As is the case with most old horses, the pedigree of BOONES GREY JOHN winds through a jungle of contradictions interspersed with intervals where no information at all exists.  In dealing with such horses, it is well to remember that the eventual destination of the bloodlines is of more importance than their origin and fortunately, the destination of GREY JOHN'S is much more discernible than its source.  It is generally accepted that BOONES GREY JOHN represented an extension of the COPPERBOTTOM family on his sire's line.  There is little evidence to indicate what he was on his dam's line.  According to an article written by J.D. Luna in the January, 1939 issue of "THE NATIONAL HORSEMAN

Since Mr. Luna was, no doubt, the chief promoter of GREY JOHN blood in Middle Tennessee, it seems reasonable to accept his explanation of the animal's origin. Almost without exception, the people of the Booneville, Tennessee, community regard Luna’s statement as factual.  Other, more colorful, explanations have been printed concerning the horse's early life. One such was printed in the catalogue of the "Second Annual Murray Farm Sale." According to this account,

During the Civil War, Captain Boone of Lincoln County, was serving with General Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry and the famous old sire, BOONE'S GREY JOHN was captured by Federal forces, drifting into Cincinnati, and at the close of the war he was being used as a hearse horse in the city. Captain Boone, after months of search, received the information of his location, and on a visit to Cincinnati, found GREY JOHN working with another grey, and supposed to be the best pair of hearse horses in that section.  A trade was consummated, and Captain Boone returned with his cavalry mount, and the BOONE'S GREY JOHN horse left some of the finest walking horses ever in Tennessee.

Since many grey horses were called GREY JOHN, it is possible for this story to contain elements of truth, but it is highly doubtful if the story concerns the original GREY JOHN.  The horse generally referred to as GREY JOHN in the Booneville community was truly a remarkable animal.  Sometime around 1885, GREY JOHN was put in service near Petersburg, Tennessee, where he was crossed with many fine mares and produced some of his most outstanding offspring.  According to Luna, "Old men around Petersburg say the GREY JOHNS were the best saddle horses and the ones with the most sense of any family of horses that was ever known around here."  GREY JOHN remained at Petersburg for only one year at the barn of Jim Dwiggins, after which he was moved to Shelbyville few months later.

It was while standing at Petersburg that GREY JOHN sired one of his most respected colts, BUFORD L., which later became a Foundation Sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse.  BUFORD L. F-11, in turn, sired BRAMBLETT F-9.  All three of these horses were described as being made  upon the same sturdy patterns, with short backs, broad sloping shoulders,  high withers, slender necks, with slim, bony heads and smart ears.” 

Both BUFORD L. and BRAMBLETT were owned by J. D. Luna.  BUFORD L. was bred by Ruben Logan of Petersburg, from who purchased him as a two-year-old.  This grey stallion was from a mare named BEAUTY HAL by LUNA'S TOM HAL by TOM HAL.  In the pedigree of BUFORD L., GREY JOHN's pedigree is given as being sired by BLUE JOHN by Imported COPPERBOTTOM.  Since GREY JOHN was from a mare already with foal before the army left Booneville, it would be interesting to find out how this royal pedigree was established.

Margaret Lindsley Warden discovered an old advertisement designed to promote BRAMBLETT as a sire.  The name of the person standing the stallion at the time was torn away from the ad, but it is known that the location was in Lincoln County, Tennessee.

The GREY JOHNS were typical utility horses of the early 1900s.  They worked well in harness, pulling either the fancy surrey or the plow.  They were excellent saddle horses, gentle, dependable, and energetic.  Both BUFORD L. and BRAMBLETT were fine show stock.  From the writings of Luna it can be assumed that the nature of horse shows has change little since the day these two horses showed.  Writing in 1945 Luna recalled,  

BUFORD L. was shown in Fayetteville, and BRAMBLETT in Shelbyville.  BUFORD L. was defeated in Fayetteville showing against two Kentucky stallions.  One was old RUSKIN, and the other BLACK DIAMOND.  They were indeed fine individuals, but could not do too much under the saddle.  BUFORD L. was tied third due to his color, and immediately there went up a great howl from those who knew walking horses, many stating "everyone knows you have the best horse in the group.  BUFORD L. could canter around an apple barrel, and do the running walk and flat walk perfectly.   Luna continued,   At the Shelbyville show I refer to, BRAMBLETT was ridden by one of the officials of the fair calling the different classes during  the day, and in the afternoon, I rode him in the Walking Horse Class and defeated many of the great stallions of that time,  including ROAN ALLEN F-38.  Reflecting that intense pride and close association a person can develop for a horse Luna stated,  This may sound somewhat exaggerated, however I state it for fact.  Though most of them are dead, a few are living, and I can always tell and  distinguish the get of BUFORD L. and BRAMBLETT immediately.  They placed a certain trade-mark in their body lines, heads and ears, and especially in the striding, easy running walk.  If I ever saw a GREY JOHN mare or horse that could not walk, I fail to remember it, and most certainly if it were true, it came from the dam's side.

In later years there developed quite a rivalry between the ALLENS and all other families of saddle horses in Middle Tennessee. From the comments made by Luna this rivalry obviously extended to the GREY JOHNS. Speaking of Henry Davis, one of the original admirers of ALLAN F-1, and later one of the driving forces in establishing the Celebration, Luna wrote, 

Henry Davis and another gentleman came from Wartrace to Petersburg one time to buy a GREY JOHN horse and of course I was very anxious to know why, with all the ALLEN blood they had in their community. I remarked that they had a great show horse in the ALLEN family (obviously referring to ROAN ALLEN F-38), but that the blood did not compare with the GREY JOHNS when it came to utility and "getting on a saddle horse and going somewhere."  They stated that the GREY JOHN blood was to cross with the ALLEN, as the disposition of the ALLEN horse at that time was not as good as the GREY JOHNS, and in addition, they believed this cross would be most successful.

Indeed, the cross between the GREY JOHNS and the ALLENS was successful.  Perhaps no bloodline ever transfused into the ALLEN family was more successful.  It takes only a glance at the stud books of the Breeders' Association to note that BOONE'S GREY JOHN, BUFORD L., BRAMBLETT, GREY LAD, and other GREY JOHN bred stallions were of great significance to ALLEN F-I's offspring in bringing the modern Walking Horse into existence.  GREY JOHN blood crossed especially well with that of MERRY BOY.  BYROM'S ALLEN had for his second dam a mare by BRAMBLETT, while ALEX ALLEN, also sired by MERRY BOY, was from a GREY LAD dam.  NELL GLEAVES, a GREY LAD mare, was bred to MERRY BOY twice and foaled ADMIRAL GLEAVES followed by MY RHAPSODY IN BLUE. Both these were among the most outstanding show stock MERRY BOY ever sired, and ADMIRAL GLEAVES proved to be a substantial sire in  his own right.

The blood of the Grey Johns continues to influence the modern Tennessee Walking Horses in a surprising extent.  The modern Grey Johns are much more elegant than their rather coarse- looking ancestors, and are found in the pedigrees of MANY World Grand Champions, especially the most recent winners. Several non-winners of the roses have brought this Grey John blood forward into the blue ribbon pedigrees, including Prides John Grey (Larkspur of Glen Luce to Bramlett F-9); Another Grey John; Prides Gold Coin (Sun's Delight D.); and Lady Fame (Sun's Delight D.)