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Richard Robert DeWitt Gray              1875-1965
Eichard was born on 7 September 1875, the son of Henry Hugo DeWitt Gray and Margaret Thompson, at Camberwell, London.
Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey           1882-1947
Ella was born on 17 April 1882, the daughter of William Godfrey and Geraldine Elizabeth Southorn, in London.
I have identified the following children.
Robert Gerald DeWitt Born 26 Jul 1903   London Married Alice Mary North
Marjorie Elizabeth G. Born abt 1904   London Died 1911, Age 6
Geraldine Constance Born 18 Aug 1906   London Died 1971

Birth of Parents
Richard Robert DeWitt Gray b: 7 Sep 1875               Camberwell, London       1875 4Q Camberwell 1d 696
son of Henry Hugo DeWitt Gray and Margaret Thompson

Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey b: 17 Apr 1882         London       1882 1Q Hackney 1b 459
daughter of William Godfrey and Geraldine Elizabeth Southorn

Marriage
20 Aug 1902
Richard Robert DeWitt Gray
Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey 		St. Andrew's Church, Stockwell (South London)       1902 3Q Lambeth 1d 805
of 19 Rhodesia Road, Stockwell

Children
Robert Gerald DeWitt Gray b: 26 Jul 1903               Streatham, London       1903 3Q Wandsworth 1d 742
son of Richard Robert DeWitt Gray and Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey, 34 Mount Nod Road
Marjorie Elizabeth G. Gray b: abt 1904               London       1904 2Q Wandsworth 1d 624
daughter of Richard Robert DeWitt Gray and Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey
Died 1911 3Q Bromley 2a 670
Geraldine Constance Gray b: 18 Aug 1906               London       1906 3Q Wandsworth 1d 713
daughter of Richard Robert DeWitt Gray and Ella Keziah Elizabeth Godfrey

  Richard departed from Southampton on the S.S. Adriatic, on January 5, 1907, arriving New York City on 18 January 1907.   He was listed as age 31, and was going to visit with a friend, a Mr Lucey, at 402 West 73 Avenue.

The story goes that Richard decided he would emigrate to North America in 1907, and then send for his family for a better life over the Atlantic. After he left, a few letters were received by his family, but they became less and less frequent.
After about seven years of silence, Ella hired a prominent solicitor, Mr. Frank Townsend Garton, to facilitate an end to her marriage on the presumption of the death of her husband, Richard, in America. This was quickly accomplished, whereupon Ella moved in with the solicitor, and she and daughter Geraldine adopted the name of Garton.      There is a possibility that Ella and 		  Frank were married, but no proof of that has surfaced. Son Robert also adopted the new last name, was married, and served in the army using the name, before he actually legally had it changed to Garton in November 1942. The family was led to believe that Richard had completely disappeared. Whether Ella, his wife, ever knew that he was alive and of his whereabouts now seems debatable. In the early 1930s both Ella and daughter Geraldine had visited America in an effort to locate Richard or to find out what had happened to him (the favorite story was that he had been eaten by a bear and that is why no-one knew anything about his disappearance).

1910 Census 15 Apr 1910
 Raymond, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Farm
District 269, Image 1 of 27
 Birthplace
Person		 Birthplace
Father		 Birthplace
Mother
Nellie F. Noble (D)
Mary J. Elliott (Niece)(s)
 Robert Gray (Servant)(M) 		Age 53
Age 30
 Age 35 		Farmer
Housekeeper
 Laborer 		N.H.
Mass.
 England 		N.H.
N.H.
 Ireland 		N.H.
Mass
 Ireland 		abt 1856
abt 1874
 7 Sep 1875
Robert has been married 8 years, and immigrated in 1907.

1911 Census RG14-104 3 April 1911 Beckenham, Kent
174 Croydon Road   (6 Rooms)
William Godfrey
Geraldine Elizabeth (Wife)
Ellen Gray (Daughter) (M)
Robert Gerald Gray (GrSon)
Marjorie Gray (GrDau)
Geraldine Constance Gray (GrDau) 		Age 68
Age 66
Age 28
Age 7
Age 6
Age 4 		Carpenter

Wardrobe Mistress Theater
Eltham
Clapton
Streatham
Streatham
Streatham 		London
Kent
London
London
London
London 		17 Feb 1843
13 Mar 1845
17 Apr 1882
26 Jul 1903
abt 1904
18 Aug 1906

1920 Census 1 Jan 1920
 Raymond, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Farm
District 152, Image 2 of 22
 Birthplace
Person		 Birthplace
Father		 Birthplace
Mother
Nellie F. Noble (Widow)
Mertin Thomas (Dau)(D)
Henry Tudor (Boarder)(s)
 Robert Gray (Laborer)(s) 		Age 56
Age 42
Age 64
 Age 44 		Farm Operator
Housekeeper

 Farm Laborer 		N.H.
N.H.
Mass.
 England 		N.H.
Maine
Mass.
 England 		N.H.
N.H.
New York
 England 		abt 1863
abt 1877
abt 1855
 7 Sep 1875
Robert immigrated in 1903.

Death
Frank Townsend Garton Died 25 Mar 1925, Age 52,       1925 1Q E.Preston 2b 545

The Times, Saturday, Mar 28, 1925                         DEATHS
  GARTON - On the 25th March, at a nursing home at Worthing, Frank Townsend Garton, "Official Receiver of the High Court". Funeral at Golders Green on Monday, at 1:30. No Flowers.
 LONDON   5 Aug 1925                         Probate
GARTON, Frank Townsend, of 8 Western-place, Worthing, died 25 March 1925, at Groombridge Nursing Home, Chaucer-road, Worthing, Probate London 5 August, to Ella Garton, widow.   Effects £816 5s. 2d.

The Times, Saturday, Mar 28, 1925                         OBITUARY
MR. F. T. GARTON

    Before taking his seat in the London Bankruptcy Court yesterday, Mr. Registrar Francke referred to the death of Mr Frank Townsend Garton, Official Receiver for the G. O. Division of the High Court of Justice in Bankruptcy.
    His Honour said that Mr. Garton died on Tuesday night at the early age of 52.     He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge, and soon afterwards became articled to a firm of solicitors.     In due course he was admitted himself as a solicitor, and quickly entered the Government service, in which he remained until his death.     He first met Mr. Garton some 15 years ago, and was immediately attracted by his personality.
      On his (the Registrar's) appointment seven years ago he learned with great pleasure the Mr. Garton was attached to the division from which his list came.     Of Mr. Garton's work in the Court it was impossible to speak too highly.     But for some time past he had suffered from ill-health, and that pleasure which he had mentioned became tinged with considerable pain when he watched the effects a heavy case had on him.     All those who knew Mr. Garton would feel that they had lost a friend and the Government a valuable servant.
    On behalf of the Bar, Mr. Elkin, and for the Department of the Official Receivers, Mr. Ferrars, Vyvyan, Deputy Official Receiver, said that they associated themselves with his Honour's remarks.

1930 Census 1 Apr 1930
 Raymond, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
 
District 8-44, Image 18 of 24
 Birthplace
Person		 Birthplace
Father		 Birthplace
Mother
Robert Gray (D)
Margaret (Mother)(W)
Alice C. (Sister)(s)
Louise V. (Sister)(s) 		Age 54
Age 79
Age 51
Age 45 		Hotel Proprietor
Housekeeper
Cook
Waitress 		England
North'n Ireland
England
England 		Irish Free State
North'n Ireland
Irish Free State
Irish Free State 		North'n Ireland
North'n Ireland
North'n Ireland
North'n Ireland 		7 Sep 1875
29 Mar 1851
23 Dec 1878
30 Jan 1885
Additional Information in Census:
Own their home,valued at $20,000, Have a Radio, Robert immigrated in 1907, the others in 1925

Death
Ella Keziah Elizabeth (Godfrey) Garton Died 1947, Age 64       1947 1Q Finsbury 5c 691
 

LONDON   30 May 1947                         Probate
GARTON, Ella, of 28 Belvedere-court, Upper Richmond-road, London, S.W.15, widow, died 18 January 1947, at St. Marks Hospital, City-road, London E., Probate London 30 May, to Geraldine Constance Garton, spinster, and Robert Gerald Garton, salesman.
  Effects £11,495 7s. 9d.

Death
Richard Robert DeWitt Gray Died 5 Sep 1965, Age 89,     Alberta, Canada
2 Days shy of his 90th birthday

Death
Geraldine Constance Garton Died 1971, Age 64,       1971 2Q Lambeth 5d 222