GREGORY, William - 1890 Bio (1832-1918)

GREGORY, FOGLEMAN, JENKINS, PATRICK, KAUFMAN, GREESON, KINZER, HADLEY, HOBSON

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 8/8/2007 at 20:36:00

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 242-243

William GREGORY, who resides on section 10, Black Hawk Township, ranks among the representative and prominent farmers and stock-dealers of Jefferson County. His has been a prosperous career and in the discharge of his duties, the performance of his labors, and in his intercourse with his fellow-men, his life has ever been such that the people have accorded him their high regard and warm friendship.

On the 2d of March, 1832, in North Carolina, Mr. GREGORY first opened his eyes to the light of day. His father, Jesse GREGORY, was a native of Virginia and when a young man removed to North Carolina, where he followed his trade of carpentering. He married Miss Barbara FOGLEMAN, who was born in North Carolina, and in 1838 they removed to Morgan County, Ind., where the remainder of their lives were spent. Their family numbered seven sons, who assisted the father in developing and improving his farm during the summer months and aided him in carpenter work during the winter season. Mr. GREGORY was a hard-working man. He had little opportunity for securing an education in his boyhood, but in a great measure he overcame such disadvantages and at his death was in comfortable circumstances. In politics, he was first a Whig and later a Republican. Naught could be said against his character but all esteemed him as an honorable, upright citizen. His death occurred October 3, 1846, and his wife died on the 4th of September of the same year, only about a month previous, and they were laid to rest side by side in the cemetery of Mooresville, Morgan County, Ind.

The seven sons of Jesse and Barbara GREGORY are John, who was born August 13, 1830, and is now a farmer of Jasper County, Iowa; William, of this sketch; Daniel, born September 28, 1836, now deceased; Joel, born December 3, 1838, a resident farmer of Keokuk County, Iowa; Peter, born March 20, 1841, a farmer of Jefferson County, Neb.; Eli, born March 10, 1843, died during the late war, and James, born April 4, 1846, is engaged in farming in Jefferson County, Neb. Three of the sons were faithful soldiers during the late war. Eli, who was a member of an Indiana Regiment was taken prisoner at the battle of the Wilderness and died while in confinement in Salisbury, N. C. Joel, who was a member of the Seventh Iowa Infantry, participated in the capture of Ft. Donelson, his first engagement, and then continued in the service until the close of the war, but his health was permanently impaired; Peter enlisted among the boys in blue of the Twenty-fifth Indiana Regiment and served in the Atlanta campaign and marched with Sherman to the sea.

The first six years of his life our subject spent in his native State, but in 1838 he accompanied his parents to Indiana, where for a few years he attended the common school but at the age of ten years he was bound out to George Greeson, who removed to Keokuk County, Iowa, when our subject was thirteen years old. Mr. GREGORY remained with that employer until he had attained his majority and during that time he became inured to hard labor as his guardian was opening up a new farm. At the age of twenty-one years he was to receive a horse, saddle and bridle, but instead, took $75 in money and with that capital started out in life for himself. He knew how to work, however, and with strong arms and a ready will he began the battle which all must fight in order to gain a place of honor and prominence in the world.

For a time he worked as a farm hand at $10 and $11 per month, and from that meagre sum saved $100 per year. On the 15th of February, 1857, he formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Mary E. JENKINS, a native of North Carolina, born in March, 1839. He then rented a farm which he operated for eight years when he made purchase of an eighty-acre tract, eighteen acres of which had been broken though none was under cultivation. About the same time he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died December 30, 1864, leaving two children -- Mandy J., who was born March 19, 1860, and is now the wife of Joseph PATRICK, and Sarah E., who was born January 8, 1862, and married Joseph KAUFMAN. On the 8th of October, 1865, Mr. GREGORY was united in marriage with Mrs. Massie GREESON, a daughter of Henry and Charity KINZER. Her father was a native of Virginia, her mother of Indiana, and their marriage, was celebrated in the latter State. They removed to Iowa in 1847, locating in Keokuk County, where Mrs. KINZER died the following year, but her husband is still living in that community. Their family numbered eight children: Benjamin, John and Susan are deceased; Hezekiah is living in Colorado; Massie, now Mrs. GREGORY, is the next younger; Adam resides in Hardin County, Iowa; Jacob is now deceased; William, who completes the family, is living on the old homestead.

To Mr. and Mrs. GREGORY have been born three daughter (sic): Addie May, who is now the wife of Milton HADLEY, a farmer of Keokuk County, Iowa; Vena Eldora, wife of Oscar HOBSON, of Nebraska; and Mary Emma, at home. Mr. GREGORY has given his children good educational advantages. Not having like opportunities he resolved that they should not feel its loss and in consequence they were thus ably fitted for the practical duties of life.

As before stated, Mr. GREGORY's first purchase consisted of eighty acres of land, but since coming to this county his career has been one of almost unbroken prosperity, and at one time he was the owner of five hundred and ninety acres of valuable land, but to each of his daughters he has given eighty acres, reducing his own farm to two hundred and seventy acres. This entire amount is under a high state of cultivation, good barns and other outbuildings have been erected and the home of Mr. and Mrs. GREGORY is one of the finest in the township. He makes a specialty of stock-raising and can utilize almost his entire grain crop in feeding his cattle. Mr. GREGORY may truly be called a self-made man. Sagacious and far-sighted, fair and honest in all his dealings, his business interests have prospered and his life has been a successful one. In his political affiliations he is a stalwart Republican, having cast his ballot for the support of that party since attaining his majority. He has ever avoided office-holding, but has the ability to fill any local position could he be induced to accept office. He is well informed on all subjects of general interest and able to express his ideas forcibly and well. His generous nature prompts him to deeds of charity and benevolence, and by the poor and needy he is regarded as a benefactor. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church and live in harmony with their professions. The life record of Mr. GREGORY can be summed up in the one word -- victory.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.