John Gregory Family
From History of Perquimans County by Ellen Goode Rawlings Winslow.
Published 1931.
Rev. John Gregory appears as Rector, of Upper Parish, Nansemond County,
Va, in June 1680. It is thought that he was an ancestor of Maj John
Gregory, and his brother James. From Duke Creek vestry book said county,
the knowledge is gained that Maj John Gregory, James (Gregorie) and his
two sons, John, & Thomas were living in that part of the county, on east
side of Nansemond River, “Upper Parish,” which was added to Suffolk
Parish, and the opinion is advanced that Maj John Gregorie was certainly
the father of James, before mentioned. He sent in his resignation as
vestryman of said Parish, Nov 17, 1757, which was accepted. It is thought
he was at this date old, and feeble, and he certainly died soon after.
Upper Parish records, and loose papers in Perq, show that he was dead in
1760. John Gregorie’s name appears as one of the trustees who by Act of
Assembly, were appointed to select a site, and establish a town called
Suffolk, May 1742. (5 Henning Statutes 199.)
Mary Gregorie (sister of James) whose will was p in Chowan Co, Nov 25,
1761, made bequest to the children of her brother James, and names her
“bro-in-law’s” Rev Daniel Earl, and Josiah Granbery, his wife Christian,
her niece Ann Gregory and nephews: William, James, Thomas, & John Gregory,
children of brother James. This will proves that James Gregory had sisters,
Mary, died unmarried, as before seen, Elizabeth, who m Rev Daniel Earl,
and Christian who m Josiah Granbery. John Gregory lived in Nansemond Co
Va. He was Chairman of the Co Committee of Safety, 1776, and Capt in
Continental line, 15 Va Reg. (See Records Land Office Richmond Va.)
James Gregory b Mar 10, 1752, m Mary Wynns d of Col Benjamin, & Margaret
(Pugh) and moved to Gates Co, N. C. She was b Nov 8, 1775, which made him
23 years her senior. Margaret Pugh was dau of Col Francis Pugh, & wife
Pheribe Savage of Bertie Co, N. C. She m 2d Thomas Barker of Edenton, N. C.
after 1736.
James Gregory was Senator from Gates Co. and in the Gen’l Assembly of N. C.
1780-81. He died 1802, leaving wife Mary, and children: Ann, b Mar 3,
1782, m Dr Charles Worth Harvey Oct 28, 1800, d May 28, 1805, issue one
son James G. Harvey, who died without issue. 2 Margaret, b Jan 1, 1785,
m— Dickerson, m 2d Dr Isaac Pipkin, and had one daughter Eleanor, who m
William Muse. 3 Mary Wynns Gregory, b Mar 17, 1787, m Dr John Burgess
Baker of Gates Co, (s of Lawrence Baker, & Maria Burgess, d of Rev Thomas
Burgess, of Halifax Co, N. C.)
James Gregory, m Patience Godwin, and had 1st William, m Sarah Moore of
Perq Co, N. C. (d of Maj Charles Moore, of the Rev, and wife Sarah Hunter)
2d Thomas, m Mary Benton, July 4, 1767, issue: one son, and two daughters.
3d Ann, m Josiah Granbery (thought to be nephew of Josiah who m Christian
Gregory) issue: son George, and dau’s: Bathsheba, m Jacob Gordon of Gates
Co, N. C. issue: James, George, Joseph, & Jacob Gordon. 4th Elizabeth, m
George A. Harvey. 5 Jenny, 6 Mary Hunter Gordon, m Isaac Hunter of Gates
Co, N. C.
John Gregory of 15 Va Reg died intestate, d. s. p. Heirs: James G. Harvey,
John J. Granbery, George W. Granbery Sr, Mary G. Gordon, Joseph G.
Granbery, Thomas J. Granbery, George W. Granbery Jr, Bathsheba A.
Granbery, Elizabeth E. Granbery, Ann Wood, Elizabeth Smith, Thomas W.
Gregory, Jr., Mary Gregory, Thomas Gregory Jr, John Gregory, Margaret
Pipkin, Mary W. Baker, Josiah T. Granbery, Mary Elizabeth Goodman, Jane A.
Hodges, Margaret Ann Gregory, & Joseph A. Granbery. The brothers of said
John were: James, Thomas, and William.
Other Gregorys in Perquimans, are probably descendants of this same line,
but no data bearing on their family has appeared.
Excursus Earl.
“Parson Earl” as the Rev Daniel Earl, Episcopal minister was familiarly
called by his many parishioners who loved him very much, officiated in the
Churches of Perq as well as Chowan Co. He rode the entire district
baptizing the children, performing marriage ceremonies in all the adjacent
counties, and ministered to those bereaved by death. He lived in Chowan,
where he died before May 31, 1785, will on that date, married first
Elizabeth Gregory, sister of Mary (as above) and second Charity Jones,
sister of Thomas, who he names in his will, Aug 2, 1775, nieces: Elizabeth,
& Ann Earl, “dau’s of Rev Daniel Earl.”
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