Andrew Jackson Gregory (21 November 1887 -2 December 1943) was the youngest child and only son of Mary Ewing (Molly) Skinner and Benjamin Simpson Gregory; hence, he was indulged by his parents and spoiled by his six sisters. As the oldest grandson, he was named for his grandfather.

As a young boy, he attended school at Bacon Switch. One of the chores that the son of the family cook professed to hate - but secretly enjoyed - was taking young Andrew to school on horseback. Andrew's parents were somewhat chagrined to learn sometime later that Andrew had played hooky to go hunting with his escort and companion more often than he had attended school.

These early hunting expeditions foreshadowed a lifelong love of the sport. This love of hunting should have come as no surprise to his father, Ben Simpson, since "Simps" not only kept hunting dogs himself, but allowed them to come in and lie on either side of his chair at mealtime, where he fed them from the table.

Although the kinds of sports engaged in has changed, Simpson's love of sports have been handed down through three generations: to his son, his grandson and his two great-grandsons.

Andrew's devotion to hunting continued all of his life until he could no longer walk the fields, ford the streams and wade the soggy bottomlands. Those who hunted birds with him after he became weak and ill said that he would send his dogs in to flush a covey of birds, raise his gun to shoot and his hands would tremble from weakness, but just before he pulled the trigger, they became firm and steady and, almost miraculously, he would hit his target.

Young Andrew not only loved hunting, he also loved music and dancing. He was an accomplished harpist and had a melodious but untrained voice. Several of his sisters were also known for their musical talents and the family members were often asked to play for the dances held in the homes of neighbors.

In 1910, Levetia (Fisher) Gregory Wirtz and Rosa Gregory Wirtz and their families moved to Texas. A year or two later, Andrew, and his cousin, Aubrey Gregory, went to visit them. Before he left Mississippi, however, he met a young school teacher from Houston, Zula Belle Pope, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Sherbert Pope. They were married upon his return. Three children were born to this union: Elliott Donaldson; Earl Jackson; and Mary Christine.

Soon after his marriage, Andrew, took a job as foreman of the road and bridge construction and maintenance crews in Supervisor District III. He served under two supervisors, Lon Judd and Dick Hadley, each of whom filled several terms of office.

When Andrew first began road construction, roadbeds were built by men operating slips drawn by teams of mules. Gravel was hauled in flatbed trucks with wooden beds which were loaded and unloaded by hand. During his years in the business, he saw the advent of the steel-bed dump trucks, road graders pulled by Caterpillar tractors and, finally, the combined tractor/grader which required only one operator. He was farsighted enough to see the need to build bridges wider than the roadbeds - an idea that he fought for unsuccessfully.

In about 1926, Andrew decided to go into road construction on his own as a contractor. His first job was the County Line road between Monroe and Chickasaw. From there, he contracted jobs over much of Mississippi.

In spite of the Wall Street Crash in 1929, Andrew was able to keep his construction work afloat until the fall of 1930. In February 1930, he had three jobs under contract: one he worked out of Maben, one in Greenwood Springs and one in Iuka. In the fall of '29 he had moved his family to Maben because the roads from Maben to Okolona were impassable much of the time in winter.

On February 23, 1930, he left Maben to visit the other construction sites, taking Elliott with him. At Greenwood Springs, a truck driver had become ill and Elliott asked to drive the truck from the gravel pit. As he walked behind the truck to fasten the tail gate, the ledge overhead caved in, burying him.

The death of his oldest son, coupled with his feelings of guilt for the accident, destroyed Andrew's interest in his business and that, together with the national economy, destroyed him financially.

Although the family never attained the same degree of affluence they had enjoyed before 1930, there was always a desire and determination on the part of Andrew and Zula that their two remaining children whould have the best education they could afford for them. And this they did.

Andrew died on 2 December 1943 and Zula, 7 December 1958, both are buried in the 100F Cemetery in Okolona, Mississippi.

Christine Gregory White relates one of her favorite stories about her father and mother and a Sunday afternoon drive:

"Soon after the Model T. Ford came on the market in Chickasaw County, Ford came out with a 'newfangled' invention, then called a foot-feed - later called an accelerator - which could be installed in the floorboard and used to feed gas into the carburetor rather than using the lever on the right side of the steering column.

"One Sunday afternoon Daddy took all of us for a drive in the new car. Not yet feeling secure in his driving skill, he had all of us get out of the car while he turned it around at a fork in the road.

"As we headed home, I climbed into the front seat so I could have an outside seat, since Elliott and Jack had established their claim to those in the back. Consequently, Mama was sitting in the middle of the front seat. As we approached home, Daddy pushed up on the gas lever to slow the car, but nothing happened. He pushed the lever all the way to the top which should have cut off all the gas to the carburetor, but instead of slowing, the car seemed to pick up speed.

"When we reached home, he couldn't turn in, so we whizzed on by (probably at 20 mph). A few miles up the road, Daddy looked down and exploded: 'Damn, Zula, you've got your foot on the foot-feed!' With that, we all unloaded again, Daddy turned the car around, we re-loaded and drove home."

Elliott Donaldson Gregory (25 December 1913 -23 February 1930), oldest son of Andrew Jackson and Zula Belle, was killed in a tragic accident as described by his sister, Christine, earlier.

Earl Jackson (Jack) Gregory, Sr. (14 February 1915), second son of Andrew Jackson and Zula Belle, married Knox Earline McCombs, daughter of John Knox and Troy Earline Milam McCombs, on 21 October 1943. To this union were born: Earl Jackson Jr; and John Andrew.

Jack Senior attended the University of Alabama and played freshman foot-ball. He attended the University of Chattanooga, where he was selected to the Associated Press Little All-American Football Team in 1939. He then played professional football with the Cleveland Rams for two years and one year with the Cincinnati Bengals. During World War II, he worked at the Prairie Ordnance Plant and, post-war, went into farming, continuing to the present. Earline earned a BS from Mississippi State University and an M.Ed. from the University of Mississippi. She teaches at Okolona.

Earl Jackson Gregory, Jr. (3 October 1944, Tupelo, Miss.), oldest son of Jack Senior and Earline, married Elizabeth Gwendolyn Massey (9 May 1948-21 June 1988), daughter of Ellis Clark and Jimmie Lynn Garret Massey, on 10 October 1972. To this union has been born one son: Earl Jackson III, 5 August 1973, (Jackson, Mississippi).

Jack Junior attended the University of Chattanooga from 1962-64, earning Honorable Mention for Little All-American football. He also attended Delta State, excelling in multiple sports including football. He played for the Cleveland Browns for six years and went to the Pro Bowl in 1970. Jack then went to the New York Giants in 1972, making the Pro Bowl in 1973 and 1974. He was in the USO Tour in 1972. Jack Junior has worked for the Easter Seal Association for many years along with his farming interests. Gwen obtained her BS Degree from the University of Mississippi, and the M.Ed. from Louisiana State University.

John Andrew Gregory (16 October 1951, Aberdeen, Miss.), second son of Jack Senior and Earline, played football at the University of Mississippi. He earned his BS Degree from Ole Miss and went on to take the Doctor of Jurisprudence from Mississippi College Law School. He has served as Law Clerk, Mississippi State Supreme Court, and is now Assistant District Attorney, 3rd Judicial District, State of Mississippi. He married Claire Luebke (15 November 1951), daughter of Wesley Carl and Margie E. Bradley Luebke, on 23 May 1976. Claire earned her BA from the University of Mississippi. They now live in Okolona. Their issue: Julie Bradley, 7 February 1980; and John Wesley Gregory, 5 November 1985.

Mary Christine Gregory (4 August 1917) was the youngest child of Andrew Jackson and Zula Belle. Christine graduated from Mississippi State College for Women with a degree in Mathematics. She taught in the high schools of Mississippi and Kansas. She returned to Mississippi State University for a Master's Degree in Mathematics, receiving a scholarship for further study at the University of Florida. Christine spent the last seventeen years of her career as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Mississippi University for Women. She retired in 1982 as Assistant Professor Emeritus.

On 7 June 1940, Christine married Donald Herman White (28 April 1912-11 August 1990), son of William Walter and Annie Virginia Walker White. Herman served in the United States Army during World War II. He established a dry cleaning business in West Point, Mississippi, which he operated until retirement. To their union was born: Donald Gregory; Andrea Ann; and Sylvia Christine.

Donald Gregory White (2 April 1947, Columbus, Miss.), the first child of Christine and Herman, earned a BA in Mathematics from Southwestern (now Rhodes College) in Memphis, Tennessee and an MS in Computer Science from Mississippi State University. Donald served in the United States Army and was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff during his tour of duty. He now works for Lockheed Martin in Manassas, Virginia. On 26 September 1981, he married Mary Kathryn Bosco, daughter of Frank Bosco and Anne Marie Burke. Mary has a BS in Mathematics from Florida State University and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa society. She now works as a software engineer with Lockheed Martin in Manassas, Virginia. To their union was born: Benjamin Gregory (13 May 1988) and Stephen Richard (25 August 1991).

Andrea Anne White (7 January 1953, West Point, Miss.), the second child of Christine and Donald, earned her BS Degree at the University of Mississippi, and her MS and LLB in Business from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is Executive Assistant to Bill Stokley of Stokley-Van Camp Corporation. On 1 September 1979, Andrea married John Arthur Randall II, son of John Arthur and Mary Ann Randall. John graduated from the University of Tennessee, Memphis, with a degree in Pharmacy and practices in Knoxville. To this union was born: Nicole Ann, 10 May 1983.

Sylvia Christine White (13 November 1957, West Point, Miss.), the youngest child of Christine and Donald, earned a BS in English at Mississippi University for Women, an MS in English Education from Mississippi State University, and now teaches school in West Point. On 29 December 1979, she married William Ralph Sugg, Jr., son of William Ralph and Ellen Duke Sugg. William received his BS Degree from Mississippi State University and is now in the insurance business in West Point. Their issue: William Ralph III, 10 January 1981; and Gregory White, 24 November 1983.

Andrew Eusebus Gregory (2 October 1849-12 March 1900) was the second son of Andrew Jackson and Levecia Wilkes Gregory. He married Eron (Dixie) Moore, who, after "Seb" died, married Dunbar Rowland, the author of History of Mississippi which was the textbook used for many years in the public schools of the state. He was also State Historian for many years and, after his death, "Aunt Dixie" took over the job. Clementine Gregory recalls visiting in Aunt Dixie's home in Jackson, Mississippi as a child. The house was in sight of the Capitol building and was very large and elegant. "Clem" recalls how impressed she was with the monogrammed, pure linen sheets - and this was during the Depression. Unfortunately, no record of any Gregory family history has been found in Aunt Dixie's effects.

An account of Eusebus and Dixie is related by Polly Wirtz, granddaughter of Simps Gregory and great-niece of Eusebus.

"Eusebus married Dixie Moore; he called her "Blossom." She was a tiny woman, refined, elegant and a school teacher. She had once been in love with her first cousin, Dunbar Rowland, a childhood sweetheart. Then she met Eusebus, fell in love and they were wed. She was fond of her father-in-law, Andrew Jackson Gregory, and sat in his lap and took on over him. He was a fine man and all of his daughters-in-law knew it. Andrew Jackson objected to her later marriage to her cousin.

"Uncle Eusebus (or Seb) had some serious illness. Since Aunt Dixie's uncle was Dr. Peter Rowland, she called him, but doctors were limited then. Diagnosis was not always known so he gave him a sedative. He very well could have been in much pain, gall bladder, ulcers, etc., or heart pain; so he didn't live long. Aunt Dixie finally went to work in Dunbar Rowland's law office. He had never married. Since she didn't have any children, she decided to marry him. They lived in Jackson the rest of their lives."

Andrew Eusebus Gregory is buried in the Grange Hall Cemetery, west of Okolona, Mississippi, near the graves of his father and mother.