JAMES THOMAS GREGORY

(From the History of Callaway County Missouri, 1884, page 919.)
Transcribed by Kris Breid, 11 March 2005

JAMES THOMAS GREGORY, son of William and Nancy (Robinson) Gregory, early settlers of this county form Virginia, was born on the farm where he now resides on the 29th of August, 1839. His father was a native of Buckingham county, and his mother of Campbell county, both in Virginia. His father died on the farm in this county July 20, 1859, but the mother is still living at the advanced age of eighty-five, and in comparatively good health considering her age. They came here in 1835, and located on what is now James T.’s farm. The father first bought 160 acres of land, but at the time of his death had increased his possessions until he had 560 acres. He ran a horse mill for many years. He was regarded by all who knew him as an upright, honest man.

After his father’s death, James T. became the main stay of the family. Indeed, before the demise of his father and from the age of twelve years he had the burden of pretty much everything on his shoulders, the elder brothers having previously died. His father therefore willed him the farm, and he has since lived on it. His father was a large tobacco grower, growing sometimes as much as 20,000 pounds in a single year, and he owned twenty-five or thirty negroes, but these, of course, were all set free by Uncle Abe, who didn’t own a negro in the world to set free.

On the 28th of February, 1865, James T. was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of Stokes McCall. She was born in this county near Portland, in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have four children: Levina, Sallie, Marvin and Early. Mr. Gregory is devoting his attention principally to stock raising, and has excellent success. He is one of the stirring farmers of the [Nine Mile Prairie] township and is well esteemed by all his neighbors and acquaintances. Between 1868 and 1878, Mr. Gregory owned and ran a saw mill with good success. He and his wife are members of the Bethel M. E. Church. Mr. G.’s parents had a family of eight children: Jno. D., now of Mexico; Wilson died at the age of twenty-four, in 1841; Martha died aged nineteen, in1839; Richil F., in Montgomery county; Wm. R. died in 1851, aged twenty-one; Mary, wife of Jno. Bailey; Sarah, wife of W. S. McCall, and James F.

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