Jeremiah (ca. 1760-ca. 1833), the last of Isaac Gregory's sons, was one of the more interesting. He was probably born in Virginia (the Lunenburg/Pittsylvania area) and was very small when he traveled to South Carolina with his family.

It is estimated that he married for the first time just after the Revolutionary War, as four of his six sons were born by the time the 1790 census was recorded. His first wife was Lettice Young, as evidenced by a Dower Renunciation (Deed Book 1, p. 169, Union County, executed 29 March 1800, recorded 18 April 1812) regarding the transfer of eighty acres to Thomas McDaniel.

All of Jeremiah's children were born of his first marriage. They were: Lettice; Thomas B.; Isaac; John; Jeremiah Jr.; and George Young.

Ann H. (Nancy) Macon Brummitt (?-19 April 1856) was Jeremiah's second wife. According to her estate packet (Apartment 103, Package 23, Chester County. Nancy's son, Francis K. Brummitt, administrator), they were married in September 1809. They had no known issue.

Nancy was the daughter of Hartwell Macon. A Deed of Gift signed by Macon (Union County Book N, p. 56) grants to Jeremiah Gregory and wife, Ann H. Gregory "... for good will and affection to my loving daughter, wife of Jeremiah Gregory (formerly married to Spencer Brummett (sic), one Negro woman slave, Ailey, and her three children now in possession of Matthew Anderson - which said Negroes I have never thought proper to give my daughter on account of Spencer Brummett being insolvent, but now do freely give unto my daughter Ann H. Gregory and Jeremiah Gregory."

Jeremiah also achieved guardianship of Ann's daughters, Mary and Lucy S. Brummitt (sic) in a Union County Equity Court action on 28 June 1813.

Jeremiah's earliest recorded activity was his service as a horseman in Captain Hughes Company, from 7 May 1779 to 25 June 1781, as a South Carolina Patriot in the Revolutionary War (Stub Entries to Indents, Book 10, #2350; and Accounts Audited #3097).

He was one of the most civic-minded of Isaac's sons; being regarded as an intelligent, clever and trustworthy person. A few of his involvements included:

His appointment as surveyor/overseer of the highway from Jolly Creek to Otterson's Ford on the Tyger River (28 May 1785).

His commission to lay out a road from Gregory's Creek to Union Courthouse, with further instructions to work with John Savage in keeping said road in good repair (31 December 1786).

Standing bond for William Rountree, tavernkeeper.

Jeremiah provided for his children prior to his death via Deeds of Gift. It is through these deeds that we gain proof of their names, as well as other pertinent information. Abstracts of this series of deeds, all signed 28 November 1828 and recorded 17 December of that year, follow:

Book T, p. 107:
• Jeremiah to Jehu and Lettie. Three Negroes, Dinah, Adam and Billy; 200 acres; stock of cattle, sheep and hogs; household and kitchen furniture; and farm equipment.

  Book T, p. 108:

• Jeremiah to "lawful heirs of my son, George Gregory, deceased ... one Negro woman named Nelly and her child named Mariah . . ."

  Book T, p. 108:

• Jeremiah to John. Boy, Jesse, girl, Sarah, and 65 acres adjoining Isaac Gregory's land.

  Book T, p. 110:

• Jeremiah to son, Jeremiah Jr. One Negro man named David.

  Book T, p. 110:

• Jeremiah to son, Isaac. Two Negroes, Phillis and Floral, and 65 acres.

An agreement (Book T p. 345, executed 20 November 1828) refers to the above dower, Jeremiah's gift to Jehu and Lettie (Book T, p. 107), and a $1,000 bond posted by Jehu. Within the agreement, Jehu "... binds himself to Jeremiah Gregory, Sr., to take him as one of the family, to clothe him decently, keep him comfortably, in sickness and health, during the said Jeremiah's life."

Jeremiah (who was by this time, approximately 77 years old) appears on the 1830 census with Jehu's family. There is no woman of Nancy's age listed in the household. She does not appear on the census in 1830 as an independent householder. It is suspected that she went to live with her son, Francis. She died in Chester County, South Carolina.

The date of Jeremiah's death is not definitely known. A deed and another dower renunciation lead one to believe that his death occurred in January or early February 1833. The deed documents the sale of 99 acres (near Green Pond Branch on Jehu's land, adjoining DeGraffenreid) to John Porter (Book T, p. 304). The dower, which "renounces all interest in estate and dower right for 99 acres sold by Jeremiah Gregory to said Porter," is signed by Nancy.

Letters of administration on Jeremiah's estate were granted in March 1833.

JOHN GREGORY and JEREMIAH GREGORY, JR., sons of Jeremiah, have little information available about them.

John is thought to have married Elizabeth Tate, daughter of James Tate (Union County Will Book B, p. 311).

John received two slaves and 65 acres from his father in 1828. Jeremiah Jr. received one slave at the same time.

John was present for the distribution of his father's estate on 18 October 1833; Jeremiah was not. This leads one to believe he had left the area or died without issue.

An exact transcript of this record (which was on a 2" x 4" paper fragment tucked into Jeremiah's estate packet) follows: After all accounts were settled, $35.10¾ remained to be divided.

Isaac Gregory
Thomas B. Gregory
John Gregory
Jehu Gregory
Mrs. Ann H. Gregory

widow all agreed
October 18th 1833

ISAAC (BRUSHY CREEK) GREGORY (ca. 1779-4 May 1851), second child of Jeremiah and Lettice, married Elizabeth Hawkins (?-1851), daughter of Isaac Hawkins. He and Elizabeth were the parents of at least four daughters and two sons: Martha; Lettice; George; Eliza Ann; Benjamin; and Phebe.

Much of the information regarding this family was recorded in a book published in 1937 in Daviess County, Indiana. The book, Historical Sketch of the Gregory, Johnson, Vance and Steen Families-also of the Arthur Family, subtitled A History of the Centenniel (sic) Group, was the product of the Centennial Anniversary of the arrival in Indiana of these notable families. Little is said about their history in South Carolina.

Ostensibly, Isaac, Elizabeth and four of the six children (Martha and Benjamin remained in South Carolina) moved to Indiana, ca. 1837, to escape the cruelties of slavery. The book relates that he, like many other Southerners, found slavery abhorrent. Isaac must have thought better of his philosophy however, because, when he came back to South Carolina, he did own slaves again. In fact, there is no evidence of his having ever freed any of the slaves he owned before he left the area originally.

It is suspected that Isaac and Elizabeth came back to their home state, ca. 1848 (Union County Deed Book U14, p. 486), due to the death of their son, Benjamin. His death in 1847 left his children by his first wife orphaned, and his one child by his second wife underage and without a father. Two of Beniamin's daughters were living with Isaac in 1850.

Isaac died intestate. Two documents within his estate packet (Box 35, Package 31) indicate there was some friction in the settlement of his affairs. Transcripts of both documents follow. Note that, in the first document, it is stated that Isaac owned ten to twelve slaves.

A second pecularity is found in a deed recorded in Book V15, p. 309, Union County. This deed, executed 29 March 1851, transfers 100 acres to Eliza Ann Johnson. The deed is signed by Isaac and Elizabeth Gregory. Elizabeth, however, does not appear on the 1850 census with Isaac and she is not listed as an heir. Is it possible that she remained in Indiana past 1850, came back to Union County, and died between 29 March 1851 (the deed date) and 4 May 1851 (Isaac's death date)?

State of South Carolina
Union District

In the Court of Ordinary for Union District

To B. Johnson, Esquire, Ordinary for Union District and State Of South Carolina.

The humble petition of the undersigned, William S. Savage, respectfully sheweth that Isaac Gregory, Sr., late of the District and State aforesaid, departed this life intestate about the fourth day of May A.D. 1851, siezed and possessed in his own right of considerable personal estate amounting in value, as your petitioner believes, to about ten thousand dollars. That the said intestate left at his death the following children and heirs at law, to wit: Martha Savage, wife of your petitioner; George Gregory, residing in Indiana; Letty Vance, wife of Campbell Vance, also residing in the state of Indiana; Eliza Ann Johnson, wife of Stephen Johnson, residing in Indiana, but temporarily in the District and State first above stated. Robert Gregory; Elizabeth McJunkin, Wife of John C. McJunkin, William Gregory, Jane Gregory and Polly Gregory, children of Benjamin Gregory, deceased. Isaac, Martha, Benjamin, Wates, Sarah and Letty Steen, residing in the state of Indiana, children Of Phebe Steen formerly Phebe Gregory. That the estate of the said Isaac Gregory, deceased, remains unadministered upon and your petitioner is informed that the said Stephen Johnson, in right of his wife, has filed his petition in the court praying that letters of administration may be granted to him. Your petitioner, as desired and instructed by the other heirs at law of the said deceased, to enter his protest against the appointment of the said Stephen Johnson administrator of the said estate. Therefore, your petitioner, in right of his wife, the said Martha Savage and in right of and at the request of the other heirs at law residing in Union District and State of South Carolina, enters his solemn protest against the appointment of the said Stephen Johnson to the administership of the said estate and prays that a citation may issue from this Court giving the usual notice in such cases admonishing all kindred and creditors of said deceased to appear in this court one day certain therein to show cause, if any they can, why letters of administration on all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the said Isaac Gregory, deceased, should not issue to your peti-tioner. And your petitioner will pray it.

Signed: William S. Savage

Note: No filing date is shown.

A confession found in Deed Book M, p. 131, and signed by Jesse Horton, also makes for interesting reading:

"I do hereby freely and voluntarily acknowledge that the advertisement published by me in the S.C. State Gazette and Columbia Advertiser bearing date lst instant, offering a reward of $50 for the apprehension of the thief or thieves who (should/would) have stolen $110 from me in bills on the S.C. Bank near Spring Hill is entirely groundless as to Isaac Gregory, John Hawkins, Benjamin Hawkins, Ephriam Porter, Norton Chester and Robert Beatty, the person or parties accused in the above - named advertisement, as I have no right to believe they or any of them are the thief or thieves.

Given under my hand this 18th day of December 1813, in the presence of J. McKibbon, James Gage and John Gage, Sr. Recorded 7 March 1814.

A final tidbit from Isaac's estate packet is a schedule of "advancement by Isaac Gregory, deceased, to his children made in his lifetime."

To Lettice Vance..........................$1261.90
To Stephen Johnson and wife............... 1174.50
To Phebe Steen............................ 1170.40
To Benjamin Gregory....................... 1109.40
To William S. Savage and wife.............. 880.00
To George Gregory.......................... 862.00

Martha (Patsy) Gregory (3 August 1801 -26 December 1855) married William S. Savage (11 November 1784-30 April 1854), son of John and Sarah Savage. The two remained in Union County. William left a will in which he stated that he wished to be buried two or three hundred yards south of his dwelling house in a spot that he had pointed out to his wife (the location of the Savage Cemetery); he provided for his wife, Martha, and named the following children: John, Benjamin W., Abram, Sarah W., Caroline, Eliza A., and Elizabeth R.

Details of this will are in an account in the Union County Heritage, Union County, South Carolina, as stated by James E. Duckett.

Abram Savage died 21 March 1871, intestate and unmarried.

Elizabeth R. Savage married Thompson Turner.

John Savage married Martha Savage, the daughter of another John and Sarah Mitchell Savage, and moved to Limestone County, Texas.

Benjamin W. Savage married Jane Wishart and had no children.

Eliza Ann Savage (26 May 1830-6 March 1916) married James Harrison Koon (?-27 September 1901) of Union County (dates are from the Koon family Bible). They had eight children.

Sara W. Gregory (9 December 1869-3 March 1960), daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah (Jolly) Gregory married Martin William Koon (5 March 1866 -12 January 1926) on 31 December 1891. They had five children.

DRUSIE KOON (27 June 1904) married Joseph Munroe Wilson (25 December 1903-19 June 1959) on 11 September 1926. They had five children.

Dora Lucille Wilson (12 June 1929) married Olin Duckett on 4 June 1944. They have a son: James Edward Duckett.

George Gregory (ca. 1802-May 1862), the second of Isaac and Elizabeth's children, married Elizabeth -?- (ca. 1810, South Carolina -25 March 1872). He was born in Union, South Carolina, and died in Daviess County, Indiana. Information on the family is scant.

Mrs. Phyllis Y. Miller of Huber Heights, Ohio, supplied information about the families who migrated to Indiana.

George and Elizabeth had nine children. A military pension request filed by his son, Jonathan, in November 1915, reveals that all of his brothers and sisters were deceased by that time. The children were: Elizabeth, ca. 1833; Levi, ca. 1834; Benjamin, ca. 1836; Letticia, ca. 1838; John, ca. 1840; Jonathan, 5 April 1843; Eliza, ca. 1844; Adaline, ca. 1845; and Robert, post 1850.

Benjamin Gregory (ca. 1816), son of George and Elizabeth, had two daughters: Rebecca and Eliza I.

Letticia Gregory (ca. 1838), daughter of George and Elizabeth, married Green McCafferty.

Jonathan Gregory (5 April 1843-13 March 1924), son of George and Elizabeth, served in the 27th Indiana Infantry, Volunteer Company E, Union Army, as a Private. A description from his military record tells us he was 5'8", fair-haired and had grey eyes. He suffered a 50% disability from his service in the War Between the States. He was a farmer.

He married: first, Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Gregory on 7 December 1867, and migrated to Campbell, Dunklin County, Missouri, in 1883; married, second: Hester Duckett; and third: Eveline Frazee. He died in Campbell. Jonathan and Betsy were the parents of eight children: Lucia; Alfred; Commadore; Nelson; Mary Elizabeth; Lee Ann; and two children who died un-named.

LUCIA (LUCY) GREGORY (ca. 1868), first child of Jonathan and Betsy, married William Lyons and they had five children.

ALFRED GREGORY (19 August 1874-11 February 1902), second child of Jonathan and Betsy, married Jennie Bell Runnels (24 February 1877 -12 August 1947), the daughter of George Washington and Mary Catherine McNew Runnels, on 4 March 1894. Their children: Stella Mae; Albert; Vera Viola; and Lewis Alfred. After Alfred died, Jennie married John Louis Minton.

Stella Mae Gregory (23 January 1895-20 October 1966), first child of Alfred and Jennie Bell, married Benjamin Luther Lee on 10 October 1910. Stella died in St. Louis. They were the parents of two daughters: Jennie Lee; and Alpha Jo.

Albert Gregory, second child of Alfred and Jennie Bell, died within a few days after his birth.

Vera Viola Gregory (13 August 1899-?), third child of Alfred and Jennie Bell, married Virgil Marion Miller (10 February 1895-12 May 1971) on 29 April 1917 in Campbell, Missouri. Virgil died in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. They were the parents of two sons: Max; and Hal V.

Max Miller was born and died in 1930.

Hal V. Miller (26 October 1933) married Phyllis Virginia Brown (10 April 1934, Raymore, Cass County, Mo.) on 30 January l955.

Lewis Alfred Gregory (7 April 1902), youngest child of Alfred and Jennie Bell, married Gladys Alma Masterson on 4 February 1928 in Piggot, Clay County, Arkansas. Their seven children: Sharon; Donald; Winifred; Lucretia; Marilyn; Phyllis; and Linda.

COMMADORE GREGORY (?-22 December 1934), third child of Jonathan and Betsy, rests in Four Mile Cemetery, Dunklin, Missouri. He married Minerva Boner. They were the parents of two children: an infant son, born and died on 10 July 1905; and Thelma.

NELSON GREGORY (21 May 1880 - 28 January 1921), fourth child of Jonathan and Betsy, is buried in Four Mile Cemetery. His marital status is not known.

MARY ELIZABETH (MOLLY) GREGORY (1 March 1885-6 July 1956), the fifth child, married Hilliard Andrew Elder on 8 October 1903 in Campbell, Missouri. Molly died in Modesto, California. They had one daughter: Edna.

Edna Elder (1904-1975) married -?- Schnee.

LEE ANN (LEANNE) GREGORY, the youngest of Jonathan and Betsy's children, married, first: William Black; and, second: Lige Snider. She had no children.

Eliza Gregory (ca. 1844), seventh child of George and Elizabeth, married John M. Algier on 4 July 1861 in Daviess County, Indiana.

Adaline Gregory, eighth child of this couple, married Henry White on 24 September 1865 in Daviess County.

Lettice (Letitia/Lettie) Gregory (ca. 1810-?), daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth, was born in Union County. She married Campbell Vance, ca. 1827, in Union and moved with him to Daviess County. Their known issue: Isaac; George Campbell; John; Harriet; Martha; Elizabeth; and Sarah.

Isaac Vance (28 November 1828-?) married Priscilla Jane Horrell.

George Campbell Vance married Lydia Ann Palmer.

John Vance married Sarah Smith.

Harriet Vance married Amory M. Ragsdale.

Martha Vance married John Cosby.

Elizabeth Vance married Jesse Horrall (Horrell).

Sara Vance, no dates or husband known.

Eliza Ann Gregory (?-8 March 1857), third child of Isaac and Elizabeth, married Stephen Johnson and moved to Daviess County. They returned to their native state, where Eliza died. Their known children: Mary; Carrie; and Isaac (although six are mentioned, see following).

The following excerpt is from the diary of the Rev. James Saye: "Died at the residence of her husband, Stephen Johnson, Esq., in Union District, S.C., March 8, 1857, Mrs. Eliza Johnson, aged about 47 years. Mrs. Johnson was the daughter of Isaac Gregory and his wife, Elizabeth, whose maiden name was Hawkins. She was a quiet, orderly, industrious woman, but was subject for many years to spells of insanity, which rendered her a terror to some of her friends. Her husband and six children survive her."

Mary Johnson married Oliver Rogers.

Carrie Johnson married -?- Schattick.

Isaac Johnson returned to South Carolina.

Phebe Gregory, fifth child of Isaac and Elizabeth, and one of the Indiana emigres, married John Campbell Steen. Her birthdate is unknown, but she predeceased her father (Isaac died 4 May 1851), so we know she died between 1837 (the migration year) and that date. John and Phebe's children: George C., died in infancy; Isaac Jefferson; Martha Jane; Benjamin Waties; Sarah Elizabeth; and Richard G., who died in infancy.

Martha Jane Steen married Richard M. Clark.

Benjamin Waties Steen married Martha Rozilla Colbert.

Sarah Elizabeth Steen married James R. Arthur.

Benjamin F. Gregory (?-4 March 1847), was the last known child of Isaac and Elizabeth. He was probably born before 1810. He was in the 20-30 age bracket in the 1830 census, and the 30-40 bracket in 1840. As he died in 1847, we cannot calculate from the 1850 census. A tombstone has not been located. He possibly rests with his first wife, Lucyan, in the Steen Family Cemetery.

A Deed of Gift, executed 8 January 1838 and recorded 20 March of that year (Union County Deed Book Y, p. 370) from Isaac to son Benjamine (sic) Gregory, bestows upon that son 179 acres adjoining Mary Cotten (Cotter), Gideon Steen, Messer Fuller and Jehu Gregory.

Benjamin married first: Lucyan. She must have died about 1835-36, because their youngest daughter, Jane, is listed in the 1850 census with her grandfather, Isaac, and her twelve year old half-sister, Mary.

More than likely, Lucyan was a Steen and niece of Lucy Ann (Louisa Ann) Townsend, who died in 1841. Gideon Steen was administrator of Mrs. Townsend's estate, which indicates she died without issue. Her heirs, with Benjamin shown as guardian in right, where his and Lucyan's five children: Robert; Elizabeth; William; Jane; and Mary C. Gregory.

Benjamin married, second: Mary S. Crawford Van Lew in 1838. A prenuptial agreement between the two appears in Deed Book Y, p. 357. A later trust deed for infant daughter, Mary E.J. Gregory, executed 28 June 1839, indicates that baby Mary was three months old. Within this document, Benjamin lists Joseph H. Crawford as the baby's grandfather. A mulatto girl, Julia, is to be held in trust for Mary E.J. Mary S. Crawford Van Lew Gregory died in 1861 at about 66 years of age.

Much information regarding this family can be gleaned from Robert Gregory's petition to be granted Letters of Administration for Benjamin's estate (8 January 1848). A transcript follows.

To John J. Pratt Ordinary of Union District

The humble petitioner, Robert Gregory, whould shew unto your Court that his father, Benjamin Gregory, late of the District and State aforesaid, departed this life intestate on or about the fourth day of March 1847, leaving a widow, Mary S. Gregory, with who there was a prenuptual contract barring her from any portion of his estate, and the following named children from a former marriage, him surviving, to wit: your petitioner; and Elizabeth, who has inter-married with John C. McJunkin; William Gregory; Jane Gregory; and Mary C. Gregory; his sole heirs him surviving.

Your petitioner would further show unto your Court that the said intestate at the time of his death was possessed of a small personal estate of a value not exceeding $600 that no administration has been granted therein. He therefore prays your Court to grant unto him Letters of Administration on the said estate upon the usual terms and conditions as in duty bound he will ever pray and so forth.

Signed: Robert Gregory

Filed 8 January 1848