January 3, 2006

This past November, a chisel appeared on Ebay marked J. GRAY and KINGSTON. It was attributed to a edged-tool maker named John Gray from Kingston, Massachusetts.

Ray Larsen provided the following details: "The EAIA Directory of American Toolmakers lists him as a maker of axes, chisels and edge tools working in Kingston, MA, in 1849."

Unfortunately, no corrobarative information pertaining to the attribution of Gray as a Kingston, Massachusetts manufacturer has turned up in the collections of the Local History Room at the Kingston Public Library in Kingston, Massachusetts, nor did Emily Drew, a famous Kingston historian, seem to mention him in her writings on Kingston history; it may be reasonable to suppose she would have been aware of him, since she herself was a member of the family which owned C. DREW & CO, the best-known tool manufacturer from that town.

Carrie Elliott, archivist for the town of Kingston, has confirmed that there were members of the Gray family living in Kingston during the 1840s including a few named John Gray.

The photos of this item, published below, are through the courtesy of George Gray: