Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 22.

Though information at hand from two sources states the purchase of the land was 1802 and the erection of the house 1802 or 1803, and the church recorded the baptism of a child in 1806 and one in 18I I, yet Samuel Gray is not listed as a resident tax payer till 1811. From 1805 (records missing 1803 and 1804) till 1811 he is classed as non-resident, also non-resident in 1813, resident in 1814 and 1815. The diary of Rev. William Bently states Mr. Gray moved to Medford 8i i.

Samuel Gray died January 21, 1816, aged fifty-six. His wife, Mary, died January 30, 1842, aged seventythree. They were buried in the family tomb bearing his name in the old Salem street burying ground. It is in the northwest corner, extending under the passageway which in our youth was called Deadman's alley. On the plan accompanying Dr. Swan's thesis, 1803, it is marked Burying Yard Lane. So distinctive a name as Deadman's alley would, in London, draw hundreds of visitors to it yearly. Its official name is River street.

The new home of the Grays must have been the scene of many festivities, for there were nine daughters in the family, and the marriages of seven are found on our records. Two became brides of men of their home town. Anna married Andrew Hall, April 9, 1815; Catherine (1797-1874) married Jonathan Porter (1791-1859), July 22, 1823. She is represented here today by two great-grandchildren, one a recent war bride.

Sarah Charlotte, born 1808, married, December 23, 1828, Ignatius Sargent of Boston, where she died, 1831. Her sister Henrietta (1811-1891) became the second wife of Mr. Sargent, May 7, 1835. In 1842 the heirs of Samuel Gray sold the homestead to Mr. Sargent and it became the residence of his family for a few years, until he moved to Brookline. The youngest child of three in his family today recalls the pleasure he had picking up