John Gray of Traveller's Rest, VA

John Gray was born in 1769 at Gartcraig, Scotland, and came to America in 1784, settling at Port Royal. Both his paternal and maternal grandfathers were substantial merchants in Glasgow and had traded extensively with Virginia before the Revolution. John was not the eldest son. His brother, William, inherited all of their father’s estate as was customary at the time. Coming to Virginia was a sensible choice for John, who hoped to make his fortune there.

Gray purchased Traveler’s Rest from Richard and Margaret Tutt in 1809. In 1815 he added a rectangular two-story wing on the east side. The addition had a long cellar, long hall, an entry, and three rooms on the first floor. The second floor contained a hall and two rooms, and eight “cuddies” or closets. The addition also had two doors, a porch and a basement entrance.