204 HISTORICAL SKETCH 0F PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 
     
    
   
   
    
     Hon. John H. Gray was a native of this Island, being born 
     
     here in 1813, and was educated at Charlottetown. Preferring 
     
     the military profession as his calling, he went to England, where 
     
     he obtained a commission in a Regiment of Dragoons, in which 
     
     he served in England. Ireland, India, and the Cape of Good 
     
     Hope, in which latter country the Regiment was engaged in 
     
     war against the treacherous tribes of Kaffirs. Returning to his 
     
     native place about the year 1850, Captain Gray exchanged his 
     
     military life for that of a civilian. Having obtained a seat in 
     
     the Legislature, he became a member of the government in 
     
     1859. In March 1862, he was given command of the brigade 
     
     of volunteers with the rank of Colonel. In 1867 Colonel Gray 
     
     was appointed Adjutant General of Militia, and upon entering 
     
     confederation he was made Deputy Adjutant General of District 
     
     No. 12. Being in a state of sickness for some time, death 
     
     overtook him on August 13th, 1887, aged 74 years. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Lieut.-Colonel Henry Beer, Mayor of Charlottetown, died 
     
     on the 2nd of August, 1886, aged 51 years. He was born in 
     
     Charlottetown in 1835. He organized the Dundas Volunteers 
     
     at Southport in 1859, and at the period of his death, com- 
     
     manded the 82nd Battalion of Militia. His obsequies was 
     
     attended by the City Artillery, Engineers, 82nd Battalion of 
     
     Infantry, and the Fraternity of Free Masons of which he was a 
     
     member, preceded by the Bands playing the Dead March. 
     
     His mortal remains were escorted from his late residence to 
     
     the First Methodist Church, thence to the grave, followed by a 
     
     large concourse of mourners. The rites of burial having been 
     
     performed, each brother of the Fraternity let {all a sprig of 
     
     evergreen into the grave, and the escort discharged its fare- 
     
     well shot. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Hon. Chief Justice, Edward Palmer, died at his 
     
     residence on the 3rd of November, 1889, aged 80 years. His 
     
     Lordship was born in Charlottetown, was admitted to the 
     
     Bar in 1831. created Queen‘s Counsel in 1857, became 
     
     Solicitor General in 1848, Attorney General in 1854, again 
     
     in 1863, and Chief Justice in 1874 Mr. Palmer represented 
     
     Charlottetown and Royalty in the House of Assembly for very 
     
     many years, in which he was leader of the Conservative party. 
     
     When the Legislative Council became elective about the year ‘ 
     
     1867, he was elected to a seat in that honorable body. On the 
     
     third day of his demise, his mortal remains were laid to rest in