Edgar Harkness Gray was born in Bridport on this day in 1813. Gray grew up in Bridport, prepared for college and then studied for the ministry. He served as a pastor in Washington D.C., Massachusetts, and Washington state, becoming well known.

Gray was chaplain of the U.S. Senate when President Lincoln died, officiating at Lincoln’s funeral. Gray moved to California, and became the first pastor of a Baptist Church in San Francisco.

Eventually, Gray was named Superintendent of all Baptist Churches in California, while serving as pastor in Oakland. Gray was also dean of the Theological Seminary of Oakland.

Photograph from The Men Of Vermont by Jacob G. Ullery in the collections of the Vermont Historical Society.