George M. Gray, M. D., president of the medical staff of St. Margaret's Hospital, Kansas City, Kan., and one of the best known surgeons in Kansas, was born in Waukegan, Ill., March 4, 1856, a son of Rasselas M. and Susan (Dowst) Gray. The Gray family is of English descent, the first American ancestors having settled in Rhode Island at at[sic] an early day, some of them serving with distinction during the Revolutionary war. Rasselas Gray was born in New York, but moved to Illinois about 1850 and then to Kansas in 1858, while it was a territory, and took up land at Quindaro, where he engaged in the mercantile business and at the same time operated his farm. He is a Republican in politics and at the outbreak of the Civil war tendered his services to the government, serving in the quartermaster's department until the cessation of hostilities. Mr. Gray has been township trustee of Quindaro for a number of years. Dr. Gray's maternal grandfather was a sea captain, who lived at Salem, Mass. He was lost at sea.

Dr. Gray received his elementary education in the Wyandotte County High School. He determined to study medicine, and with this end in view entered the drug store of T. J. Eaton, in Kansas City, Mo., soon after leaving school. For two years he acted as clerk in the store and at the same time read medicine. He entered the Kansas City Medical College and graduated March 4, 1879. Wishing to specialize in certain branches, he went to New York City and took a course in the Bellevue Medical College, receiving his degree in 1880. The same year he opened an office in Kansas City, Kan., and soon had a growing practice. In the fall of 1881, Dr. Gray married Carrie Harlan, the daughter of Howard Harlan, a lawyer of Marshall, Ill. Three children have been born to this union: May, who is the wife of Willard Briedenthall, a prominent banker of this city; Ruth, who spent two years in study at Smith College, and is now at home; and George, a boy of fourteen years (1911), who is attending school. Dr. Gray has served on the surgical staff of St. Margaret's Hospital since the organization of the hospital, in 1886, and is now one of its surgeons; he is teacher of clinical surgery in the medical department of the University of Kansas; he is a member of the county, state and American medical societies, and was president of the Kansas City Academy of Medicine, of Kansas City, Mo., in 1909. For two years he was county coroner, and has one of the largest surgical practices in the city and state. Dr. Gray is a Republican in politics and served for four months as mayor of Kansas City, Kan., filling out the unexpired term of W. W. Rose. The people wished to nominate him for the position, but he refused, desiring to devote his time to his profession. In addition to his professional duties Dr. Gray is president of the Riverview State Bank and vice-president of the People's National Bank. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.