General Notes

"Gray Lemon (Lamon), the third child, left home at the ag
e of 21 years with fifty cents in his pocket to make his wa
y in the world.
He became overseer for a young widow, Martha Ann Foxhall Ga
rdner, who lived north of Tarborough.  Later they were marr
ied and became the parents of two sons and one daughter.  S
hortly after the birth of the daughter, Martha Ann died.  T
he child died three months later.  Gray married twice mor
e and was the father of 12 children by his second wife, Fel
etia Little.
Gray was a successful farmer and shrewd businessman, buyin
g 17 more tracts of land to add to the existing farm.  A st
rong believer in education, he hired a governess for his ch
ildren, and with the exception of one son, sent all of the
m who survived childhood away for higher education.  Thre
e of his sons completed medical schools.
Gray's son Peyton, at the age of 21 was stricken with hemor
rhagic fever; another son, Charles, 27 years old, was calle
d home from his medical practice in Norfolk, Virginia to at
tend his brother.  In two days Peyton was dead and five day
s later Charles died.  They are buried in the Gray L. Hargr
ove Cemetery on the farm which is still owned by the famil
y (Mae Krider Hargrove Pope).
The following is the application from Mrs. A. C. Hughes (Ha
ttie Hargrove) to the "United Daughters of the Confederacy"
.  I quote "Gray Lemon Hargrove, my father was a Lt. of Th
e Home Guard.  This company was sent over the state on guar
d duty to hunt deserters.  He also gave several thousand do
llars to the building of ships for the defense of our coast
.  My uncle, Edward L. Hargrove, served in Co. F, 40th Regi
ment, Heavy Artillery.  He was in eight battles some of the
m were as follows.  A battle at Bentonsville, two at Kinsto
n, N.C. one at Fort Johnson and around Wilmington.  He fire
d the three last cannons at Fort Macon, NC before being tak
en prisoner, exchanged and fought until the close of the wa
r.  He was with General Johnson when he surrendered.  Anoth
er uncle fought through the entire was and another was kill
ed near Petersbury, Virginia."  United Daughters of The Con
federacy, NC Division, Lee County Chapter, No. 1755.  Dat
e of admission Oct. 4, 1921.  No 22 on Roll Book."
--Mae Krider Hargrove Pope
Mother has told me that Gray Lemon was a large man weighin
g over 300 lbs--RGB
(Research):Bride: Martha Ann Foxhall Gardner
Groom: Gray L Hargrove
Bond Date: 31 Mar 1853
County: Edgecombe
Record #: 01 082
Bondsman: D Williams
Witness: John Norfleet; David McDaniel
Bond #: 000043819
Marriage Date: 31 Mar 1853
Performed By: Jordan Thigpen, Justice of the Peace
North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
Bride: Felitia Little
Groom: Gray L Hargrove
Bond Date: 25 Jan 1859
County: Edgecombe
Record #: 01 082
Bondsman: Jordan Thigpen
Witness: W A Jones, Clerk
Bond #: 000043820
Marriage Date: 25 Jan 1859
Performed By: David Cobb
North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
The 1860 Census shows:
Slave Schedule:  70 year old female, 28 m, 14 m, 13 m
, 7 f and 5 slave houses.
Real property 10,000 and personal property 8,000.  The foll
owing people living in the household:
Lisha, 18
Robert Henry 5
John David 5
Thomas W. 6/12
(Note: Gray had been a widow for 3 years and Lisha could ha
ve been a live in Governess with a 6 mo. old child, Thoma
s W.)
1880 Census:
Household:
Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace O
ccupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Gray L. HARGROVE   Self   W   Male   W   53   NC   Farme
r   NC   NC 
Alva G. HARGROVE   Son   S   Male   W   20   NC   At Hom
e   NC   NC 
Edword T. HARGROVE   Son   S   Male   W   18   NC   At Hom
e   NC   NC 
Willie F. HARGROVE   Son   S   Male   W   17   NC   At Hom
e   NC   NC 
Lucy E. HARGROVE   Dau   S   Female   W   15   NC   At Sch
ool   NC   NC 
Charley B. HARGROVE   Son   S   Male   W   13   NC   At Sc
hool   NC   NC 
Sallie C. HARGROVE