Benjamin Simpson Gregory (1847-1913), eldest son of Andrew Jackson and Levecia Wilkes Gregory, married Mary Ewing Skinner, daughter of Young Ewing and Laura Ann Drake Skinner, Alabama natives. Benjamin and Mary had the following issue (all born in Chickasaw County, Mississippi): E'Ola Ophelia; Sally Hostletine; Edna Eufenia; Anna Levitia; an unnamed son (died when eleven days old and probably buried with no marker in the Grange Hall Cemetery); Mary Y.; Rosa Ewing; Maude Eton; and Andrew Jackson.

Polly Wirtz Johnson, granddaughter of Simps and Mary, relates these stories:

During the war, Simps and his group were bathing in the Mississippi River when Yankee soldiers surprised them. Granddad swam the river, but others didn't make it. The disastrous war had left unrest and havoc in the South. Most of the cotton gins had been destroyed by fire. The ex-soldiers drank a lot but Simps was a fine man and drank little. He was admired for his judgment and was frequently asked to serve on jury duty because of his fairness. He never gave advice unless asked for it.

Mary Ewing Skinner Gregory had long, dark, thick hair and oval, hazel eves. She had so much hair, in fact, that women who specialized in cutting switches came yearly to relieve her of the excess. "Mama had a switch as big as my arm and I can say, it was gorgeous," said Polly. After the war, Mary faded a little fast.

Their first home, with all new furniture, was hit by a tornado. They were pinned in the house, but weren't hurt other than Simps stepping on a spike and being skinned by a log scrape. Then the Skinners gave Simps a farm and they hurriedly built another house. This land was later Corley's (now John Stone's). It was Granddad Skinner's home.

Simps was the Overseer of the Okolona Road and could have been Postmaster, but he didn't want it. A Gregory school was supported by Simps and States Rights. They paid most of the salary, leaving only a little bit for the others, and all were welcome. Granddad kept two cooks, a house girl and one to watch the children. They always had a welcome table for friends and neighbors.

Information from Walter Ewing Wirtz: George B., the oldest child, had a white goat that he rode. He had gone to the stable to take care of his goat, jumped down from the railing around the stall and landed on a rusty nail. Blood poisoning set in. The doctor made many horseback trips to the house, put coal oil, etc., on it; but could not save the five-year-old.

When Walter was five, he drove a goat, "Charlie," and wagon to school. Granddad bought the wagon shafts and spring seat but used a whole tanned hide to make the harness. "The goat was the best thing you ever saw until you touched his tail, then he would try to get you although Granddad had cut the tips off his horns."

One day, a man who weighed about 200 pounds asked Walter to drive him around the house in the wagon - so he did.

Malcolm said that, when the family went to Texas, he, Howard and Walter drove the goat to school. Papa was worried because there were two bulls in the pasture. He was afraid for the boys, but the goat always took care of himself by raising on his back feet and letting the bulls have his horns in their sides, which would send them on their way.

The Wirtzes had the farmland that was sold to the J.C. Stones. It now belongs to Ben Gregory. They raised cotton and hay with the help of Negroes managed by a white man. For a bottle of Garrett's Snuff (about two bits), a Negro woman would do all the washing and ironing for the family.

They sold the land and bought land in Texas. They carried everything - -animals, household goods and all - by train. A couple of Negro women wanted to go with them, but Abernathy, Texas did not allow any Negroes in town. They got there in 1910. Walter, now the oldest, was 8; and Louine, the youngest, was three months old. It was snowing when they arrived; the first snow the children had ever seen. They got droughted out in 1917 and sold the three-quarter section cheap to the Smiths (their daughter still has it). They bought sandy land in Brownfield and, again, moved by train. They stayed in a hotel in town until the farm house was completed. There were few cars in the area at that time.

The account of the children of Benjamin Simpson and Mary Ewing Skinner Gregory is separated into the Texas and Mississippi groups for ease of discussion.

The information on the Texas branch of the family is as reported by Leveta Wirtz Thompson of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

E'Ola Ophelia Gregory (1870-May 1920), first child of Benjamin Simpson and Mary Skinner Gregory, is buried in the City Cemetery, Waxahachie, Texas. E'Ola married Andrew Gilliam "Andy" Hobson (3 October 1867-12 October 1959). He was born in Okolona, Mississippi and is also buried in the City Cemetery. Andrew's father, James Francis, and uncle, Richard Thomas, came from Union County and were descendants of Captain Nicholas Hobson of South Carolina. His first cousins were William R. and Richard Gilliam Hobson (father of Leon, a McKinney, Texas resident who recently died). His mother was Josie Cockrell, and her mother's maiden name was Skinner - a real redhead from Ireland. His aunt Ludie married Joe Beath; they lived in Okolona and are probably buried there. E'Ola and Andrew's children: Lalage; Benjamin Francis; Josie Mae; Andrew Feaster; and Robert Beatty.

Lalage Hobson (22 March 1894-26 June 1926), first child of E'Ola and Andrew, was born in Okolona. She married Walter Albert Heine (4 March 1895-20 June 1951). Both are buried in City Cemetery, Waxahachie. Their issue: Leslie Lee, Walter Elmer, Ola Mary and Thomas Horace.

Leslie Lee Heine (21 September 1912, Waxahachie) married Janice Carroll Barkley (12 September 1906, Athens, Texas). They have no issue.

Walter Elmer Heine (14 June 1914-3 May 1985, Waxahachie) is buried in City Cemetery in that city. He married Mildred Gilstrap (14 March 1919, Mansfield, Texas) and divorced years ago. Their issue: Betty Louise; and Sandra Lee.

Betty Louise Heine (14 July 1940, Waxahachie) married Kenneth Roy Reed (30 June 1938, Midlothian, Texas). Their issue: Jason Reed, 17 July 1971 (Dallas).

Sandra Lee Heine (26 February 1943, Waxahachie) married Richard Lynn Essleman (26 October 1946, Ennis, Texas). They are now divorced. Their issue: Terry Lynn, 9 September 1963 (Waxahachie).

Ola Mary Heine (9 March 1917, Waxahachie) visited Uncle Ben Hobson in Paducah and Aunt Jo in Quanah several times as a small child. She married Littleton David Hitt (24 May 1913, Bainbridge, Ga.-30 October 1971). He is buried in Forrest Lawn Memorial Park, Mount Pleasant, Texas. Their issue: Don Heine and Myra Elizabeth.

Don Heine Hitt (25 July 1935, Waxahachie) married Melba Joyce White (17 February 1938, Mount Pleasant, Texas). Their issue: George David, 31 August 1966 (Fort Worth).

Myra Elizabeth Hitt (8 February 1943, Waxahachie) married Darwin Carl Miller (11 January 1943, Hayward, Cal.). Their issue: Holly Elizabeth, 12 February 1969 (Pampa, Texas); and Joe Littleton, 15 September 1975 (Texarkana, Texas).

Thomas Horace Heine (23 October 1919) married Honor Madell Nelson (23 June 1927-16 October 1983). She is buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Wax-ahachie. Their issue: Linda Jill; and Thomas Horace Jr.

Linda Jill Heine (27 January 1950-4 October 1970) is also buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Thomas Horace Heine, Jr. (19 March 1955) married Kandis Renee Gookin (21 March 1959). Their issue: Natalin Jill, 6 May 1983; and Richard Travis, 22 August 1984.

Benjamin Francis (Ben Frank) Hobson (14 March 1896-18 December 1981), second child of E'Ola and Andrew, is buried in Puducah, Texas. At sixteen, he was principal of a school in Plainview, Texas. He was a captain in World War I. He married D'Etta Hortense Prunty in Denton, Texas on 20 july 1921. She is still living. Their issue: Martha Ann, Tom Prunty, and Bennie Frances.

Martha Ann Hobson of Roswell, New Mexico married John T. Childs. Their issue: Ann Childs Faulkenberry of Lubbock, Texas; Joe Frank Childs, M.D., United States Air Force, Travis AFB, California; and D'Etta Lou Childs, a student at Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Tom Prunty Hobson of Denver, Colorado has the following issue: Anna Margaret, a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder; Laura Elizabeth; Benjamin; and Susan; all students.

Bennie Frances Hobson married Horace Jackson (Jack) Randall of the United States Air Force. Their issue: Frank Charles and Thomas David, are students at NMSU; Andrew Michael and Jack Russell are also students.

Josie Mae Hobson (20 December 1898-25 March l981), third child of E'Ola and Andrew, married Kelsey Chesshir (who later married Katy Train). Their issue: Charleen; and Robert Frank.

Charleen Chesshir (25 November 1925) married William M. Moore. Their issue: Stanley M., 30 October 1950; Vicki Jane, 9 February 1952 -10 September 1967; and Steven R.

Steven R. Moore (18 November 1955) married Cheryl Goldsmith.

Robert Frank Chesshir (20 August 1933) married Ruth Kistemacher. Their issue: Kimberly Ann; and Pamela Diana.

Andrew Feaster Hobson, (11 November 1901-19 December 1920) the fourth child of E'Ola and Andrew, died in an automobile accident on 19 December 1920.

Note: Additional information on Robert Beaty Hobson and his family was provided by Mary Hobson Watkins of Mesquite, TX.

Robert Beaty Hobson (9 January 1909-19 August 1973), the youngest child of E'Ola and Andrew, married Vera Mae Dunn on 6 July 1946 in Dallas Tx, Vera Dunn was born 25 April 1919 in Fort Towson Oklahoma to Johnnie Dunn and Annie Bell Jones. Vera died 16 August 1983 at Galveston Tx. Vera and Robert Beaty are buried at Grove Hill Cemetery Dallas Tx. Robert Beaty was a Seargent in the National Guard for nine years before entering the active service during World War II. After the war he continued his life long career as a truck driver. They had one child: Mary Alice Hobson.

Mary Alice Hobson (4 April 1947), the only child of Robert and Vera Hobson, was born in Dallas, Tx. Mary Alice married Ronald Jack Watkins on 18 February 1967 at Dallas Tx. Ronald was born 1 July 1944 in Dallas. Mary Alice is a medical records employee for Methodist Hospital of Dallas. Ronald is employeed by the Dallas County Sheriff Dept. Mary Alice and Ronald had two children: Pamela Renee and Edward Dwayne. Mary Alice and Ronald have lived in Mesquite Tx since 1973.

Pamela Renee Watkins (17 January 1968), the oldest child of Mary and Ronald Watkins, married Todd Edward Tyler on 22 April 1995 at Dallas Tx. Todd was born 24 September 1962 in New Ulm, Minnesota. Todd is an Attorney at Law. Pamela and Todd have one child, born in Houston, TX: Maggie Leigh Tyler (5 October 2000).

Edward Dwayne Watkins (19 May 1973), the second child of Mary and Ronald Watkins, was born in Dallas Tx. Edward married Wendy Ann Herrenbruck on 31 January 1998. Wendy was born 16 February 1974 in Grand Prairie Tx. Edward is employeed as a Drug Manager. They live in Mesquite Tx.

Mary Alice Hobson married -?- Watkins. She is a hospital records employee in Dallas.

Sallie Hostletine Gregory (?-1924), second child of Benjamin Simpson and Mary, was paralyzed in a fall at boarding school. The Wirtzes (George Phillip and his two sons, Edward Walter and Frank John) and their families moved to Texas in 1910 when the doctor said Frank had to go for his tuberculosis. Sallie went, too. Though Sallie was paralyzed on one side, she could cook a meal with one hand, dragging her right foot, and help Anna "Fisher" with her large family. She lived with Rose, then with Fisher for about four years. She was bedfast after a second stroke, and died in Mississippi.

Anna Levitia (Fisher) Gregory (26 December 1874-25 April 1958), fourth child of Benjamin Simpson and Mary, married Edward Walter Wirtz (6 February 1877-3 September 1965) on 23 February 1898 in Okolona. Edward's mother was Pauline Elizabeth West Wirtz of Sandwich, Illinois. His father was George Phillip Wirtz. Grandfather John Wirtz (30 July 1822, Weilburg, Germany-1920) came to America in 1849. Edward's grandmother was Louise Catherine Aeibach (10 October 1832 -17 March 1915). Anna and Edward's issue: George Ben; Walter Ewing; Howard Gregory; Malcolm Frank-, Robert Byron; Mary Louine; and Edna Pauline.

George Ben (George B.) Wirtz (1900-1905), first child of Anna and Edward, died after jumping on a rusty nail while putting his goat into its stall.

Walter Ewing Wirtz (9 August 1903-1988), second child of Anna and Edward, was born in Amboy, Illinois. He was a commercial building contractor in Amarillo, Texas. He married three times, first: Fern Josephine White (22 September 1911, Rama, N.M.-1933, Amarillo, Texas) on 22 March 1930, second: Pauline Hunter (26 April 1902-1964) in 1936, and third: Mary Louise Adkisson (5 December 1916, Amarillo) on 30 January 197l. Walter and Fern's issue: Laveta Fay. Walter and Pauline's issue: Walter Jack.

Laveta Fay Wirtz (13 March 1931, Amarillo, Texas), Walter Ewing and Fern's child, married O.D. Thompson, Jr. (30 September 1925, Amarillo) on 25 November 1950. Their issue: Karen Sue; and Christopher Paul.

Karen Sue Thompson (5 February 1953, Borger, Texas) married Terry Wayne Walker (29 August 1952, Tulsa, Okla.) on 5 June 1976. Their issue: Daniel Wayne, 31 May 1979; and Kris Jonathan, 20 December 1983; both in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Christopher Paul Thompson (1 December 1954, Borger, Texas) married Kelley Freischer (28 January 1962, Findlay, Ohio) on 31 August 1980 in Amarillo. Christopher and Kelley had one daughter, Dusty Noel Thompson born August 17th, 1987. They divorced. Christopher married Tamarah K.F. Thompson in 1994. They have two children: William Paul Thompson (1 June 1995), Elisabeth Christine Thompson (31 January 2001). They reside in Tulsa, Ok. He is a retired Major in the United States Army (armor branch). Tamarah is a practicing D. Pharm. from Drake University.

Walter Jack Wirtz (17 July 1937), Walter Ewing and Pauline's child, married, first: Carole Petters on 24 August 1957 in Amarillo; second, Bertha Mae Ownby (19 January 1934) on 24 March 1984 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Walter Jack and Carole's issue: Walter Erik.

Walter Erik Wirtz (24 March 1965), the son of Walter Jack and Carole Wirtz, was born in Amarillo, Texas. He married Angela Paige Striebeck on 21 July 1988 in Lubbock, TX. Walter and Angela have one child: Connor Grayson (9 December 1997, Austin, TX).

Howard Gregory Wirtz (4 December 1905, Okolona, Miss. - 1958, Grants Pass, Ore.), third child of Anna and Edward, married Eula Crone. Their issue: Anna Louise; Edward Virgil; and Jimmy Dale.

Anna Louise Wirtz (30 August 1926, Brownfield, Texas) married, first: Martin Miller, a Cheyenne, Wyoming rancher. She married, second: John Chastain, a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in World War II. He died in 1985. Anna Louise and Martin Miller's issue: John (Jack), in the U.S. Army, Wyoming; Gregory, a helicopter pilot; Martin Jr.; and Joe, a teacher.

Edward (E.V.) Virgil Wirtz (17 April 1929, Brownfield, Texas) died in 1976 in a hunting accident in Oregon. He left a wife and children.

Jimmy Dale Wirtz (1935, Gallup N.M.) has a laboratory in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and a wife and children.

Malcolm Frank Wirtz (3 September 1907, Okolona, Miss.), fourth child of Anna and Edward, owns a hardware and lumber company in Guymon, Oklahoma. He married Raye Crossland (21 September 1913) on 31 May 1930 in Lovington, New Mexico. Their issue: Alfred Douglas; and Malcolm Joe.

Alfred Douglas Wirtz (11 May 1931, Brownfield, Texas) married Betsy Hicks (6 March 1931, Waco, Texas) on 3 November 1951. Their issue: Kimberly Kay; and Larry Dale, 3 September 1962 (Guymon, Okla.).

Kimberly Kay Wirtz (26 May 1957, Amarillo, Texas) married Mike Bloss on 14 June 1980. Their issue: Natalie Nicole, 13 December 1982.

Malcolm Joe Wirtz (15 February 1934, Brownfield, Texas) married Linda Mock on 26 November 1956 in Amarillo. Their issue: Sharon Lynn (twin); Shannon Ann (twin); and Daniel Colby.

Sharon Lynn Wirtz (18 December 1961, Amarillo, Texas) married Gary Fike on 12 June 1983.

Shannon Ann Wirtz (18 December 1961, Amarillo, Texas) now lives in Friendship, Maine. She married Allan Simmons on 30 August 1980.

Daniel Colby Wirtz (24 May 1965, Amarillo, Texas) is serving as a medic in the United States Army in Germany.

Robert Byron Wirtz (7 September 1909, Okolona, Miss.), fifth child of Anna and Edward, married Lola Husky (22 September 1912, Brownfield, Texas). Their issue: Gladys Fern; Roy Lee; and Harold (Grants Pass, Ore.)

Gladys Fern Wirtz married -?- Shields. They have one son and live in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Roy Lee Wirtz (1936, Roswell, N.M.) married Shirley Little, a bank employee.