The Cornwallis Document
Among documents that are of interest to the Grays of Sambro,
The Cornwallis Document is without doubt the leading contender. The title, "The
Cornwallis Document" is my invention, but the document has appeared in at least three
places that I know of and probably exists in countless copies. Where it originated is not
known, at least by me.
Before we present the document, a bit of history is in order. Here is what my World
Book Encyclopedia has to say about Edward Cornwallis:
"Edward Cornwallis (1713-1776) was a British soldier and colonial
official who led 2,500 settlers to Nova Scotia in 1749 and founded Halifax. The city
became Nova Scotia’s capital in the same year. He served as governor and
captain-general of Nova Scotia from 1749 to 1752. Cornwallis served in the British army
from 1731 to 1748. He was appointed governor of Gibraltar in 1762 and served there until
his death. Cornwallis was born in London." For further information click here: Edward
Cornwallis.
A Web site listing 1,100 of the Cornwallis settlers can be found at The Cornwallis Ships to Halifax.
The Cornwallis Document is very important to the Grays of Sambro because it reportedly
traces their lineage from a William Gray who came over from England to Canada in 1749 in
one of the ships that transported the Cornwallis settlers. I have three versions of the
document. I will produce two of them here and indicate what additional information the
third one holds. I have added in brackets the paragraph numbers for later reference.
Both documents were typewritten.
Cornwallis Document, Version #1
(This copy of the document was given me by my father Firman C. Gray
who received it from his brother, my uncle, Clement Wilbur Gray. I never had a chance to
discuss this with Clem. He died in 1963 and I probably received the copy just a few months
before that time.)
To Whom it May Concern:
[1] In the year of our Lord 1749 A.D. William Gray of the staff
of Gov. Edward Cornwallis, came from England to Halifax, N.S. Shortly after William Gray
and his family settled at Sambro. His sons were: Charles, James, Thomas, Samuel, William and Josiah.
[2] The family of William as follows: William, Joseph, John, Josiah, James, Mary, Nancy, Betsy, Hannah, Sarah and Rebecca.
[3] Abijah Smith of United Empire Loyalist stock came to Sambro about 1807 and his
family was as follows: Caleb, Elisha, Stephen, Catherine, Rebecca, Hannah and Joseph.
[4] William Hart came from Shropshire, England, about 1810.
[5] Josiah Gray married Catherine Smith about 1835. Their family:
Rebecca, Elizabeth, John, Stephen, Sarah, Eleanor and Joseph.
[6] William Hart married Mary Gray. Their family: John, Caroline, Mary-Ann, William,
Richard, Elisha and James.
[7] William Hart married Rebecca Gray in 1854. Their family: John, Eleanor, Charles and
James.
[8] William Hart, Sr., and his son were lost on their way from Halifax to Sambro when a
storm came up and it is supposed the sea swamped the boat as nothing was found of the
bodies or wreckage.
[9] Eleanor Hart married Charles E. Smith in 1880. Charles E. Smith is the son of John
and Clarissa Smith of Chester, N.S. Family: Ralph, Hilda, Cora, Everett, Erna, Carl and
Olga.
[10] William, your great grandfather, is said to have been on the ship with General
Wolfe at Quebec, etc.
Cornwallis Document, Version #2
(This copy came to me from Cyril Gray of Ontario, Canada. Cyril descends from the first
William through James, son of the second William. He received his copy from his brother
Edward.)
[1] In the year of our Lord 1749 A.D. William Gray of the staff of Governor Edward
Cornwallis came from England to Halifax, N.S. Shortly after, William Gray and his family
settled in Sambro. His sons were: Charles, James, Samuel, William, Thomas, and Josiah.
[2] The family of William and Mary were as follows: William, Joseph, John, Josiah,
James, Mary, Nancy, Betsy, Hannah, Sarah, and Rebecca.
[3] Abijah Smith, son of Elisha Smith and Desire Baker of United Empire Loyalist stock,
came to Sambro about 1807. He married at St. Paul’s, 1810, Sarah Ring, born 1788,
daughter of William and Elizabeth Ring. Their family were as follows: Caleb, Elisha,
Stephen, Hannah, Catherine born November 7, 1817, married Josiah Gray; Rebecca, born June
12, 1820, married John George Nickerson, November 14, 1839; Mary Ann who married George
Marlin, and Joseph.
[4] Josiah Gray married Catherine Smith, August 6, 1836. Their family: Rebecca,
Elizabeth, John, Stephen, Sarah, 1851, Eleanor 1854, and Joseph.
[5] William Hart came from Shropshire, England, about 1810. He married Mary Gray. Their
family: John, Caroline, Mary Ann, William, Richard, Elisha, and James.
[6] William Hart married Rebecca Gray in 1854. Their family: John, Eleanor, Charles,
and James.
[7] William Hart, Sr. and his son, were lost on their way from Halifax to Sambro when a
storm came up and it is supposed the sea swamped the boat. Nothing was found of the bodies
or wreckage.
[8] Eleanor Hart married Charles E. Smith in 1880. Charles E. Smith, former alderman of
Halifax, was the son of John and Clarissa Smith of Chester, N.S. Family: Ralph, Hilda,
Cora, Everett, Erna, Carl, and Olga.
. . . . . . . . .
[9] William Gray arrived at Halifax with Govermor [sic] Edward Cornwallis in 1749; then
came to Sambro.
William Gray and ______________________
James Gray and Mercy Gray
Charles Gray and Mercy (Smith) Gray
James Gray and Susanna (Martin) Gray
James Gray and Jane (Twohig) Gray
George Gray and Sophia (Martin) Gray
[Descending arrows are written between each line under the first name]
[Someone has written later in pen under the last entry "Patrick Gray and Catherine
Keefe" and indicated that Patrick and George are brothers.]
The Cornwallis Document, Version #3
(I do not have a copy of this version. It was shown to me by Pearl Henneberry of Sambro
in 1984. I copied the additions on to my version #1. Compare version #1 with these
additions. Note some are similar to those in version #2.)
Line 2: "and Mary" added after "The family of William."
Line 3: "son of Elisha Smith and Desire Baker married at St. Paul’s 1810
Sarah Ring b. 1788. Dau. Of William and Elizabeth Ring" added after "Abijah
Smith." Also added "b. 12 June 1820" after "Rebecca."
Line 5: "August 6, 1836" after "Catherine Smith." Also
"1851" added after "Sarah" and "1854" after
"Eleanor."
Line 6: "d. April 6, 1915 aged 87 years" after "William Hart."
Line 9: "former alderman of Halifax" after "Charles E. Smith."
Added: "Rebecca md John George Nickerson Nov. 14, 1839 & Mary Ann who md.
George Merlin."
Pearl Henneberry added "Tombstone: Mother Rebecca, wife of William Hart, d. Feb.
28, 1892, aged 55 years." She also mentioned the Josiah Gray tombstone: "July
31, 1876 aged 69 yrs 19 d."
The recital of names (James Gray and Mercy Gray/ etc.) appears at the end of the
version #3 as well as at the end of Version #2. But the penned-in names do not appear.
Regarding Charles E. Smith "former alderman" as mentioned in the documents,
we have a newspaper account which appeared in the Evening Mail of an
incident which occurred when he was young. It refers to his mother (Clarissa Smith,
1819-1911):
"HELD TO HER POST IN FACE OF MENACE OF DREAD
DISEASE
"Mother of Alderman Smith Braved Small Pox--Later Vaccinated
Scores at Sambro
"When he was a little boy of ten years of age,
and that is sixty two years ago, Alderman Charles E. Smith had his first and lasting
experience of what was to him the benefits of vaccination. 'It was a long time ago since
my mother who in her day was one of the healthiest women in Sambro, and who as a young
woman had been vaccinated, was the only woman in the village who would dare to nurse a man
suffering from small pox. Alone with her patient she nursed him back to health and
strength when other people had hurried away from the house,' Alderman Smith told The
Evening Mail."
In a caption accompanying the story it says: "Mrs. John N. Smith,
who sixty-two years ago was the only person in Sambro who dared to look after Daniel
Smith, mariner, suffering from smallpox. She had been vaccinated as a girl. She also
vaccinated practically every resident in Sambro. Her son, Alderman C. E. Smith is a firm
believer in vaccination. With her in the above picture [not shown] is her husband. [John
N. Smith, 1819-1897.] (Birth and death dates written in by Pearl Henneberry.)
The significance of the Cornwallis Document and research to be done are mentioned in The Gray Family of Sambro.
(Written by Wallace F. Gray.)
RESEARCH TO BE DONE: Who is "your great grandfather" and
what about General Wolfe in Line 10 of version 1? Other research needs are listed in Gray Family of Sambro.
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