532 Davie Avenue
John W Gray Home
1866
Mr JW Gray was a proprietor of St. Charles Hotel, manager of the Cooper House (later renamed the Hotel Iredell) starting when it was built in 1885 and retiring 1901. He bought property with his son-in-law and started the Statesville Inn. Unfortunately, it burned within the year and he retired. Mr. Gray filed a war claim against the US Government for his cotton factory, cotton and machinery that was burned in Laurel Falls in 1865 when troops passed through. The total amount of damages came to $174,000.
He left his home to his daughter and son-in-law (Fred E Bradley) in 1902. They were living in the home at the time and Mr. Gray was living at Hotel Iredell. Mr. Bradley was on the Board of Directors and was a traveling salesman for Statesville Flour Mill in 1900-01. In 1905, the Bradley's took their family to visit the Gray's (on the county line). Within a few hours of their visit, one child fell through the roof of the hen house, one fell down and broke his arm, and the youngest was doing his best to knock the heads off of some young prize game chickens that were favorites of Mr. Gray.
