David Gray

David Gray (August 8, 1870 – April 11, 1968) was an American diplomat, journalist, playwright, novelist, short story writer, and lawyer. A World War I veteran, he served in France in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, the American Expeditionary Forces, and as a liaison officer attached to several French armies. He was awarded both the Croix de guerre and the Legion of Honour. During World War II, he served as the United States minister to Ireland from 1940 to 1947. Through his marriage to Maude Livingston Hall, the sister of Anna Hall Roosevelt, he was the uncle of Eleanor Roosevelt. Gray's first notable work as a writer was as the librettist for Lewis Sabin Thompson's operetta The Sphinx (1892), which the pair created while students at Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard, Gray worked as a journalist and editorial writer for multiple publications in New York State from 1893 through 1899. He then worked as a criminal defense attorney in Erie County, New York from 1899 through 1902. After this three year period, he abandoned the law to pursue a career as a writer full time. Gray was an author attached to the publisher The Century Company from 1898 through 1918; publishing three books of short story collections and three novels during that period of time. Many of his short stories involved tales of horses and fox hunts; including the collections Gallops I (1898) and Gallops II (1903). He also authored two plays which had successful productions on Broadway: Gallops (1906, adapted from his short stories) and The Best People (1924); the latter of which was co-authored with playwright Avery Hopwood. Early life, education, and careers in journalism and the law David Gray, Jr. was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Martha (née Guthrie) and David Gray, Sr. Both his parents were immigrants to the United States from Scotland. His father was born in Edinburgh in 1836, and came to the United States with his family in 1849. They initially stayed with David Gray Sr.'s Uncle William who was already settled in Buffalo, New York. The family proceeded on to establish a farm two miles outside Waupun, Wisconsin in the autumn of 1849. David Gray, Sr. was not happy with a farmers life, and at the invitation of his uncle William he moved into his uncle's home in Buffalo; taking a job as the secretary of the YMCA in that city in 1856. In 1859 David Gray, Sr.