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Harrison Gray (1711–1794) was a wealthy merchant, as well as Treasurer and Receiver-General for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, a position that he held from 1753 until the beginning of the Revolution. Although more of a political moderate, in 1774, Gray was forced to choose between patriotism and loyalism over the Massachusetts Government Act (which suspended the Provincial Charter). Gray chose to recognize the right of the King and Parliament to suspend, at will, the rights and liberties of Massachusetts Bay.
In 1775, Gray published his loyalist views in a pamphlet titled The Two Congresses Cut Up. Ultimately, Gray's property was confiscated and he was forced to flee Boston in 1776 where he spent the rest of his life in London, England. He was named in the
In 1775, Gray published his loyalist views in a pamphlet titled The Two Congresses Cut Up. Ultimately, Gray's property was confiscated and he was forced to flee Boston in 1776 where he spent the rest of his life in London, England. He was named in the Massachusetts Banishment Act The Massachusetts Banishment Act, officially named the "Banishment Act of the State of Massachusetts", was passed in September 1778 "to prevent the return to this state of certain persons therein named and others who have left this state or either o ...
of 1778. Harrison's daughter, Elizabeth Gray Otis, stayed behind with her husband Samuel Allyne Otis
Samuel Allyne Otis (November 24, 1740 – April 22, 1814) was the first Secretary of the United States Senate, serving for its first 25 years. He also served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was a delegate to the Confederation C ...
740–1814 brother of pamphleteer James Otis, Jr.
James Otis Jr. (February 5, 1725 – May 23, 1783) was an American lawyer, political activist, colonial legislator, and early supporter of patriotic causes in Massachusetts at the beginning of the Revolutionary Era. Otis was a fervent opponent ...
and author Mercy Otis Warren.
Harrison Gray's grandson, Harrison Gray Otis was later able to recuperate some of Gray's property that had been confiscated during the revolution, although Gray himself was deceased by this time.
References
* Samuel Eliot Morison, ''Harrison Gray Otis, 1765–1848: The Urbane Federalist'', 1913. Rev. ed. (2 vols in 1), Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1969. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Harrison 1711 births 1794 deaths People of colonial Massachusetts American Loyalists from Massachusetts Politicians from Boston