We reveal the history of the community through the stories of its dead
individual record

id
first
middle
last
dob
dod
cod
88FreddieGray9/14/18759/2/1876

veteran
exhumed
purchaser
cemetery
FALSEAdams Street

lot
plot
R2 G11 in Gray family lot
relations
Morgan Gray (father, 27 Oct 1818-24 May 1889) Catharine "Kate" Rush Gray (mother, father's 3rd wife, b. c1853-d. c1882) Clara F. (sister, b. c1872) Ida M. (sister, b. c1874) George F. (brother, b. Sep 1876) William Gray (paternal grandfather) 5 paternal uncles, 3 paternal aunts Helen White (father's 1st wife) Varnum R. Gray (half-brother, b. Sep 1845) Mary A. (half-sister, b. c1848-d. before 1860) Emeline Gray (father's second wife, b. c1828-d. 31 May 1870) Marion Gray (half-brother, b. 28 Jul. 1855-d. 18 July 1876) Harriet "Hattie" Gray (half-sister, b. 31 Jan 1859-d. 25 Aug 1878) Infant Gray (half-sibling, d. 18 Nov 1865, aged 1 mo.) For more genealogy, see entry on Morgan Gray.

comments
Freddie was born to Morgan Gray and Catherine "Kate" Rush, Morgan's 3rd wife. Six of Morgan's 9 children died young, three in childhood. The Grindstone City Advertiser noted on 7 Sept 1876: "DIED. Gray--Saturday, September 2d, at 7 o'clock A.M., Freddie, son of Morgan and Kate Gray, aged 11 months and 18 days" and in the Grindstone Advertiser: "A Child of Morgan Gray’s was buried in the village cemetery last Sabbath." The first of these two entries was followed by a poem: "Dearest Freddie, thou hast left us,Here thy loss we deeply feel, But 'tis God that hast bereft us; He can all our sorrows heal. Our darling little angel On earth we'll see no more, Nor hear his little prattle, Or foot-step on the floor. His little vacant cradle, His clothes upon the wall, All bring the thought of Freddie, Back to one and all. God took our little jewel Home, up in the skies; For sin, death nor trouble, Ne'er reigns in paradise. One day we will meet thee, When the day of life is fled, Then in heaven with joy we'll greet thee, Where no fare-well tear is shed." Berea's records of burials for 1876 said only "Sept. 3 Gray child [age] 1." Morgan Gray bought lot 156, where the rest of the family is also located. The 1904 transcription of Freddie's tombstone says "Freddie, died Sep 2, 1876, age 11 mo, 18 days" The 1934 transcription says the same, with "18 d" for days. A note followed that all the Gray inscriptions were "weather worn & faint." In 2007, Freddie's stone was found to be intact, one of 5 Gray stones, but covered with lichens and worn. His name is still clearly legible but the rest of the inscription is virtually illegible. For information on Freddie's family, see the entry on Morgan Gray. Fredidie Gray's tombstone is a tablet on a base, made of marble, and had a lamb motif. The tombstone was 20 1/2 inches high, 15 1/4 inches wide, and 9 inches thick. The tombstone was rated a 2 out of 5 for severity of condition (1 being the least and 5 being the most. The causes for this damage was weathering and vegetation. The tombstone was in sound condition, however, it was eroded and had moss and lichen on it. The tombstone had the natural material cleaned off by D-2 and water. Freddie Gray was born in September 14, 1875 and died on September 2, 1876. He was 11 months and 18 days old.

sources
"List of burials and names," City of Berea Records "Number of burial lots and price," Adams St Cemetery folder, Berea Historical Society E. S. Loomis and D. T. Gould, "Inscriptions from the Old Berea Cemetery," 1904, Berea Historical Society "Cuyahoga Cemetery Inscriptions," Vol. I, compiled by the Western Reserve Historical Society, 1934 1850 US Federal Census, Morgan Grey household, series M432, roll 673, p. 191. 1860 US Federal Census, Morgan Gray household, Series: M653 Roll: 954 Page: 89 1870 US Federal Census, Morgan Gray household, Series: M593 Roll: 1193 Page: 396 1880 US Federal Census, Morgan Gray household, Series: T9 Roll: 1009 Page: 216 1900 US Federal Census, Varnum Gray household, Robert V. Gray household, George F. Gray household, Series: T623 Roll: 1261 Page: 53 Morgan Gray-Helen White marriage license, vol. 4, p. 247; Morgan Gray-Emeline Patterson marriage license, vol. 5, p. 52; Morgan Gray-Catharine Rush marriage license, vol. 16, p. 112; Varnum R. Gray-Emma Pilgrim marriage license, vol. 14, p. 204; Morgan J. Gray-Stella Castle marriage license, vol. 52, p. 358; Cuyahoga County Historical Marriage License Index online; Marriage License collection, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Fairview branch. Gray child death notice & Freddie Gray funeral notice, Grindstone Advertiser, 7 Sept 1876. "By Her Own Hand," Hattie Gray obituary, Grindstone Advertiser, 29 Aug 1878. Morgan Gray obituaries, Berea Advertiser, 31 May 1898. Freddie Gray tombstone photograph, Jeremy Feador, 2006. Sample Survey Sheet for Individual Burial Markers, J. Orlando, 22 July 2009.