Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Our Gregory Family

Thomas Gregory (b. 1839) & wife, Sally Rash (b. 1842) 


About the Gregory Surname
The Gregory surname is of Celtic origin and is associated with the MacGregor Clan. The Clan Gregor held lands in Glenstrae, Glenlocy and Glenorchy. Strife between the MacGregors and the Campbells began when Robert the Bruce granted the barony of Loch Awe to the chief of the Campbells. Some of this land included what had traditionally been MacGregor land. Gregor Roy Macgregor was refused his claim to the estates he should have inherited. For ten years he waged war against the Campbells and fell into being an outlaw, raiding cattle, and hiding in the high glens. In 1570 the Campbells captured and killed him, which only served to anger the MacGregors even more. A few MacGregors were hung for poaching and then the King's forester, John Drummond, was murdered as a result. The MacGregor Chieftan took responsibility and was condemned. He and eleven of his chieftains were hung. In 1603, King James VI abolished the MacGregor name, meaning those who carried the name must renounce it or suffer death.

Clan MacGregor grew scattered, some taking on new names, others were hunted down like animals. This mistreatment and injustice prompted the legendary Rob Roy MacGregor to assume his mother's maiden name of Campbell. Some of his adventures have been romanticized, however, many of his actions were no doubt a prickly thorn in the government's side.

This information came from the "Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia" by George Way and Romilly Squire, page 220-221.

Our Gregory Family

Joseph Gregory is the earliest known ancestor of our Gregory line. He was born before 1773 and was the first Gregory recorded in Wilkes County, NC who purchased land in 1805 even though he was already on the 1800 Wilkes County Census. One of Joseph's sons is listed as being born in Iredell County and another in Surry County. Based on the deeds Joseph purchased and those of his son James M. Gregory, our Gregory family lived on the borderline of what is presently Wilkes, Iredell and Yadkin Counties in North Carolina. In 1771 Surry County was formed from Rowan County. In 1777 Wilkes County was formed from a portion of Surry and the Washington District of Tennesse. Yadkin County did not exist until 1850 and it was formed from Surry County. In addition to these county formations, Surry was later annexed to Alleghany County in 1869, 1870 and again in 1875. Therefore, records on Joseph's descendants actually exists in all three of these counties, depending on their exact location and what was happening at the time.

Joseph's son, James Gregory was married at least three times. His first wife was Sarah Gray whom he married in 1828. She died shortly, and then he married Linday Curry in 1830. By the 1850 Census he was married to Jane, maiden name unknown. During the Civil War, several of his sons served in the Confederacy. One of them was my ggg-grandfather, Thomas Gregory.

Civil War Gregorys

Thomas Gregory served in the NC 55th Infantry of Co. B with his brothers, George, James, John and Lewis. On July 1, 1863, Thomas was wounded in the face while fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was hospitalized in Richmond, Virginia and later returned to duty. He survived the war and returned home to his wife, Sally Rash. They most likely married either right before the war or during his absence from the war in June 1862. Thomas was a farmer and during this time he was home on a wheat furlough leave. In the 1870 Census, Thomas and his family were living with Daniel Rash, his father-in-law, and Daniel's daughter, Jincy Rash, who is listed as deaf and dumb. Five years later in an 1875 deed, Daniel Rash conveyed all of his real estate property to Thomas Gregory "for the care and maintenance of himself and his daughter, Jincy, for the continuation of their lives."

Apparently, Thomas Gregory and his family fell on hard times in 1902 when he and his wife Sally were forced to sell their land to pay a debt they owed. In this deed, it states that Sally was examined separately from her husband to determine her agreement of her own freewill without her husband's influence. This might have been because everyone was well accustomed to Thomas' character.

According to family stories, Thomas was not known to be necessarily mean, but strict and stern. He lived by strong morals and values and he expected everyone around him to do the same. Sally was a midwife and she tended to the needs of family and neighbors whenever she was needed. If she was not home by a certain time for supper, Thomas would climb upon his horse and go fetch her no matter where she was, or how badly she was needed.

Migration to Guilford County

The photo above is of Sarah Cathleen Gregory and her husband Michael Clingman Harris. Sarah was the daughter of Thomas Gregory and Sally Rash. She married Michael "Clingman" Harris in Wilkes County in 1884. They resided in Wilkes County until 1907 when they sold their land and moved to Guilford County, NC. Clingman traded farming for working at Cone Mill. 




They had ten children, in which the youngest two were twins. Their fourth daughter was my great-grandmother, Sallie Harris, who lived from 1900 to 2000. She married Judson Hersely Watkins in 1917. The last I heard the youngest of the family, and twin, is still living and would now be over 100. She was still driving at the ripe age of 96 when I last visited her in 2002. One of their older sisters lived to the age of 106.


Judson Hersley Watkins (b. 1899) & wife, Sallie Harris (b. 1900)
Taken in 1917 on their wedding day before he went off to WWI.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Centre Friends Meeting Church Cemetery - Guilford County

If known, women are listed under their maiden names and their married names are in parentheses.

FRAZIER
Frazier Monument for descendants of James Frazier and Martha Millikan
Solomon (b. 1766)
Hannah (b. 1769)
William b. 1771)
Jane (b. 1773)
Isaac (b. 1775)
Abner (b. 1777)
Sarah (b. 1780)
Abigail (b. 1782)
Enos (b. 1785)
James (b. 1787)

Anne Frazier
William Frazier

LETHCOE
Minnie Lethcoe (Saferight)
Note: Minnie is buried beside T.A. Saferight, but the name inscribed on the tombstone is Minnie Lethcoe Saferight-Huggins. Since her death is several years after her husband, it is possible she married a second time to a Huggins.

MILLIKAN
William Millikan, Sr.
(1720 - 1804) born in Ireland

NEWMAN 
Samantha J. Newman (Saferight)
1858-1940

OSBORNE
Osborne Monument of descendants of Matthew Osborne & Isabelle Dobson
Matthew II, son of Matthew Osborne I, Norse Ozbun of England. Came from Pennsylvania to NC in 1753. Died 1783. Wife Isabelle Dobson died 1770.

Opposite Side View of Osborne Monument
Sons & Daughters of Matthew II
Sarah H.
William, wife Rebecca Cox
Matthew, wife M. Reynolds
Samuel, wife Elizabeth Lamb
John, wife Sarah Bullard
Joseph, wife M. Angell
David, wife Lilly Davis
Daniel, wife Martha Stout

Daniel Willis Osborne
b. May 27, 1855
d. Feb 10, 1949

SAFERIGHT
Abner Saferight
b. Oct 5, 1814
d. March 28, 1880

Albert Wilson Saferight
b. June 6, 1888
d. May 6, 1994

Elizabeth Saferight (Frazier), wife of William Frazier
b. Sept 24, 1820
d. June 14, 1896

Eli W. Saferight
b. Feb 29, 1856
d. Feb 21, 1929

Etta Irene Saferight
b. Dec 28, 1894
d. March 29, 1972

Flora Sarah Wall (Saferight), wife of William Andrew Wall
b. Jan 6, 1890
d. Jan 21, 1972

Fracy Saferight (Believed to Frances Hall, wife of Abner Saferight)
b. April 29, 1808
d. March 22, 1894

Grady E. Saferight
b. May 20, 1906
d. Nov 4, 1998

J. Elmer Saferight
b. July 23, 1894
d. Dec 6, 1951

Kelly E. Saferight
b. Oct 5, 1900
d. Dec 9, 1987

Lena Saferight, wife of Grady E. Saferight
b. Nov 13, 1908
d. Dec 27, 1998

Lorenzo D. Saferight
1853-1906

Mary J. Saferight (Osborne), wife of Daniel Willis Osborne
b. Dec 19, 1857
d. Sept 30, 1944

Samantha J. Saferight, wife of Lorenzo D. Saferight
1858-1940

Sarah Elizabeth Saferight, daughter of Jeremiah & Nancy Saferight (never married)
b. Oct 9, 1866
d. Oct 18, 1945

Tobias Saferight, husband of Minnie Lethcoe Saferight-Huggins
b. May 20, 1881
d. May 20, 1919

William Wesley Saferight, husband to Sarah Esther Wall
b. April 23, 1861
d. Dec 11, 1941

SHELLEY
Enoch Shelley
b. Sept 2, 1849
d. Jan 26, 1947

Ida Shelley (Saferight), wife of Albert Wilson Saferight
b. July 19, 1885
d. March 11, 1964

Malinda Shelley (Wall), wife of Nelson Wall

WALL
Ethel L. Wall
b. June 20, 1896
d. Feb 2, 1909

Faye Wall (Hodgin)
1930 - 1984

Raymond Glenn Wall
b. Dec 11, 1915
d. Feb 6, 1995

Pandora Wall (Maness)
b. Aug 29, 1859
d. July 30, 1930

Robert L. Wall
b. March 17, 1893
d. Nov 10, 1906

Sarah Esther Wall (Saferight), wife of William Wesley Saferight
b. April 8, 1869
d. March 10, 1951

William Andrew Wall
b. Dec 20, 1892
d. Aug 17, 1978

William M. Wall
b. March 30, 1866
d. Oct 22, 1906

William N. Wall
b. June 4, 1891
d. June 9, 1965



BEAVER Family Photos


Harry Beaver & wife, Rachel Carter (Beaver)

Harry Beaver


BARLOW Family Photos


Barlow Children

Mildred Mae Barlow


BARNES Family Photos


William Barnes 

APPLE Family Photos


Clyde Apple & wife Octavia Harris


Monday, March 3, 2014

Salem Cemetery - Forsyth County, NC

Note: If known, married names are in parenthesis.

HARRIS
Belle Murphy (Harris) 
b. Jan 8, 1859 
d. Mar 19, 1939

Edmond E. Harris
b. July 22, 1853
d. April 18, 1933

J.M. Harris
b. Mar 4, 1864
d. June 24, 1911

Mary Mainer Harris
d. Feb 14, 1916
Aged 76

M. E. Harris, daughter of E.E. & B.W. Harris
b. Aug 28, 1884
d. Feb 21, 1903

HUDSON
Bettie T. Hudson
b. 1877
d. 1941

Thomas D. Hudson
b. 1875
d. 1911

MARTIN
Col. James Martin
b. May 1, 1846
d. Jan 3,1903

PAYNE
Mary Augusta Payne
b. Sept 26, 1875
d. May 26, 1889

Roberta Lee Payne
b. Dec 31, 1879
d. May 16, 1883

STONE
Phoebe Anne Stone, wife of John Dupuy Watkins
b. April 17, 1824
d. Aug 1, 1924

WATKINS
Dr. C.J. Watkins
b. Aug 4, 1837
d. June 14, 1900

Flora O. Watkins
b. June 27, 1850
d. Jan 8, 1922

Effie Spaugh Watkins
b. Mar 19, 1882
d. July 16, 1955

Ida Watkins (Sandridge)
b. April 17, 1861
d. July 28, 1959

Irene Montague Watkins, wife of Dr. Joseph Conrad Watkins 
b. Nov 8, 1880
d. Nov 11, 1957

James Robert Watkins
b. Feb 1, 1869
d. June 10, 1962

John Dupuy Watkins
b. Sept 26, 1810
d. Apr 26, 1896

Mary Elizabeth Watkins, daughter of J.C. & I.M. Watkins
b. Aug 28, 1906
d. Aug 6, 1907

Mary Florence Watkins, wife of Col. James Watkins
b. Mar 27, 1847
d. Apr 14, 1934

Phoebe Augusta Watkins
b. July 28, 1845
d. Dec 2, 1939

Samuel Ferdinand Watkins
b. July 13, 1850
d. Aug 29, 1912

Wallace Watkins, C.J. & Flora O. Watkins
b. Mar 14, 1881
d. Feb 4, 1882




Sunday, January 26, 2014

SAFERIGHT Family Photos


J. Elmer Saferight - (1894 - 1951)

Flora Sarah Saferight - (1890 - 1972)

Grady E. Saferight and wife Lena
Grady - (1906 - 1998)

Ulleses Grant Saferight - (b. abt 1870)
Back L to R: Garland Saferight, Jack Saferight, Joe Saferight, Ulleses Grant Saferight, Martha Jane Saferight
Adults Front Row: Clara Maude Holland Saferight, Lugie Saferight

Ulleses Grant Saferight - (b. abt 1870)

William Wesley Saferight - (1861 - 1941)

William Wesley Saferight and wife Clara
William - (b. abt 1899)

William Wesley Saferight - (1899)




Peter Daniel WATKINS Homeplace - Stokes County, NC


Peter Daniel WATKINS Homeplace

Front view of Peter Daniel Watkins Home. People were still living here when I took the image in 2003. Therefore, I couldn't get any closer.  Located at 704 Moir Farm Rd., Stokes County, NC. This place served as the Watkinsville Post Office 1895-1904. Peter was the Post Master until his death in 1903. The family cemetery is off to the side of the house closer to the road. 

Peter Daniels Watkins Home - Front View


Peter Daniel Watkins Home - Side view from the family cemetery


 The Peter Daniel Watkins Family Cemetery beside the house and my little daughter


WATKINS Old Homeplaces - Horsepasture, VA

WATKINS Homeplaces

This home is in the best shape of all the Watkins homes on the old home site in Horsepasture, VA near Price Road. We also believe it is the oldest. The first house below had people living in it until the 1980's. Based on the original construction, we estimate it was first built around 1780-1820.

1st House - Front Image


1st House - Side View 


1st House - Top of stairs looking down from upper floor. 
I took this image in the around 2004. I have no idea if the condition of the house has grown worse, but at this time the structure was sound enough to climb the stairs and walk around the upper room. 


Back behind the first Watkins house and in the woods was another Watkins house. Between these homes was a huge indenture that looked like it used to be an old wagon road between the houses. Beyond this house is the Old Watkins Cemetery. These graves have now been relocated and merged with the Payne Cemetery nearby. These two families intermarried. I do not know if this house and these woods were still there as the area was being cleared for development around 2009. 

 2nd House


 2nd House - Inside main living room fireplace


 This was the 3rd Watkins House in an open field beyond the 2nd house. Due to development and the relocation of the Watkins Cemetery, we believe this 3rd Watkins House was destroyed. 

3rd Watkins House


Inside the 3rd Watkins house - Inside main living room fireplace.