is still the widow of late soldier. Further: That he lived as neighbor to them and knew of the sickness of late Pablo Gray. He suffered from asthma and throat difficulty and died from the same disease and weak lungs. Further that he was wholly unable to perform manual labor. And toward the last few weeks to my knowledge he suffered a great deal up to his death Nov 20, 1886. The above he states upon his own personal knowledge.

He further declares that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution.

Phillip Walker his

Alex Braur??? Thomas X Williams

mark

General Affidavit.

State of Florida County of St.. Johns In the matter of Pension Claim of Georgiana Gray Widow of Pablo Gray dec of Co A 21st USCT. On this 20th day of September A.D. 1900, personally appeared before me a notary Public in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths Anthony Gleu aged about 73 years, a resident of St.. Augustine in the County of St.. Johns and State of Florida well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in relation to aforesaid case as follows:

Anthony Gleu upon oath states that he knew Pablo Gray late soldier when he was a small boy And have known him ever since up to his death knew him a year before he entered the service and knew him to be a strong man. Physically strong and well able to do a mans labor. I lived in the neighborhood with him and saw him every day and knew this of my own personal knowledge^[23].

Post-office address is St. Augustine Florida. He further declare that he has no interest in said case and is not concerned in its prosecution.

Phillip Walker his

Paul Desmore Anthony X Gleu

mark

Bureau of Pensions Office of the Disbursing clerk.

Feb 16 1914

To the Chief, Finance Division:

You are hereby notified that check No. 3672710 for $36 dated Feb 4 1914, in favor of Georgiana Gray Ctf. No. 320847, Class Act April Section 5 has been returned to this office by the Postmaster at St.. Augustine Fla, with the information that the pensioner died Jan 14 1914,^[24] and said check has this day been canceled. General Delivery Very respectfully

Guy O. Taylor

Disbursing Clerk.

Other Information

Pablo Gray in his lifetime was a trustee of the Freedmen=s Bureau school.

What information was gained from these records?

A probable birth year for Pablo Gray

A death date

A physical description

Name of owner

Name of person lived with in slavery (this may be important later if any children were brought out of this union.

Name of wife

A death date

Date of marriage

Minister who married them.

Church they were married in.

Location of couple during the civil war and after.

Occupation of Corporal Gray after military service

His unit and company number.

Nature of death

The Provost Marshall Census

The following census records were available in the St. Augustine Public Library. Please note the 1864 Provost Marshall Census. This particular gem contains very critical information on both black and white families during the Civil War. This census is especially important in the case of African-American families that were scattered to Federal fortified locations in St. Augustine, Key West, Fernandina, and Beaufort SC. The copies that we have located so far are for St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and Fernandina. It also gives information about loyalty oaths and desertion from the Confederate army, etc. In the 1997 we will be printing this census in full in this journal.

Census Records:

1864 Provost Marshall Census

St Augustine

Sheet 30

11 Grey Georgiana 20 Nassau County (last residence John Walker owner Came into Dept Nov 1862

12 Grey Florida 5/12^[25] same but freeborn

1870 US Census

(page 16 of St. Augustine)

117 128 Grey, Pablo 40 m m laborer 200 Fl

Georgiana G 22 F m keeping house Ga

Cedra 15 f m at home FL

Isabella 10 F m FL

Florida 6 F M FL

John 3 m m FL

Charles 1 m m FL

Nancy 15 f m GA

1880 US Census

Colored Settlement (Lincolnville) p 39

Gray, Paul mulatto m 55 laborer

George Anna mulatto f 45 wife keeping house

Florida mulatto f 15 daughter at home

John mulatto m 13 son at school

Charles mulatto m 12 son at school

Eliza mulatto f 9 daughter at school

Jane mulatto f 5 daughter

Vreen Lotta mulatto f 6/12 born Dec grand daughter

Pablo was born in Florida Father unknown mother Fla

Georgeanna born in Georgia and parents in Georgia

Lotta Vreen’s father is unknown

Census Records:

1864 - Department of the South Census - 1844

1870 - US Census - 1848

1880 - US Census - 1835

Pension Records:

1890 - 48 years old 1842

1892 - 48 years old 1844

1899 - 54 years old 1845

1900 - 54 years old 1845

Can we decide by any of these records??? If you have varying dates in your family records, how do you chose?

Best answer: Birth certificate

Second best: Baptism (if its near time of birth)

Since neither of these are available in this case then this is left as an open issue.

Some of you may wonder about a family bible. Unfortunately these records may have been entered years after the event. If someone goes to the length to record the time of birth, I would consider this probably having been entered at or around the time of birth, but even then the record would need to be carefully weighed and not taken at face value.

This is particularly true where pension records are concerned. Sometimes the birthdates of children need manipulated so that they can receive pension benefits.

See ACG Vol 3, Issue 2, page 3

What is Georgiana’s Gray Birthday?

The 1880 Census also lists

Gray, Barbara black f 85 keeping house

Gray, George A mulatto m 23 farm laborer

This family is a good indication of the problems that we face when we rely only on census records for definitive information.

! At the time of the 1864 census Cedra, Isabella, and Nancy had already been born. Where were they?

! How are Cedra and Nancy related? They are both fifteen yet one was born in Florida and the other in Georgia with no indication of whose children they were.

! Who are the parents of Cedra, Nancy, and Isabella? According to the age given by the 1870 census Georgiana Gray would have been 7 years old at Cedra and Nancy=s birth and 12 at Isabella. All three of these children were born prior to the civil war when Pablo and Georgiana did not know each other (She from Georgia and he from St. Augustine). Her affividat states that she knew him one year before marrying him Oct 13, 1863. It=s interesting that Nancy is listed as being born in Georgia.

If the pension records had been earlier they may have been able to answer questions about the children. Unfortunately all the children were beyond the age of 15 by the time of the pension applications and information about them was not included.

Other sources of information:

Marriage records

10/30/1879 Rev Howard married Isabella and FDS Young

01/19/1882 Rev Brooks married Florida and John Daniel

1886 Webb=s Directory

Georgiana, laundress, lived on South Bronson Street in Lincolnville.

Cedra was a laundress. She lived on Bronson Street near Bridge St.

John was a laborer who boarded with his mother on South Bronson St

Sampson Grey (unknown), laborer, was living in a house in Lincolnville.

1899 City Directory (unknowns)

Katie Gray, dressmaker, 27 Bernard Street

1904 City Directory (unknowns)

Eliza Grey, servant, boards corner of Marine and Hernandez St

Kate Grey, dressmaker, boards corner Williams and Gault Avenue

Julia Grey, waitress, Rear 294 Charlotte St.

Missing papers from the first article

Certified copy of Permit for Burial 1886 - certified 1890 Certified copy of Permit for Burial 1890

General Affidavit Georgiana Gray 1890

Copy of certificate of Marriage - witnessed 1890 (same as part 1- probably used with another declaration)

General Affidavit - Benjamin Clark 1891 General Affidavit - John Blake 1891

General Affidavit - William Nattal 1891 General Affidavit - Thomas Williams 1891

General Affidavit - Samuel W. Duncan - 1891 General Affidavit - A E Lopez - 1891

General Affidavit - David Williams - 1891 General Affidavit - S W Duncan - 1891

General Affidavit - James Lee Saunders 1891 General Affidavit Charles Brau/John Williams 1891

Declaration for Pension of Increase of Pension - Georgiana Gray 1891

General Affidavit - Levi Jackson - 1892 General Affidavit Georgiana Gray 1892

General Affidavit - George Edwards 1892 General Affidavit follow-up William Nattul - 1898

General Affidavit follow-up Thomas Williams - 1898 General Affidavit Georgiana Gray 1899

General Affidavit - George Edwards - 1899 General Affidavit - Thomas Williams - 1899

General Affidavit - Anthony Gleu 1900 General Affidavit Anthony Weltus - 1900

General Affidavit Georgiana Gray 1900

Widow=s Declaration for Pension of Increase of Pension - Georgiana Gray - 9 May 1890

State of Florida, County of St Johns, SS:

In most cases a representative would be paid for in Washington D.C. to handle any details. This meant that the individual usually paid fees to a lawyer in their hometown and in Washington, D. C.

On this 9th day of May A. D. One thousand eight hundred and ninety personally appeared before me Clerk of the Circuit A Court of Record within and for the County and State aforesaid Georgiana Gray aged 48 years, who, being duly sworn according to law, makes the following declaration in order to obtain the Pension provided by Acts of Congress granting pension to widows: That she is the widow of Pablo Gray, who enlisted under the name of Pablo Gray at Fernandina Fla on the 13th day of June A. D. 1863 in Company AA@ 21st US Colored Troops in the War of Rebellion who was discharged at Charleston S C Apl 25/66 by reason of muster out of organization and who died at St. Augustine Fla. Nov 24 1886 aged 57 of Pithisis Pulmonalis contracted while in and resulting from exposure in said service in said war of the Rebellion who bore at the time of his discharge the rank of Corporal in said Company that she was married under the name of Georgiana White to said Pablo Gray on the 13th day of October A. D. 1863 by Rev J Kennedy at Fernandiana Fla there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that neither she nor her husband had been previously married. (BLANK) that she hereby appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation Allan Rutherford of Washington D. C. Her attorney to prosecute the above claim; that her residence is St Augustine Fla and her Post Office address^[26] is St Augustine St Johns County Fla^[27]

Witnesses Her

A E Papy^[28] Georgiana X Gray

M C Atkins^[29] Mark

Which City Permit is correct?

On the first certificate we know from other evidence that the age of Pablo Gray at death was not 70. It was closer to 56. However, we know that he was born in Florida from census records and not Georgia. (Georgiana was born in Georgia) It=s also Pablo Gray not Grey. Mulatta is a more distinct designation (one that the 1880 census also carries) as opposed to Acolored@.

The City papers are in the St. Augustine History Society. Unfortunately additional burial certificates does not exist within the city records. Remember that even when you have the best source of local records for a area it doesn=t fortunately mean that they have them all. How many times have we heard about our local government throwing records away only thinking of them as old records. This is why every geneologist should be alert for the records on the market at flea markets, yard sales, and antique stores. You can never tell what you=ll find.

This should make you a little more wary about the value of government papers. They ARE a good source but they are not sacred. Even these records may be manipulated for various reasons --- and sloppiness.

Permit for Burial

In the City of St. Augustine, Fla

Died, November 24th 1886

Name Pablo Gray married

Native of Florida

Sex, Male

Color, Mulatta

Age, 70 years

Residence, St. Augustine, Fla

How long in the City,

How long in the State,

Occupation.

Disease, Phithisis Pulmonales

Complications,

Father=s Name

Mother=s Name

F. F. Smith Physician

Coroner

Permission to bury the above-named person is hereby given to

Markle Undertaker

W. H. Atkins, City Clerk

St Augustine Fla.

Interment at I hereby certify that the above is a true

copy of the record on file in my office. St.

Augustine, Fla July 2nd 1890. J. A. Usina^[30] City

Clerk