He was president of the Boston athenæum, and a fellow of Harvard in 1826-'36. In 1841 the degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by Harvard. He left a collection of 8,000 rare engravings, with $16,000 for keeping it in order and publishing a catalogue. He also left $50,000 for the establishment and maintenance of a museum of comparative zoology. The bestowal of these bequests was left to the option of his nephew, William, and the latter presented them to Harvard in 1858, and also contributed $25,000 for the purchase of books for the college library. The sum for the establishment of a museum was supplemented by legislative appropriation and private subscription, and a building erected, which was dedicated in November, 1859, and placed in charge of Prof. Louis Agassiz. Mr. F. C. Gray published numerous orations and addresses, and a work on "Prison Discipline" (Boston, 1847). He discovered a manuscript copy of the Massachusetts "Body of Liberties" of 1641, which was published in the "Collections" of the State historical society (3d series, vol. viii.). Gray's Hall, one of the buildings of Harvard, was named for these benefactors of the college. — Another son, John Chipman, lawyer, b. in Salem, Mass., 29 Dec, 1793; d. in Boston, Mass., 3 March, 1881, was graduated at Harvard in 1811. He never practised law, but took an active interest and part in public affairs, serving many years in the common council of Boston, and in each branch of the Massachusetts legislature, and in the governor's council. He delivered an oration for the Phi Beta Kappa society in 1821, and address before the Massachusetts horticultural society, and a number of addresses before the city authorities. — Horace, grandson of William, jurist, b. in Boston, Mass., 1828, was graduated at Harvard in 1845,- and at the law-school in 1849. He was admitted to the bar in 1851. In 1854 he was appointed reporter of the Massachusetts supreme court, and served for seven years. On 23 Aug., 1864, he became associate justice of the court, which office he held till he was appointed its chief justice on 5 Sept., 1873. In 1882 he was made associate justice of the U. S. supreme court, which office he now fills (1887).
GRAYDON, Alexander, author, b. in Bristol,
Pa., 10 April, 1752 ; d. in Philadelphia. Pa., 2 May,
1818. He was the son of Col. Alexander Graydon
of the Provincial army of Pennsylvania. He was
educated in Philadelphia, and lived with his mother, at whose residence he met some of the notable people of the time. Mr. Graydon acquired a
knowledge of law, but in 1775 received the appointment of captain from congress, and raised
recruits for the army. He served in the battle of
Long Island, and was taken prisoner in the subsequent action on Harlem heights. For a time he
was confined in New York and then in Flatbush,
but afterward was released on parole. He then
passed through the American camp in Morristown,
and then went to Reading, Pa. He was exchanged
in 1778, but did not again join the army. He
received the appointment of prothonotary of
Dauphin county. Pa., and. settling in Harrisburg,
held that office until a change of administration
caused his removal in 1799. Subsequently, until
1816, when he removed to Philadelphia, he resided
near Harrisburg. Mr. Graydon was a contributor
to literary and political journals, and, under the
title of "Notes of a Desultory Reader," furnished in
1813-'14 a series of papers to the Philadelphia
"Portfolio," which included comment on the classics, and English and French literature. He published "Memoirs of a Life, chiefly passed in Pennsylvania, within the Last Sixty Years: with Occasional Remarks upon the General Occurrences,
Character, and Spirit of that Eventful Period"
(Harrisburg, 1811; re-printed in London: Edinburgh, 1822; Philadelphia, 1846).— His brother,
William, lawyer, b. near Bristol, Pa., 4 Sept.,
1759 ; d. in Harrisburg, Pa., 13 Oct., 1840. He was
educated in Philadelphia, and studied law there.
On the organization of the county of Dauphin, he
settled in Harrisburg, and began the practice of his
profession, being admitted to the bar in 1786. He
was commissioned the first notary public in September, 1791, and was a leader in the borough
during the "Mill-dam troubles" of 1794-'5. For
many years he was a member of the town-council,
becoming its president, and subsequently was one
of the burgesses. He published a "Digest of the
Laws of the United States" (Harrisburg and London, 1803); "Appendix" (1813): -'Justice and
Constable's Assistant" (Philadelphia, 1820) ; and
"Forms of Conveyancing and of Practice in the
Various Courts and Public Offices" (1845).
GRAYSON, John Breckenridge, soldier, b.
in Kentucky in 1807 ; d. in Florida in 1862. He
was graduated at the U. S. military academy in
1826, serving in the artillery-school for practice at
Fortress Monroe till 4 June, 1828, and was then
on topographical duty till 29 March, 1832. He
was on duty in various forts and garrisons until
1835, became 1st lieutenant, 30 April. 1834, served
in the Seminole war in 1835-6, and on commissary
duty at New Orleans in 1836-47. He was promoted to a captaincy, 11 Dec, 1838, and served in
the Mexican war in 1847-'8, as chief of commissariat of the army under Gen. Scott. He was at Vera
Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, where he was brevetted major, Molino del Rey. Chapultepec, where
he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, and at the assault and capture of the city of Mexico. On his
return to the United States he was assigned to
commissary duty at Detroit, Mich., was promoted
major, 21 Oct., 1852, and made chief of the commissariat of the department of New Mexico till
1861. He resigned his commission on 1 July, 1861,
and joined the Confederate army.
GRAYSON, William, senator, b. in Prince
William county, Va. ; d. in Dumfries, Md., 12
March, 1790. fie was graduated at the University
of Oxford, England, and studied law at the Temple in London. He then returned to the colonies,
settled in Dumfries, Md., and entered on the practice of his profession. He was appointed aide-de-
camp to Washington, 24 Aug., 1776, became colonel of a Virginia regiment on 1 Jan. following, and
distinguished himself at the battle of Monmouth
in 1778. He was a commissioner on the board of
war in 1780-'l ; a commissioner to treat with Sir
William Howe respecting prisoners while the army
was at Valley Forge: a member of the Continental
congress in 1784-'7; a member of the Virginia convention of 1788 on the adoption of the Federal constitution, and was one of the minority who opposed
the ratification. He was one of the senators from
Virginia to the 1st congress, taking his seat on 21
Mav, 1789, and serving until his death.
GRAYSON, William, statesman, b. in Maryland in 1786; d. in Queen Anne county, Md., 9 July, 1868. He was a planter in his native state, at an early period identified himself with the Democratic party, and became one of its leaders. He served with distinction for several years in both houses of the general assembly in Maryland, and took an active part in the struggle to obtain a new and more liberal constitution for the state, which began in 1836, and successfully terminated in 1838.
