Eunice Sullivan Gray

An Inventory to the Collection

Biographical Note

Eunice Sullivan Gray was born in Texico, New Mexico. She was the youngest of three children. Mrs. Gray was raised primarily in Sanger, Texas where she attended grade school.

Her mother, Mamie Law Jones Sullivan, was a regular and substitute teacher in Sanger Public Schools beginning in 1918. She received her teacher’s certification through the Texas Normal Teaching College in Denton, Texas. Her mother's father, John Taliaferro Jones, was co-founder and senior editor of the Pilot Point Post Signal.

Mrs. Gray's father was Samuel Houston Sullivan, son of Jack R. Sullivan. Jack Sullivan was a pioneer rancher and businessman. He owned and maintained the Smokey Ridge Ranch while also becoming one of the founders of Denton County National Bank and a director of Farmers and Merchants Bank in Sanger.

Mrs. Gray received a B.S. degree in journalism from the College of Industrial Arts (now TWU) and a Master's degree in Education from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Her professional career was spent teaching and writing.

Eunice married Paxton H. Gray, an independent oil producer, on April 1, 1932 in Shreveport, Louisiana. After their marriage the couple lived in various locales, dependant upon Paxton's oil producing business. During this time Mrs. Gray taught in several different school districts including 15 years at Highland Park Junior High School in Dallas.

In 1969 the Gray's moved to Sanger. Mrs. Gray had two long running columns in the Sanger Courier during this time – "Sanger Library News" and "Now & Then." Mrs. Gray also wrote columns that detailed her extensive travels through Ireland and England. Mrs. Gray spent much time writing and compiling local histories, many of which appeared in the Sanger Courier. Her historical research and writing culminated in the publication of the book "The Story of Sanger."

Mrs. Gray was active in a number of organizations throughout her life. She was a staunch Democrat, and served as a member of the Texas Democratic Committee for two years. Mrs. Gray was also active in the American Red Cross, Huguenot Society, Denton County Historical Commission and Museum and was a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Sanger.

Mrs. Gray was an organizing regent of the John B. Denton chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as being a member of the Benjamin Lyon Chapter in Denton. She was also active in the Wednesday Study Club which is affiliated with both the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Aside from club work, Mrs. Gray was an active volunteer throughout her life. She was integral in the establishment of the Sanger Public Library as well as the Sanger Crisis Center. Mrs. Gray also established the Bargain Depot in Sanger, which raised funds to support the Crisis Center. Mrs. Gray helped procure a building in Sanger, rent free, to house the Sullivan Senior Center, and spent many hours volunteering there.

Aside from public work and duties, Mrs. Gray was very involved with family. She kept in close contact with many relatives over the years and her correspondence with a few close relatives stretches over 60 years. Mrs. Gray kept many family mementos from both her side of the family and her husband’s family. Her ties with family were strengthened by her avid genealogical research that resulted in her discovering her family's Irish heritage. Her Irish background, as well as family ties to Colonial Williamsburg and the Huguenot's of Manakin were things she was very proud of throughout her life.

Eunice Sullivan Gray Family Genealogy

Maternal Grandparents: James Taliaferro Jones and Sarah Eunice Law

J. T. Jones b. June 15, 1845, Wilkinson Co., GA d. 1914 married Sarah Eunice Law, 1873

Children of J. T. Jones and Sarah Eunice Law:

1. Mamie Law Jones married Samuel Houston Sullivan, 1898 d. July 25, 1954

2. Leonora Ellen Jones (Nora) married Sidney Johnston Jones, 1892

3. Willie Jones (Nantie) married Herman C. Schultz

4. R. Taliaferro Jones Daughter = Nora Ellen

5. Victor C. Jones

Paternal Grandparents: Jack R. Sullivan and Nancy Jones

Children of Jack and Nancy Sullivan:

1. Mrs. Ella Batis

2. Mrs. Elizabeth Whitley b. June 26, 1863, Denton Co., TX

3. Mrs. S. A. Gotcher, Chicago, IL

4. Sam Sullivan b. September 16, 1876 d. February 29, 1959 married Mamie Law Jones, 1898

5. Ben F. Sullivan, Waco

6. Walter R. Sullivan, Fort Worth

Parents: Mamie Law Jones married Sam Houston Sullivan – 1898

Children of Mamie and Sam Sullivan:

1. Eunice Doushka Sullivan

2. Frances Marion (F. M.) Law Sullivan

3. Jack Sullivan

Brother: F. M. Law Sullivan married Faye Sullivan Their Children:

1. Virginia Ann Sullivan Palmer married James Leighton Palmer, June 19, 1954 children - Robert and Shelley Palmer

Brother: Jack T. Sullivan married Joan Sullivan Their children:

1. Jack H. Sullivan III, El Cajon, CA married, fathered 12 children

Paxton Gray Family (Husband)

Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Porter Gray

Children of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Porter Gray

1. Paxton H. Gray

2. James F. Gray, Dallas daughter, Jeanne Gray

3. Mrs. Fred Upchurch (Alice), Austin daughter - Armour Upchurch

4. Mrs. Carney Wilson Mimms (Adella)

5. Reuben Gray, Dallas

Time Line

1907 Born August 26 in Texico, New Mexico.

1925 Graduated from Sanger High School, Texas.

1928 Attended College of Industrial Arts, Editor in Chief "Lass-o."

1928-1929 Teacher in Midway Public Schools, Texas.

1929-1930 Teacher in Gladewater Public Schools, Texas.

1931 B.S. Journalism, College of Industrial Arts (TWU).

1932 Married Paxton H. Gray, an independent oil producer, whom she met while she was teaching at Gladewater, Texas. Maintained home in University Park (Dallas) while he was in the oil business. They traveled extensively and spent time in other oil producing states.

1937 Worked at Los Angeles Times, California

1938 Worked at Long Beach News Signal, California

1943-1945 Teacher at Sanger High School, Texas.

1944-1945 Served on the Executive Committee Democratic Party of Texas Representing 22nd senatorial district

1945-1947 Director of Publicity, Dallas County Red Cross Editor of Red Cross News

1954-1969 Teacher at Highland Park Jr. High School, Dallas, Texas.

1959 Received M. Ed., Southern Methodist University Thesis "Adjustment Problems of Junior High Students"

1963 Enrolled as a Visiting Student at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

1969-70 The Gray's returned to Sanger to live. Eunice began writing a newspaper column for the Sanger Courier.

1970 Co-founded Sanger Public Library.

1972 Received "Outstanding Citizen of Sanger" Award.

1979 Paxton Gray died.

1985 Founded Sanger Senior Center.

1995 Founded Sanger Crisis Center and Bargain Depot. Attended C. S. Lewis Lectures at Oxford University, England.

1996 Her book, The Story of Sanger, is published.

2002 Died March 6 at Episcopal All Saints Hospital, Fort Worth.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Eunice Sullivan Gray collection documents the life of a writer, historian, teacher and prominent citizen of Sanger, TX. Collection materials consist of correspondence, published and unpublished writings, photographs, organizational materials, scrapbooks, biographical materials, awards and trophies, family and genealogical records and materials that relate to the history of the Sanger-Denton area.

The correspondence is separated into three different categories. Family correspondence refers to letters written between family members that were passed down to Eunice. This correspondence covers the time period of 1892-1959 and is geographically centered in the Denton-Sanger area. Mrs. Gray's personal and organizational correspondence encompasses her many interests, friendships and long-time relationships with family members.

Mrs. Gray was a writer all her life, many of her articles being published in the Sanger Courier. Published articles include her "Now and Then" series and "Library News" columns. Also published in the Sanger Courier were articles written about her travels to England and Ireland. Unpublished writings concern Mrs. Gray's many interests and are mostly of a historical nature. Among Mrs. Gray's writings are several folders containing notes, drafts and working copies of articles.

Family history was important to Mrs. Gray, as reflected in her collection of family records and photographs dating back to 1863. These records reflect the personal and financial standing of her pioneer parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles as they met the challenges of life in early Denton and Sanger. The genealogical records kept and maintained by Mrs. Gray record the lineage of several pioneer families in the North Texas area including the Sullivan, Batis, Gotcher and Whitley families.

Organizational materials and correspondence as well as the large number of awards and trophies in the collection are a reflection of Mrs. Gray's avid volunteerism. She was active in many established organizations, and founded several local institutions and groups. She was honored many times throughout her life for these activities.

Purely biographical information, such as passports, marriage certificate and driver's licenses are included. Materials from Mrs. Gray's school days range from grade school notebooks to college transcripts. Separate folders cover Mrs. Gray's many trips overseas.

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Restrictions

Access to Collection:

Researchers may access the Eunice Sullivan Gray Papers Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Woman's Collection. The Woman's Collection is located on the second floor of the Blagg-Huey Library. All materials are viewed in the Catherine Merchant Reading Room, and photocopies are provided at the discretion of the Woman's Collection.

Publication and Copyright Statements:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Coordinator for Special Collections.

All responsibility for questions of copyright that may arise in copying, scanning, and use of material shall be assumed by the user.

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Eunice Sullivan Gray began her collection November 9, 1999 with the donation of scrapbook pages from her years at the College of Industrial Arts. After Mrs. Gray’s death, Judy Cole, a close friend and executrix of her estate donated her papers to the Woman's Collection at Texas Woman's University.

Encoded by:

Ranu Singhvi, 2007

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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