SIR JAMES GRAY 2^nd Bt. (1709-1773)

My g-g-g-g-grandfather (Twice)

 

The artist who painted the portrait was a mystery for quite a while as it has written on the back of it “Sir James Gray Baronet, Knt of the Bath, Envoy Extraordinary, Penitentiary to the King of Naples.  Painted in Italy by Minx.  Anno 1761.

Prior to Jason finding my web-site I had found this write up on Mengs on the Net and had realized he was in Naples at the same time as Sir James Gray and thought there was a strong possibility it could have been him that painted it.

ANTON RAPHAEL MENGS

(Aussig 1728 - 1779 Rome)

Although Anton Rafael Mengs was born in Bohemia he was of German ancestry, his parents returning to Saxony soon after his birth. While he may be considered the leading German painter of the eighteenth century he had an international career. Not only did he work for the Elector of Saxony (who was also King of Poland) but for the Emperor in Vienna, the Pope in Rome and the Spanish and Neapolitan Crowns. He also enjoyed a considerable reputation as a portraitist, painting many of the leading visitors to Rome as well as two profound self-portraits in several variants. His paintings of members of the Spanish royal family, both the highly finished elaborately detailed court portraits, and the more intimate paintings of heads, are among his most accomplished works. Although he died at the early age of fifty he had a profound influence not only on his native contemporaries but also on Roman, French and Spanish artists.

Mengs received his earliest training from his father in Dresden and during a youthful sojourn in Rome, where he studied the great Italian renaissance painters and worked in the studio of Marco Benefial. When he returned to Saxony his prodigious talent earned him the appointment as court painter to the Elector Augustus III. Nonetheless, he spent much of his career in Italy, developing a close relationship with the antiquarian Johann Winckelman whose writings inspired the painter’s neoclassical works. At the same time the influence of the Roman baroque remained strong, particularly in his religious paintings. Mengs’ abilities were further tested when he was commissioned to paint a series of portraits for Augustus III’s son in law, Charles VII, at the court of Naples. In October 1759 Charles VII inherited the Spanish Crown as Charles III and, as his court painter, Mengs spent several years in Madrid painting decorations in the Royal Palace.

 

Initially I figured Sir James Gray had to have some connection to the family but all my early research about on him came to the conclusion that he “Never married and had no children”, so at that stage I felt he was not a direct ancestor of mine.

 

Then one night whilst researching on the Net I typed “Illegitimate” with his name thinking this could be a possibility and suddenly a site appeared mentioning the fact that he had two children born in Naples.  This information had been provided by another researcher who had found the children “James & Catherine” mentioned in his Will.

 

At that stage the only Gray ancestor I knew about was Caroline Birch Gray (My g-grandmother) who is buried in the Bairnsdale Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.  After years of research I have found out that Caroline married her 1^st cousin John Davison Smith. 

Now I know that “The illegitimate son’s daughter (Caroline Birch Gray) married the illegitimate daughter’s son (John Davison Smith)” and they were my g-g-grandparents.

 

From my own research and information provided by others, John Davison Smith’s parents were Rev Digby Smith of Worcester & Catherine Gray (the daughter of Sir James Gray).  Caroline Birch Gray’s parents were Capt. James Gray (the son of Sir James Gray) and Frances Eliza/Elisabeth? Sutton Prince.

Jason Kelly found the image of Sir James Gray on my family web-site when researching for his article in “The British Art Journal” and was the first person to be able to provide me with a name for the mother of the two children born in Naples.

I happened to ask if he had come across any information about the mother of the two children fathered by Sir James Gray.  To my surprise he said “Yes” and told me her name was Caterina Rosiglio and that he had seen a document written in “Old Italian” declaring Sir James Gray as the father and mentioning Caterina as the mother.  He then forwarded me a scanned copy of that document before I received a copy of “The British Art Journal”.

 

In the article Jason makes mention of the two children, their dates of birth and that their mother was Caterina Rosiglio (later Bezzi or Bessi).  The article also gives a very good run down of Gray’s life, his involvement with the Dilettanti Society, his achievements, and his family together with descriptions of all the portraits of him.

 

The Old Italian Document

This declaration by Sir James Gray of him actually being the father of the children and the naming of the mother came as quite a surprise but the proof I needed to convince me he was probably the father of James and Catherine.

 

The amazing thing was that other Gray descendants living in Africa were involved in doing the translation after finding mention of the document on my Web-Site.  Special thanks must go to Gareth & Eleanor Brown, Eleanor’s mother Vinceza (Gray) and Vinceza’s 86 year old mother who were both visiting from Italy.  Their efforts in fully translating the old document were greatly appreciated.

In the year of our Lord: the 9^th day of April in the year Seventeen hundred and sixty three 1763; In public testimony it has been established that, Sir Bachelor (Knight) James Gray dispatched an extraordinary representative who has the sovereign power of his majesty the King of Great Britain, to address the King of the two Sicilies. Our Mr Dio Gudroi; Intervening in this situation on behalf of ($), whose obligation it was to return to the City of London:

Therefor in our presence, and in the presence of the Honourable Mr Marchese Di Teofilo Mauri Judge of the G.C. of Va, I authorize this act, and in his presence, the Honourable Mr Marchese [with the highest esteem that his majesty the King has presented to Sir Bachelor (Knight) Gray] has been designated, as said, through his majesty by his own order of Mr Marchese Tanucci Secretary of external affairs, we attest to the stewardship and good education of the children of Sir Bachelor (Knight), who live in Napoli;

Sir Bachelor (Knight), in our presence and in the presence of the Honourable Marchese, as above, for future remembrance, care and security, these two children were born of Sir Bachelor (Knight) with Caterina Rosiglio who at the time were not married, but she is now married to Giuseppe Bezzi and that Mr Bachelor (Knight) baptized them both in the Venerable Church of S. Marco of Palazzo, or to rephrase, the first male born on the twenty third of July 1759, and baptized on the twenty fourth of July, named Giacomo son of N.N.(no name); the other female born on the fourteenth of October 1761, and baptized on the seventeenth of October, with the name of Caterina Carlotta Anna Maria Teresa daughter of N.N. and of Caterina Rosiglio. This is written in the baptismal records of the Parish; and all that is stated is true from the representative of Sir Bachelor (Knight) here in our presence, (listed names and titles of those present) we swear this is true.

In the future you must know that these two children baptized in the Parish Church of S. Marco of Palazzo, are Giacomo son of N.N born on the twenty third of July 1759, and baptized on the twenty fourth of July; Caterina Carlotta Anna Maria Teresa daughter of N.N and Caterina Rosiglio born on the fourteenth of October 1761, and baptized on the seventeenth of October are the real children of Sir Bachelor(Knight), of whom we spoke before and that of Caterina Rosiglio who at the time were not married. And for this declaration, we again testify that this is true to the honourable Mr Marchese Judge of the G.C. of Va, and it cannot be doubted in the future that Sir Bachelor (Knight) requested of us to publicly announce that this is true, and this is what happened.

Factum Est ($) = I, Sir Bachelor (Knight) James Gray declare and confirm everything as stated above = Marchese Teofilo Mauri ______________ (names and signatures) ___________________________

________________________________________________________________

Note: Italian names = English names:  Giacomo = James  Caterina = Catherine

 

Over recent months I have had a couple of e-mails sent to me from various parts of the World providing additional information on the Grays together with a Gray Tree which originated in Italy by a branch of the family with members still living there.

 

I have been trying to put this all together in Family Tree Maker but have a few conflicts others may be able to help with.  I’m not devoting much time to the Gray line as I’m more into researching my convict side and arranging a family reunion in New South Wales next year.

 

It is only that I hold so many old documents on the Grays that I feel I should put them on the Net to help others together with this incomplete list of descendants of Sir James Gray - 1^st Baronet.  This may help others connect into the Gray family but please let me know of any obvious mistakes as I don’t want to be misleading others with their research.

 

Descendants of James (1st Baronet) Gray

 

This information is now available at: http://members.speedweb.com.au/thore/GrayTree.htm