James B. Gregory (1783 - aft. 1846)

Born 9 Feb 1783 in Buncombe Co, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Lee — married 1805 in Indiana

Descendants

Died after 4 Sep 1846 after age 63 in Island Of Lerma, Yucatan Peninsula

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Biography

James B Gregory was a son of William Gregory. James Gregory was born in Buncombe county, North Carolina^[1] in 1783. When twenty-two years old he married Elizabeth (Lee) Gregory in 1805^[2], Elizabeth Lee being the half-sister of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Five years afterward he left his native State and removed to Kentucky. He remained there three years, and in 1813 came to Indiana Territory. He located in Washington County, where he built a cabin in the woods. In 1816, he ran for the state legislature and was defeated. Later, having moved to Shelby county, he was elected senator from a district composed of eight counties, Hamilton, Madison, Jackson, Decatur, Shelby, Ruch, Henry, and Marion. At this time he became a colonel in the militia. Colonel Gregory was responsible for the law which was enacted in 1824, moving the state capitol to Indianapolis. He was made the target of abuse by some of the people who lived near the old capitol, but the leading men of those days were heartily in accord with Colonel Gregory's law. He was in the senate until 1831. He then moved to Warren county, whence he was again sent to legislature. He later was defeated for election to congress, and in 1842 failed of election as lieutenant-governor of Indiana^[3]. In the winter of 1842 Colonel Gregory went to New Orleans on a trading expedition. The next May he chartered a vessel in that city, loaded it with pork and flour, and sailed for Yucatan in Central America. Soon after his arrival there he took the black vomit and died. A young man named Johnson was with him, and at his death took charge of his affairs, but nothing is known definitely about his sickness or the circumstances of his death. It is known, however, that he breathed his last at a small town on the coast, and was buried there. But no stone marks his resting place, and none of his family know the place where he sleeps. The ashes of the old pioneer mingle with foreign soil, but his memory will be preserved by the people of the state he helped to found.^[4]

Children of James and Elizabeth Lee Gregory:
1) Rhoda , b.Jan.10,1806, North Carolina;d.1848
2) Leroy , b.Dec.13, 1808, North Carolina;d.1850
3) Robert Crocket, b.Feb. 15,1811, Kentucky;d.1885
4) Lydia, b.Feb. 14,1814 Indiana;d.1892
5) Benjamin Franklin, b. April 11, 1816, Lawrence County, IN;d.1874
6) Alfred, b. Feb.14,1818, Shelby County, IN;d.1873
7) Narcissa, b 1822(?), Lawrence or Shelby County, IN;d.1857
8) Mary L. b.1824, Shelby County;d.1857
9) Elijah, b.Feb 20, 1826, Lawrence or Shelby County, IN;d.1897
10) Henry Clay, b.Dec 13, 1827, Shelby or Lawrence County, IN;d.1913
11) Rebecca Jane, b.Feb 8, 1830 Shelby County;d.1897
12) Edwin, b. 1831 (?), Warren County, IN (?); d.1851

Sources

1. ↑ 1810 United States Federal Census for James Gregory
2. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 139 : 1918 North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 for James Gregory
3. ↑ THE LAW-MAKERS: SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF MORGAN COUNTY. THE PIONEERS OF MORGAN COUNTY Memoirs Of Noah J. Major Edited By Logan Esarey, Ph. D.
4. ↑ Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early Indiana, William Woollen, publ Indianapolis, Indiana, 1883. Pages 426-431, for counties of Washington, Shelby, and Warren