Résumé

Carpenter, Stockton, CA, c. 1860.

Partner, Gray and [Joseph] Gosling, Building Contractors, Visalia, CA, c. 10/1860. Gray and Gosling brought a suit against Isadore Cohn in Visalia, CA, in 10/1860, for expenses owed to them in the in State of CA, County of Tulare, District Court, 13th Judicial District, in the matter of "Alonzo M. Gray & Joseph Gosling, Plaintiffs vs. Isadore Cohn, Defendant." A notice in the Visalia Weekly Delta newspaper stated: “Notice is hereby given that an action has been commenced in the above Court, by Gray and Gosling, as Plaintiffs, and against Isadore Cohn, as defendant, for the foreclosure of a Mechanics’ Lien upon the following described premises, situated in the town of Visalia: All that certain lot or parcel of land, commencing at a point Eight feet West of the South-west corner of Court and Mill streets, as the same are laid down on the official map of said town, thence running West sixty feet, thence running South forty feet, then running East sixty feet, thence running North forty feet to the point of beginning, being portions of lots numbers one and two, in block number thirty-three, together with the brick building thereupon. This, therefore, is to notify all persons holding or claiming liens on said premises, to be and appear before Hon. E. Burke, Judge of said Court, at the Court House in Visalia, on Saturday, October 27th, A.D. 1860, at the hour of 10 A.M., or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, and exhibit then and there a proof of said Liens. Morris & Brown Pl’ffs Att’ys. Dated, Visalia, Oct. 5th, 1860.” (See “Notice to Close Lien,” Visalia Weekly Delta, vol. 2, no. 17, 10/13/1860, p. 3.)

Principal, Alonzo M. Gray, Building Contractor, San Francisco, CA, c. 1866-1888. For at least some of this time, Gray called himself an "architect." It seems that Gray had success designing at least two large theatres: the Alhambra Theatre #1 in San Francisco and the Clunie Opera House in Sacramento. Gray was party to another legal case in 1869, when he sued the lessee of the Alhambra Theatre #1 for rent owned. The Daily Alta California newspaper stated: “Joseph O’Neil and George Dickson vs. William H. Smith and others.—Plaintiffs and one Alonzo M. Gray, on the first day of May, 1868, demised by a lease to defendants the Alhambra Theatre, and one store on the ground floor next east of the main entrance, for the period of five years, for the monthly rent of $1,025 for two years, and for $1,075 for the period of three years. Plaintiffs pray judgment for the sum of $3,000 damages, for the detention of said premises; also for the sum of $1,725 rent due and unpaid, and for the restitution of said premises, and that the damages may be trebled, together with the costs of this action.” (See “County Court—McKinstry, J.,” Daily Alta California, vol. 21, no. 7021, 06/09/1869, p. 2.)

Builder, Brown Brothers and Company, San Francisco, CA, c. 1871.

Relocation

Gray was born in Charlotte, VT, a town about 13 miles south of Burlington on Lake Champlain, in 1829. He may have lived in Michigan for some length of time before relocating to California.

In 1860, working as a carpenter, Gray lived in the household of William Lord (born c. 1821 in ME) and Lucy Lord (born c. 1822 in ME) in Stockton, CA. William Lord was a brick mason. The Lord Family had four children, of whom daughter Lucy was the eldest. She would marry boarder Alonzo in 07/1860. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Stockton, San Joaquin, California; Page: 1034, accessed 05/17/2021.)

As noted in the US Census of 1870, he resided in San Francisco, CA's 8th Ward's, 2nd Precinct, in San Francisco, CA, with his wife Lucy and daughter Ellen. The family also paid a domestic servant, Hannah Murphy (born c. 1842 in Ireland), to work in the household. In 1876, he lived on Shotwell Street near 19th Street in San Francisco, according to voter records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 44; FHL Roll Number: 977099, accessed 05/18/2021.)

In 1878, Gray resided in Oakland, CA's Second Ward, as noted in voter records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 44; FHL Roll Number: 977099, accessed 05/18/2021.)

Voter records indicate that Gray resided in an apartment building at 311 Stockton Street in San Francisco in 1880. These records noted that he lived in a rear room on the second floor. Two years later, he made his home at 1132 Pine Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 53; FHL Roll Number: 977202, accessed 05/18/2021.)

Gray passed away in San Francisco at the age of 59 years, 3 months and 17 days, according to his very brief obituary notice in the Daily Alta California newspaper. (Seew "Gray," Daily Alta California, vol. 42, no 14203, 07/22/1888, p. 8.) An obituary in the Sacramento Daily Union said of him: “Alonzo M. Gray, the architect under whose supervision the Clunie Opera House was built, died in San Francisco on Friday last, and was buried on Saturday, under the auspices of the Golden State Lodge of Elks, of which he was a member.” (See "Local Brevities," Sacramento Daily Union, vol. 59, no. 137, 08/01/1888, p. 3.)

Parents

His mother was Amy Edmund Israel (born 12/12/1799 in Hinesburgh, VT-d. 03/12/1870 in Coldwater, MI), his father, Burr D. Gray.

Spouse

Alonzo wed Lucy A. Lord (born c. 1844 in MA-died 04/19/1929 in Alameda County, CA) on 07/31/1860 in San Joaquin County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information California, U.S., Select Marriages, 1850-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014, accessed 05/17/2021 and Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 05/17/2021.)

She and Alonzo had divorced by 1880, according to the US Census. She resided with her daughter Ellen in the S.H. and Elizaabrth Knowles House at 209 15th Street in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 77; Page: 207B; Enumeration District: 161, accessed 05/17/2021.)

From at least 1915 until 1926, Lucy Gray, listed as a "widow," resided at 1529 Mozart Avenue in Oakland, CA. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1915, p. 1135 and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1926, p. 774.)

Children

He and Lucy had a daughter Ellen Gray (born c. 1865 in CA). They also had a son, Edmund C. Gray (born 08/16/1861 in Stockton, CA-d. 01/23/1864 in Stockton, CA), who died at the age of 2 years, 5 months and 7 days. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 05/17/2021. See also "Births," Stockton Independent, vol. 1, no. 16, 08/19/1861, p. 2.)

Biographical Notes

He went by the name "Alonzo M. Gray," even though his first name was "Milton."

Gray registered to vote in San Francisco on 07/20/1866, 07/20/1876, 10/08/1880 and 10/12/1882. He registered to vote in Oakland, CA, on 03/11/1878. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 47; FHL Roll Number: 977196, accessed 05/17/2021.)

Gray was invited to at least one upper-middle class social event in 1874. He was noted as giving a set of sterling silver spoons and forks to W.H. Budd and his wife at their 25th anniversary party on 06/04/1874 in San Francisco, CA. (See "Silver Wedding," Stockton Independent, vol. XXVI, no. 108, 06/06/1874, p. 3.)