A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
History
A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
affairs of outposts and skirmishes, and was not absent from his
battalion for one day during the whole period of these memorable events.
On the return of the battalion he was removed to the 1st Battalion of
the 24th Regiment, and proceeded to join it in the East Indies in
February, 1815. He served with this corps in the Nepaul war, the
campaigns of 1815 and 1816, including the battle of Harriagrove; and in
the Mahratta campaigns of 1817 and 1818. During the Indian campaign he
fell a victim to severe liver disease, and was compelled to return to
England in 1819, and on the expiration of his leave in 1820, still being
disabled from active duty from this cause, he was retired on half-pay.
His health having been restored, in 1839 he was appointed to the first
battalion Royal regiment, with which he served at Gibraltar to August,
1841, when Lord Hill removed him to the Royal Canadian rifle regiment.
In 1847 he was appointed by His Grace the Duke of Wellington captain in
the Ceylon rifle regiment, and proceeded to Ceylon. An insurrection
breaking out there he was placed second in command, and shortly after
the commander of a corps to scour the jungle and disperse the rebels. In
consequence of exposure while on this mission he was attacked with
dysentery, and being carried along with his column to Kandy he there
died. James Gray received an English and classical education in the St.
Andrew’s school of his native shire, and came to Canada in 1844, and
settled in Montreal. The same year he entered the service of the Bank of
Montreal, in that city. He was over a quarter of a century in the employ
of this great monetary institution, and during this time resided in
Kingston, Picton, and Perth. In 1868 he resigned his position in the
Bank of Montreal, and was appointed manager of the branch of the
Merchants Bank in Perth, which position he still occupies with credit to
himself and satisfaction to his employers. Mr. Gray is connected with
the Presbyterian church; but in politics he takes little interest. He is
married to Mary Robinson, a daughter of the late Dr. Moore, of Picton,
who, during his lifetime, was a staunch supporter of the late lamented
Hon. George Brown, and in sympathy with the political reforms advocated
by that great man.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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