William Gregory Family Papers (MS417)

Collection

Identifier: MS417

Content Description

This collection predominantly contains the personal papers of William Gregory, including: journals, notebooks, property records, deeds, and family records. Approximately two-thirds of the collection comprise original correspondence, and late 20th century transcriptions of such.

Dates

Creation: 1771 - 1993

Creator

Gregory, William, III, 1789-1875 (Person)

Historical Note

See more See less

William Gregory was a Scottish immigrant, businessman, landowner, and enslaver.

He was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1789, and emigrated to New York, and then Alexandria, Virginia in 1807. Gregory worked for Alexandria businessman Robert McCrea as a clerk until 1812, and then as a partner until 1827. He owned property in Alexandria as well as several enslaved persons ("Old Mary Morse", Charlotte Blue, Eugenia, Sarah, Roxie, Frank Stewart, and Lucy the daughter of Caroline Branham, as well as other unidentified individuals). Gregory served in the War of 1812. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church and of St. Andrew’s Society. In 1822 Gregory married Margaret Douglass Bartleman, who bore four children (Douglas Smith, Elisabeth Smith, William Bartleman, and Margaret Douglas) and died in 1833. In 1838, William Gregory married Mary Donaldson Long and had five more children (Isobel Anne, Julia Harper, Boyd, Mary Crawford, and Janet Boyd).

William Gregory passed in 1875 at the age of 87.