Amarintha “Minnie” Clinton (Graves) Gray was born May 5, 1842, in Homer Claiborne Parish, Louisiana to Samuel and Eliza Lawson (Brown) Graves.

The family moved to Jack County, Texas before July 1860.  Minnie married James Wilson Gray on July 3, 1863 in Jack County. Minnie reportedly had ten children; eight were still living in 1900.  Wilson James was born March 1864; Robert Lee, July 1865; Charles, December 1867; Alva Newton, 1869; Alice M., May 1872; Horace, July 1876; Lizzie, 1879; and Grover, May 1885.  All of the children were born in Texas.

The family came to Nutrioso, Apache County, Arizona Territory in 1885 in a covered wagon.  By 1890, they were living in Phoenix.  They moved to Sierra Blanca, Sierra County, New Mexico before 1900.  Minnie and James were residing in Tularosa, Otero County, New Mexico in April 1910. They returned to Arizona at a later date.

Minnie’s husband died at his home March 7, 1916, near Mesa, Arizona and was buried in the Mesa Cemetery the following day.  Minnie was living with her granddaughter, Nancy Barkley and family in Gilbert, Arizona in January 1920.

According to the Arizona Pioneers Home Register, Mrs. Minnie C. Gray entered the Arizona Pioneers Home from Gila County on June 30, 1925, and resided there until her death March 16, 1932.  Her obituary in the Prescott Evening Courier of March 16, 1932, said, “With her when the end came were her three sons, R. L. Gray, Hillside; Alva Gray of Phoenix; and Grover Gray, also of Hillside.”  The obituary described her as “’Grandma’ Gray or just ‘Grandma’ was what nearly everybody called Mrs. Gray, who was just that to all –a dear old soul, patient and kindly, polite and entertaining in her conversation with callers.  She took particular delight in telling of her experiences in Texas during her younger day.”  Rev. Joe B. Wells of the West Gurley Street Methodist Church officiated at her funeral with burial in Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.

Two of Minnie’s daughters, Alice May (Gray) Smith and Minnie Rebecca (Gray) Shartzer, are also represented in the Territorial Women’s Memorial Rose Garden.

Donor:  Elaine Christensen
Photo Location:  RGC MS-39, Box G, F-Gray, Amarintha
Updated: 4/20/15; D. Sue Kissel