PINEBLOOM: Homeplace of BB and Ellen Gray
photo credit: Collection of Rita and Rebecca Gray
Fate is a funny thing. It can place people into your lives that you have never encountered who turn out to be someone you needed to have met a long time ago. Such is the case with this edition of my family history. I haven't posted about my genealogy in awhile because, quite frankly, I lost a bit of interest. Not because I wasn't curious, but I seemed to have been at a crossroads with the research. Brick walls, if you will. That is until I contacted someone on a genealogy website who would turn out to not only be a wealth of information, but also a cousin I didn't know I had. It is through this 'luck of the draw' inquiry that I have met my kindred spirit in uncovering family roots.
When I first began researching my maternal grandmother,
Elizabeth Gray Gibbs, I uncovered a lot of information about a very successful family whose American origins I had been able to trace back to the 1690's. They have an interesting history of success in the lumber business.
Through census records, I have been able to trace movements of my direct lineage within the Gray family as they settled in areas where lumber and land were plentiful to set up shop and in some cases, assist in developing the surrounding area or towns. One town which benefited from the Gray lumber business was a little place called Willacoochee in SE Georgia. It was here that my 2nd great grandfather, B.B. Gray, built a home called Pinebloom.
Through census records, I have been able to trace movements of my direct lineage within the Gray family as they settled in areas where lumber and land were plentiful to set up shop and in some cases, assist in developing the surrounding area or towns. One town which benefited from the Gray lumber business was a little place called Willacoochee in SE Georgia. It was here that my 2nd great grandfather, B.B. Gray, built a home called Pinebloom.
I have many roots associated with Willacoochee, but when it came to the Gray side of the family, I came up empty with only little bits and pieces falling into my lap. It left me wanting to know more. Where was Pinebloom located? Was it still there? What happened to it? After exhausted searches and no answers, I gave up. That is until that fateful online inquiry.
With that said, I dedicate this post to my new found cousins, Rita and Rebecca Gray. Without their help, this post would not have been possible. Most of the research revealed here is due to their efforts. It rekindled the fire and I have since been able to add to their research and finally complete the story of Pinebloom. So to them, I will be forever grateful. Thank you Rita and Rebecca!!
Benjamin Benchley Gray I
photo credit: Rita and Rebecca Gray
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Ellen Sophia Furlong Gray
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Benjamin Benchley (B.B.) Gray I
Briefly, Benjamin Benchley Gray (B.B.) was born in 1848 in Gray Station, Herkimer County, New York. He was the son of Henry Pendleton Gray and Lucina Benchley Gray. Henry's father, Latham Gray, was key in the development of this area. He started a lumber mill and the town grew around the mill. The name of the town was eventually shortened to Gray, NY. Many Gray family members are buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Herkimer. The 1860 census shows Henry, Lucina and 4 children, including BB, had moved to Taylor Co., Georgia. Not exactly sure what brought them to Georgia, but the theory is that the Grays were looking for an area with an abundant amount of timber which could be processed into railroad ties for the expanding rail system in our country. B.B. Gray would be crucial in the development of railroad lines in southern Georgia.
The History of Pinebloom
The story of Pinebloom would not be possible without the influence of B.B. Gray. The following is an almost complete history of B.B. Gray's life. He was a fascinating man who had a knack for starting successful businesses as well as gaining respect and admiration from those who knew and worked with him.
Sources: Rita and Rebecca Gray, Newspapers articles, and hours of online research!
1875- 1920
B.B. Gray, the Business Man
Without getting too deep in the weeds of facts, dates, and figures, I will try to condense the life of B.B. Gray and his success as Lumberman/Railroad developer, to create a picture of the man.This is not an easy task, as many new things have been uncovered and added. This timeline will begin with B.B. and Ellen's move to Millwood, Ga. from Brunswick in or around 1875.
It was here that records indicate B.B. had a sawmill just outside of Millwood on the B & A (Brunswick & Albany) Rail line. Over the next four decades, B.B., along with his brothers, would acquire a few sawmills and a lot of acreage in the area which were also on or adjacent to rail lines. The sawmills would be known as B.B. Gray & Brother and Gray & Gatchel sawmills. They would eventually merge to form The Gray Lumber Co.
By 1880, B.B. and Ellen still lived in Millwood with a growing family of 6 children. It was in this year that B.B. took ownership of W.W. Colquitt's sawmill in an area known as Pinebloom outside of Willacoochee, GA. He purchases land adjacent to this sawmill which would be the future homesite of their home, also called Pinebloom. The Gray Lumber Co. sawmills would be large processors of timber. The sawmills would process between 40,000 - 60,000 board feet a day! It was a lucrative business during this time.
Around 1896 - Pinebloom, the house, is completed, which is a good thing because their brood now numbers a whopping 13 children! The house is a grand 2-story 9 room house with heart pine throughout and wrap around porches on each level. According to family stories, my grandmother Elizabeth, rode her tricycle on the 2nd story porch as a child. There was also a secret hideaway room upstairs! Oh, if those walls could talk!! I would listen, wouldn't you?
1903 - B.B. receives a patent for a lumber seasoning apparatus. Not only was he savvy with his business dealings, but he and his sons were quite mechanical and inventive.
The following link will take you to a great news article from 1903 about a day in the life of B.B. Gray and paints a picture of a man very well respected by the reporter and the employees at the sawmill. It also speaks of the family dynamic and how mechanically inclined all of the Gray men were and how well they worked together. It's a great read.
link: Gray's New Dry Kiln in Operation
1905 - As the lumber business grew, so did the need to expand rail lines in the area. BB was key in this endeavor. Through land purchases and development of tram roads, BB would apply for a charter of the Ocilla, Pinebloom, and Valdosta RR and proposes construction of a 70 mile rail line through these towns. The initial capital investment for the railroad was a sum of $200,000.
The following is an article reporting charter of OP&V from the Tifton Gazette dated April 27, 1905
 | "Willacoochee Ga, April 27 - The stockholders of the Ocilla, Pinebloom and Valdosta railroad held a meeting yesterday at Pinebloom, and organized by electing Geo. F. McCranie chairman, and J.S. Cochran secretary.
The new charter of the road was approved, and the following directors were elected: B.B. Gray, J.H. Gray, B.W. Gray, C.E. Gray, E.F. Gray Geo. F. McCranie, J.L. Cochran, J.B. O'Berry and Henry Paulk.
The stockholders' meeting was then adjourned and the directors elected the following officers:
President: B.B. Gray
First Vice President: J.H. Gray
Second Vice President: B.W. Gray
Secretary: J.L. Cochran
Treasurer: C.E. Gray
This completes the organization and places the property in a position where contemplated sale can legally be made."
Note: Highlighted text is the result of web search. Also unclear if J.S. Cochran and J.L. Cochran are the the same person. Possible typo.
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Tough Economic Times Come to Pinebloom
As with any business, hard financial and economic times can bring an end to the prosperity once enjoyed by its industry leaders. Such was the case in 1908 when the lumber industry suffered under increased government regulations of inspections of sawmills. An article in the Tifton Gazette wrote of a gathering of lumbermen in Tifton stating that sawmills were producing half of what they once were, causing a worrisome situation. By 1912, Gray Lumber Co. was operating at a loss and by 1913 filed for bankruptcy, owing $150,000 to creditors and investors.
News Article announcing Gray Lumber Co. files for bankruptcy. Source: Tifton Gazette 1913
In February, 1915, Gray Lumber Co. sells through trustees to Henry P. Talmadge of NY for $13K. Mr. Talmadge then turns around and sells it back to B.B. and Ellen's son, Edward for $2300. It is not known if Mr. Talmadge was a family friend or family member from NY to make such a deal. But his name is mentioned in several news articles when dealing with bankruptcies and other settlements.
By 1920, the Georgia Railroad Commission lists OP&V Railroad as dismantled and lists its successor road, Willacoochee & DuPont, as a 9.5 mile line between Willacoochee and Shaw's Still. However, the partially built-out OP&V line would become the foundation for the very successful Georgia and Florida Rail Line.
According to B.B.'s son, Benjamin William Gray, his father would retire after this bankruptcy, but still dabble in other 'odds and ends'. One other business I found interesting was in Brunswick. B.B. ventured into a boat taxi service which carried passengers from St. Simons Island over to Brunswick. Once off the boat, passengers could then take a train into the city of Brunswick and spend the day. St. Simons was a haven for the rich, so I imagine this was a well-used service. If air travel was around in his time, I have a feeling he would have gambled on that as well.
The following article (link) appeared in the Tifton Gazette on August 18, 1916. It tells of the visit by a reporter from the Brunswick Times to Pinebloom in 1892. Thought it was a great way to end this timeline and reminisce of life at the sawmill.
link: Pinebloom 24 Years Ago
B.B. Gray, The Community Man
From numerous newspaper articles written during his lifetime, the one phrase which always appears is 'respected citizen'. Outside of his business ventures, B.B. did a lot for the community he so loved.
1886 - He petitions Congress to pass the Blair Education Bill. Motivated by concern for the plight of former slaves in the South, the bill proposed
$77 million in federal funds for public schools be distributed to the states, proportionate to their illiteracy rates (which were much higher in the South), over several years.
1897- Pinebloom is becoming its own self-sustaining town with a population of 137 people. A post office, chapel, mercantile, and some housing is built on the site around the sawmill for employees. B.B. is named Postmaster of the P.O.
1904- BB runs unsuccessfully for state representative of Coffee County. He is defeated by 200 votes to a Mr. Sweat. An amusing footnote here is how B.B. entered the race. Dr. Jefferson Wilcox was intially going to run but because of health reasons, namely deafness. B.B. was asked to run in his place.
1905- Builds first and only 3-story building in Willacoochee. The lot was purchased for $450 and measured 31' x 70'. Guess that's why it had to be built up and not out. The lot was sold to B.B by Mr. J.J. Vickers and was located "on the corner west of Mr. Vickers' store". The first two floors housed offices and other businesses. The third floor was the Masonic Lodge in which B.B. was named High Priest. It was a simple red brick building with a carved sandstone placard which bore B.B.'s name. Sadly, it was torn down in the mid 1970's.
The Masonic Lodge Building is the 3-story building on the left. Only known photo, even though it's not much. We take what we can get. Source: Tamara Gibbs
1905 - B.B. offers to put in a system of electric lights to the town of Willacoochee as long as enough citizens and businesses take part in the endeavor.
The rail lines built by BB allows the population of Willacoochee to from 471 in 1900 to almost 1000 in 1910. He employees many men, black or white, through his 40 years of business in rail and lumber.
1926 - B.B. Gray passes away at the age of 78 on Sept 6th at Pinebloom. Many people of all races and background attended his funeral to pay their respects to a man well admired. He is buried in the Willacoochee City Cemetery next to his wife Ellen, who died in 1936.
The following obituaries of BB and Ellen speak to the respect and admiration the community had for these two pillars of the area.
Source: The collection of Rita and Rebecca Gray
 | This is an abbreviated version of B.B.'s obituary with highlights of his life: "Mr. B.B. Gray died at his home in Pine Bloom Monday morning at six o'clock after a long illness." "Mr. Gray was a pioneer railroad builder in this country, having built the Georgia and Florida railroad from Satilla River to Nashville, as well as other lines which operated for awhile, but were finally abandoned. He sold the segment of the Georgia and Florida which he built when that company was organized and this sale left him a rich man in that day, he being worth at that time nearly a million dollars. He immediately commenced the construction of other lines which he could not commercialize and in which he lost most of his fortune." "He was generous to a fault and his whole soul was in the development of this section. He employed thousands of men in his day.........at his funeral was a long line of aged colored men and women who were given the opportunity to file past his bier, most of them weeping as they looked for the last time in the face of the man who had done so many kind deeds for them. One old negro said as he passed along " I have worked for many a man in my day, but he was the best one of all." " At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Ellen and 9 of his children, one brother and one sister. |
May 14, 1936, The Douglas Enterprise
"Mrs. B.B. Gray, one of the pioneers of this section of the state, died at the age of 82 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E.R. Bullard of Varnesville, SC, last Monday morning following an illness of several days. Her advanced age hastened the death.
The remains were brought to Douglas Tuesday morning and funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the graveside in Willacoochee cemetery, the family burial grounds, conducted by Rev. Ivey. Interment followed beside her late husband."
The deceased is survived by three sons, three daughters and numerous other relatives throughout Atkinson and
Coffee Counties.
"There was a large attendance at the funeral Tuesday which spoke of the love and esteem in which the deceased was held."
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Headstones of B.B. and Mrs. B.B. (Ellen) Gray, Willacoochee City Cemetery
As I stated, Rita and Rebecca Gray have provided some wonderful momentos which have made this post possible. I will end B.B and Ellen's lifestory with a note written by their son, Benjamin William Gray. Around 1950, before he died in 1957, Ben W. took the time to write down his thoughts and memories about his parents. Those notes were transcribed this past year by Rita and Rebecca:
"Father"
"B.B. Gray, soon after coming south with his family, entered into the manufacturing of lumber and was for years successful. But lost out in 1914 and retired from work, but often returned for little odds and ends. He was a father to the poor, and a great help to the farmers of Coffee County. There are many dwellings in Coffee County that bear his lumber works. He belonged to, and loved, the Masonic Lodge. He was highly respected and thought of by all. He was a great financier, until more modern ways came about. He was the builder and owner of five or six sawmills, planing mills, railroads, etc. The Georgia and Florida stands today for some of his work. This road was built of short lines of which his tram road from Satilla River to Nashville, Georgia is a part. Another road, Ocilla, Pinebloom, & Valdosta, was never finished, but was the beginning of his railroading. This road was intended for the above places, but the G & F seemed to have headed in on it. Only one of his buildings stands today, the Masonic Lodge of Willacoochee. It was built and presented to the Willacoochee Lodge, as a memoir of his love for the order. He was a good mechanic, had good shops for rebuilding anything needed in saw milling. He often passed some of his time at real mechanics work, so as to put thought to his business."
"Mother"
"Ellen S. Gray was a great mother, and highly respected by her large family. She was never too tired to fix for them, and was a great cook and home maker. She had a heart for the unfortunate. No one left her house hungry, regardless of race or color. 'Excess away' was her motto in all things, but no one felt the effects of it while at the dining table."
What happened to the Pinebloom House?
Stories abound about what happened to Pinebloom. Some say it became derelict and fell down. Others say it burned down. Here is what really happened:
A year after Ellen's death in 1937, the house and 130 acres surrounding it were sold to Caulie Sutton. The Suttons did not live in the house, but farmed or leased the land. It did however, become a bit of a hangout for the young folks back in the day. Not the house so much, but on the land and in some of the shanty houses. This according to Rita Gray. She is the only person I know of who actually walked through the house. In 1961, the house was sold and dismantled. Two homes were constructed from the lumber elsewhere. The remaining land was sold in 1976.
The small towns once known as Pinebloom, Leighton, and Leilaton would become part of Atkinson county when it was formed in 1918. They are a simple spots in the road today.
I hope this gives you a small taste of B.B. Gray and Pinebloom. I know for me personally, it solves a lot of the mystery and really makes me proud to be a descendant of such an interesting, well-respected and driven man.
But, the story doesn't end here. What about all of those children? What happened to them? Stay tuned, their stories will be coming soon!!
Happy Hunting in your Own Family Tree
Melody
Sources: Rita and Rebecca Gray Collection
familysearch.org
My own family collection and photos
