William Harrison Gregory (3 August 1858 -10 July 1929), third son of Andrew Jackson and Levicia Gregory, apparently was born in Redland (Shiloh Church area) and moved to Okolona when only a small boy. Not much is known of his early years. He first married Viney Randle, who bore him three daughters, Mable, Lula and Sidney Mae. There are no offspring from any of the three, although all married. Viney Randle divorced William Harrison and is lost to family accounting.

William Harrison second married Ada Knowles (14 June 1869, Columbia, Tenn.), daughter of Delia Beal and James Baxter Knowles, on 3 April 1889. Her maternal grandparents were Nancy Foshbee and Andrew Jackson Beal of North Carolina. Her paternal grandparents were Eliza Bateman and Allan Jefferson Knowles of Tennessee (from account by Hortense Gregory Smith, daughter, in a published book of Ada Knowles Gregory poems in 1953). Ada and William Harrison had four sons and three daughters: Eugene Harrison; William Aubrey; Delia Hortense; James Murrey; Walter States; Ida Miriam; and Lillian Vaughn.

Stories about William Harrison: He loved watermelon, always insisting on having a half because he liked to make juice and drink from the half. Grand-mother Ada jumped a ditch with the Durant touring car with Harrison sitting in the back seat, supporting a large basket of eggs in each hand: "Egad, Ada! Did you break my eggs?" Harrison loved to have people visit and have parties, ice cream suppers, etc. He loved trees and would not allow any good trees to be cut. After his death, Aubrey and Andrew Gregory butchered a twenty acre stand of beautiful hickory to sell the choice parts for axe handles. Harrison loved a "toddy" for social drinking but was not an alcoholic. He apparently had a touch of gout and cataracts. He died in his bed in 1929 of natural causes.

Mable Gregory married Felix Mahon of Holly Springs, Miss. and lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She died 13 April 1948 and is buried in Fayetteville.

Lula Gregory married -?- and lived in California; information as to husband, place and date of death, etc., are not known.

Sidney Mae Gregory (1884-1968) married J.C. "Mac" McLaren and lived in Pasadena, California in her later years. She visited Okolona on several occasions and wrote frequently.

Eugene Harrison (Gene) Gregory (14 June 1890 -7 March 1952), the oldest child of William Harrison and Ada Knowles Gregory, grew up in Okolona and obtained an eighth grade formal education. He married Elma Gilbert (2 January 1896-10 December 1977). Elma's mother, H. Roberta (Skinnie) Lee Gilbert lived with them many years until her death in 1931. Gene and Elma are buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Their children: Eugene Harrison Jr.; and Dorothy Ada.

His young adult life was reasonably uneventful except for the episode of the Negro trying to amputate his head with a straight razor during an argument over money owed to Gene. Gene carried a "gentleman's" pistol (a 32 caliber revolver) that he emptied into the Black's chest without stopping the attack. His brother, Aubrey, using a "38 Special" revolver, brought the affair to a close and saved Gene's life. Aubrey told of the episode, including a post-suturing infection and complications. This was long years before the discovery of antibiotics, making Gene's recovery prolonged.

Not long after this, Gene went to Memphis, Tennessee to seek his fortune. He eventually went to work with the Standard Oil Company, rising to an executive position before his early retirement for medical reasons.

Gene had a mannerism that was both amusing and frustrating. He always spoke slowly and deliberately. When in casual, normal conversation or when asked a question, he would pause a few moments to consider his answer before giving a reply. Gene was a man of humor and strong convictions, as evidenced by some family tales.

His daughter, Dorothy, has written that Gene was very Victorian, and that he and her mother, Elma, were frequently at odds over Elma's "modern" ways. Elma was an original "libber." She was one of the first women in Memphis to "bob" her hair and went into the business world "before her time" or before it became a popular thing to do. She was always the first to adopt a new fashion. Dorothy well remembers the furor caused when her mother allowed her to wear shorts, but never to the dinner table. Dorothy remembers Gene as a very strict disciplinarian, but he did broaden his outlook in later life.

In the last year or so before his death, Gene and Elma went out to the Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Memphis to pick out a burial lot. The salesman was attempting to sell Gene a high priced lot up close to the front entrance overlooking a large fountain and lake, and was raving on about the beauty of the site and the view. Gene, after an appropriate pause for consideration, said, "When you're brought out here, you're not interested in the view." The lot he selected was on a hill in the most private section of the cemetery. This was in total keeping with his life, every home he owned was on a hill and he valued privacy.

Gene died of natural causes in Memphis in 1952. He was a kind and gentle man, a product of his origin and age, with a definite set of values and opinions and loved by all who knew him. Elma survived until 1977, spending her last years taking care of Eugene junior.

Eugene Harrison Gregory, Jr. (7 March 1918-21 June 1987), only son of Eugene Harrison and Elma Gilbert Gregory, attended school in Memphis and played football at the University of Alabama. He served in the United States Army Air Corps in the Pacific in World War II. Afterwards, he returned to Memphis and was employed by Standard Oil Company. He lived with his mother until her death in 1977. He married and divorced, first: Ruth Latimer; and secondly, Doris -?-, of Memphis. He is buried in the National Cemetery, Memphis, Tenn. Eugene Harrison, Jr. and Ruth's issue: Eugene Harrison III; and William Latimer. Eugene and Doris's issue: Lawrence Eugene, 20 January 1958.

Eugene Harrison Gregory III (6 October 1943) lives in Fremont, California. He married Marilyn Kay Bennett on 26 June 1971.

William Latimer Gregory (20 November 1947) lives in Martin, Tennessee where he owns a restaurant. He married Donna Marie Johnson on 31 March 1968. They have three sons: William Shad, 27 September 1971; Eric Van, 27 December 1972; and Joshua Zack, 10 March 1977.

Dorothy Ada Gregory (26 May 1919), only daughter of Eugene H. and Elma Gilbert Gregory, married Frederick (Freddie) E. Wachter, M.D. on 14 February 1942. He was a medical student at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in Memphis, graduating 14 June 1943. He served in the United States Navy as an M.D. attached to the Second Marine Division, 1943-1945. He later spent five years in Temple, Texas in surgery training before settling in Painesville, Ohio in January, 1957. He practiced medicine and surgery until his unexpected demise on 17 November 1985. Dorothy had operated a bridal shop from 1970 to 1979 in Mentor, Ohio. Dorothy Ada lost her husband, Frederick Edward Wachter M.D. on 17 November 17 1985. In 1996 she moved from Ohio to Frisco, TX. She spends a large portion of each year traveling the country in her Winnebago motor home. Their issue: Frederick E. Jr.; Judith Karen; Michael Gregory; and Patricia Lyn.

Frederick E. (Rick) Wachter, Jr. (13 October 1944) married Eileen Jessie Goodrich on 30 July 1983. Frederick and his wife Eileen moved to North Carolina in 1986 and now reside in Fletcher. Both work in Brevard, NC as systems consultants to Agfa Corp. They have no children.

Judith Karen Wachter (14 February 1947) married Jeffrey Alston Porter on 2 August 1969 and divorced in 1977. Judy worked as a computer engineer in Dallas, Texas. She now resides in Sterling, VA and is a Senior Director for >Sprint Corp in Reston, VA. Two children were born to this union: Elizabeth Louise; Melinda Kathryn.

Elizabeth Louise Porter (7 August 1971), is employed as a consultant with BI Professionals.

Melinda Kathryn Porter (18 December 1974), married Victor Rangel in June 1996. Melinda is continuing her education, seeking a degree in Microbiology. Victor is a graphic artist with a Dallas TV station. They have one son, Hayden Maxfield Rangel (10 December 1996).

Michael Gregory Wachter (26 October 1948) married Georgann Carol Sisson on 14 February 1970. Michael and his wife Georgann live on the shores of Lake Erie in Avon Lake, OH. In addition to owning and operating a training and consulting business, Corporate Impact, they are avid SCUBA divers, freelance writers and authors of two books on Lake Erie shipwrecks, ERIE WRECKS and ERIE WRECKS, Volume II. Their issue: Courtney Kristin; Brendon David; and Kimberly Michelle.

Courtney Kristin Wachter (16 May 1974-30 January 1993), was a premed student at the University of Cincinnati when she was killed in an automobile accident on 30 January 30 1993.

Brendon David Wachter (19 August 1976), is employed as an account executive with Liggett Staschaur Advertising. He is pursuing his masters degree in International Advertising.

Kimberly Michelle Wachter (11 July 1979), is a student at Ohio University. She will complete a triple major, Management Information Sciences, International Business, and Business Economics in June 2001.

Patricia Lyn Wachter (25 August 1957) married Mark Williamson on 9 July 1983. The marriage ended in divorce. Patricia is an Account Executive with U.S. Relocation in Denver, CO. She and Mark had three children : Gregory David Williamson (8 January 1985); Marjorie Lyn Williamson (28 February 1987); Kevin Fitzpatrick Williamson (25 May 1989).

William Aubrey Gregory (25 February 1892 -26 October 1967) was born in an era in which there were few restrictions on behavior in spite of the local Victorian attitude. Apparently family ties were strong, but the rugged individualist persisted so long as courteous behavior around family and close friends prevailed. Aubrey was tall for his generation (six feet), very well built, charming, too handsome, and spoiled by his own family and pursued by the young ladies. His formal education ended with the eighth grade which was better than usual for that time and locale. He was intelligent and a very hard worker, especially when young and with a growing family. In his later vears, he fell prey to booze and gambling which led to divorce, re-marriage and a second divorce from Bertha (Cricket) Jolly.

Aubrey, when about 22 or 23 years old, went to Mineral Wells, Texas to seek his fortune in the oil fields. It seems as though a "senorita" with a stiletto, to whom he had made certain promises, stimulated his sudden return to Mississippi. A freight train provided the fastest mode of travel East and to safety.

He returned to his parents' home and, during the stay, "Cricket" Jolly, who was a superb seamstress, came to spend a few weeks creating a trousseau for his sister, Hortense, who was to marry, T.H. Smith. During this period, he began courting Cricket and they eloped.

Aubrey promptly bought a small farm with a modest house that survived until about 1960, when it was destroyed by fire. Prior to World War I, Elma Vaughn (1917) and William Harrison (1918) were born in the little house. Aubrey did not have to serve in the war on the basis of having two babies in the house and being a productive farmer.

Aubrey prospered as a farmer and expanded his operations, moving to a much larger home and holdings of some 2,000 acres where, in 1923, Ben Thomas was born. Aubrey lived in this setting until mid-World War II days and his second separation from Cricket. She moved to New London, Ohio, where she spend most of her remaining days. She expired in her sleep while visiting her son, Ben, in Pensacola, Florida in 1966.

Aubrey set up a small country store close to Union Church - only a couple of miles from where he had been born and spent his life. He stayed there until his demise of natural causes in 1967. He lived life to the fullest, often saying, "You've got to die of something, so do what you want."

The only real trouble Aubrey got into was not long after World War I. On a Saturday afternoon in Okolona, his brother, Eugene, was trying to collect a debt from a young Negro male and an argument ensued. The Black pulled a straight razor and proceeded to attempt to cut Gene's head off in spite of the fact that Gene emptied a 32 resolver into the man's chest. The Black continued to cut. The razor was hung in one of the spines of Gene's cervical vertebrae. Aubrey, who was standing nearby, pulled out a 38 Special that misfired. He cocked it again by hand, shooting the Black from side to side through the heart. Fortunately, the Black fell forward or else Gene's head might have been severed. Cricket's brother, Jimmy Jolly, stepped up and lighted the cigarette still held in the Black's mouth, commenting, "Let the SOB go to hell smoking."

Gene carried the scar to his grave. Aubrey spent the night in jail and was later acquitted, it being deemed a justifiable homicide.

Bertha Carlisle Jolly Gregory (24 July 1893-17 June 1966), wife of William Aubrey Gregory, was the daughter of Wade H. and Elizabeth Wamble Jolly, eighth of ten children of a farm family southwest of Okolona. Cricket also obtained an eighth grade education and was a devout Christian and Eastern Star member. She was a master seamstress which led to her encounter with Aubrey. Her strict religious objections to drinking and cards led to marital problems with Aubrey later in life. Her family and grandchildren were her life.

In her last few years in New London, Ohio, her pride and joy was her 1954 Ford which she had special ordered. When she knew her days were short, she always carried a sealed box of burial clothing and specific instructions to the undertaker in the trunk of the Ford. On her last trip South, by air, she had mailed the box and was very relieved when it arrived. Cricket died in her sleep that very same night. Her instructions were carried out to the letter, including Eastern Star rites. She rests in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Verona, Mississippi.