Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
BurialSunset Hill Cemetery (Sunset Hills Memorial Estates), 50 Fountain Drive, Glen Carbon, Madison County, Illinois [58844], [281]
FlagsCivil War
FatherJohn Amos GRAY Sr. (1845-1911)
MotherMary Ann COFFEY (1862-1947)
Spouses
No Children
Obituary Online notes for John Amos William GRAY Jr.
John William Gray was born to John Amos Gray and Mary A. Coffee, the second marriage for each.
John, Sr. served in the Civil War, Co. D, 59th Indiana Infantry. John, Sr. died when John, Jr. was only 14 years old.
During Prohibition, John Jr. and his wife, Katherine Kuch Gray, were proprietors of a cafe and speakeasy located on Horseshoe Lake near Granite City, Madison County, IL. John and Katherine were found murdered in their burned-out car. Although 7 men were arrested and indicted for the crime, all were released on bail or released to other jurisdictions to stand trial on other crimes. The case was eventually dismissed for lack of prosecution, and their murder was never solved. 5 of the men died violent deaths within 10 years after the murder. The most probable motive for the murders is that John and Katherine were caught in the middle of a gang war over who had control of that area for selling illegal alcohol.
John and Katherine were buried in the same grave. [58828]
John, Sr. served in the Civil War, Co. D, 59th Indiana Infantry. John, Sr. died when John, Jr. was only 14 years old.
During Prohibition, John Jr. and his wife, Katherine Kuch Gray, were proprietors of a cafe and speakeasy located on Horseshoe Lake near Granite City, Madison County, IL. John and Katherine were found murdered in their burned-out car. Although 7 men were arrested and indicted for the crime, all were released on bail or released to other jurisdictions to stand trial on other crimes. The case was eventually dismissed for lack of prosecution, and their murder was never solved. 5 of the men died violent deaths within 10 years after the murder. The most probable motive for the murders is that John and Katherine were caught in the middle of a gang war over who had control of that area for selling illegal alcohol.
John and Katherine were buried in the same grave. [58828]
Obituary Online notes for Katherine (Spouse 1)
Nothing is known of Katherine Kuch Gray except the date of her death - neither the names of her parents nor the date of her marriage to John Gray, Jr.
John Gray's family claimed her body, as no one from her unknown family came forward.
She and John Gray, Jr. ran a cafe and speakeasy during prohibition. The cafe was located on Horseshoe Lake near Granite City, Madison County, IL. John and Katherine's bodies were found in the back seat of their burnt-out car. Although seven men were arrested and indicted for the crime, all were released on bail or released to other jurisdictions to stand trial on other crimes. The case was eventually dismissed for lack of prosecution, and their murder was never solved. Five of the men died violent deaths within 10 years after the murder. The most probable motive for the murders is that John and Katherine were caught in the middle of a gang war over who had control of that area for selling illegal alcohol. [58845]
John Gray's family claimed her body, as no one from her unknown family came forward.
She and John Gray, Jr. ran a cafe and speakeasy during prohibition. The cafe was located on Horseshoe Lake near Granite City, Madison County, IL. John and Katherine's bodies were found in the back seat of their burnt-out car. Although seven men were arrested and indicted for the crime, all were released on bail or released to other jurisdictions to stand trial on other crimes. The case was eventually dismissed for lack of prosecution, and their murder was never solved. Five of the men died violent deaths within 10 years after the murder. The most probable motive for the murders is that John and Katherine were caught in the middle of a gang war over who had control of that area for selling illegal alcohol. [58845]