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From: Carolyn Ybarra <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Doctor nickname
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2006 13:20:57 -0800
References: <ef37d6a63cd76374a9109a3f0611b0f4@stanfordalumni.org> <8aefad670603080900v6391305dsadef07a4f162722c@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <8aefad670603080900v6391305dsadef07a4f162722c@mail.gmail.com>


Thanks Lori and Elizabeth W. for more ideas! This has been a lively
discussion.

I talked to my student and his name was Ira Gray, born Washington D.C.
in 1825, 1826, or maybe 1830. She has only the 1900 census in Gilroy,
CA (he died in 1908), where he is listed as an electrician, and his
Civil War pension file. He married late and the children on the 1900
census wouldn't have been around in 1880, nor was he married then (at
least not to the same woman). So we can't search under a family
member's name. I suggested she have a look at the Great Register of
Voters, so at least she might find where he was living in the 1880's or
90's. Lost his parents in infancy (she is looking for Probate,
guardianship or orphan's court records). He served under the name John
Henry Martin, both before and during the Civil War. Was in the
dragoons in Oregon, a private.

According to his pension file he was very sickly, rheumatism and other
problems. He spent some time in the hospital, and had chronic
conditions. So perhaps the best guess from all you have told me is
that he was teased with "Doctor" because he had medicines, was sickly,
talked about his ailments or treatments, or spent a lot of time in the
hospital and people associated him with medicine because of that.

Thanks for the help.
Carolyn

Carolyn Ybarra, Ph.D
Family Research Services
1017 El Camino Real #332
Redwood City, CA 94063

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