A record of 20 years without a bath or hair cut was established by William Gray, the greatest infidel in the history of Charlotte, according to C.C. Moore, clerk of Mecklenburg county superior court.
The story begins about half a century ago. In Charlotte lived a man named William Gray who held his wife above all things both earthly and heavenly. A man of considerable wealth he was, owning most of the block on which the Hunter-House cigar store now stands. Real estate holdings in his name dotted other sections of the city. His life was easy and carefree.
But the day his rabbit foot tricked him, his wife died. With a broken heart he saw her buried behind the First Presbyterian church The sunshine faded out of his life and he began to curse God for taking away his greatest treasure.
“I used to see him sitting out near her grave in the later afternoons,” said Mr. Moore. “He cursed and swore in a low voice as he held his face in his hands. Almost every day when the weather permitted, he could be found sitting there behind the church in the dusk of the evening.
“As the days passed he began to hate everything pertaining to religion. And suddenly he made a mad vow that he would never as long as he should live take another bath or get his hair cut. The years passed. He never bathed or clipped his locks. For 20 years water never touched his body or shears his head.
“And he began to do strange things. He used to write little pieces of poetry in opposition to religioun and tack them up on the court house, which was then where the Selwyn hotel now is. Almost every word he uttered was against God an the church. He cursed and swore the livelong day. The death of his wife, a fine woman she was, became stamped more vividly on his mind as time flew by.
“One day about 40 years ago the high roof of the Presbyterian church rotted away and William Tiddy undertook the task of having it fixed for the congregation.
“Across the street sat old Bill Gray every day after the work started. He watched the slow process of the building and began to write little pieces about it. He always tacked them up in his own handwriting. He commented to those he knew on the work.
“When the work was done George A. Wilson, R.A. Cochran and W.B. Nisbet, deacons of the church, began to canvass for funds to pay for the work. While going down West Trade street they passed Bill Gray.
“’Come back here, boys,’ he yelled.
“They turned around and came back. They had not intended to ask him for a donation, for they thought Bill Gray would be the last man on earth to give to such a work. But when they reached him, Bill said, ‘Boys, I’ve got a little piece of paper here I have been holding for you for several days. I see you are not coming for it, so I called you back myself.’
“the little piece of paper was a check for $100. The deacons had thought that it was a sarcastic bit of poetry. They could hardly believe their eyes. Had Bill Gray been converted?
“’I know what you’re thinking, boys,’ said Bill. ‘But I want you to understand I am not giving this to the church. I am giving this $100 because I think that steeple is a damn pretty ornament to the city, and I am always ready to contribute to anything which will beautify the city. It is not religion with me—it is the city of Charlotte.’
“And that was the only time anybody ever thought Bill Gray had changed his habit of thinking. Nothing ever took his mind off the death of his wife, and for 20 years after that he went about his daily occupation, cursing God and refusing to bathe or have his hair cut. He died a number of years ago, and to the day of his death he never broke his vow. He was probably the most unique character in the history of Charlotte.”
From The Charlotte News, June 7, 1921
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