John Gregory

John Gregory, son of Timothy Gregory and Elizabeth Sherlock of Jamaica. Inherited Fellowship Hall coffee plantation at Clarendon, Middlesex, Jamaica, from his father. A newspaper notice of his marriage which took place at Dumfries, Scotland, 30/08/1810 reads, "At Dumphries, John Gregory, Esq. from Jamaica, to Margaret, eldest daughter of John Milligan, Esq. late of Charlestown [South Carolina]." Margaret was very likely the daughter of John Milligan of Kirkbean, Kirkcudbright, Scotland and Charleston, South Carolina where he was a merchant. John and Margaret Gregory had nine children:

Elizabeth Sherlock Gregory, born 25/09/1812, Fellowship Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica and baptised at Annan, Dumfries, 10/12/1813; Elizabeth Married Robert Cross, Surgeon, on 23 January 1833 at the Canongate, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Elizabeth's father (deceased) was noted on the marriage record as 'a student of medicine'.

Timothy Gregory, born 14/03/1814, Fellowship Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica.

John Gregory, born 08/07/1817, Fellowship Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica.

Ann Milligan Gregory, born 30/06/1819, Fellowship Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica.

Robert Lindsay Milligan Gregory, born 22/03/1821, Fellowship Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica. Married Mary Biddiff [Biddulph] Euphemia Grose (c.1827-90) on 11/01/1842, Clarendon, Jamaica. He died 13/08/1901, at 63 Barrett Street, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Mary Grose Gregory died 06/09/1890, Cowper Street, St Kilda, Victoria. The couple had 14 children, six of whom were born in Jamaica. The surviving four girls came to the colony of Victoria from Jamaica with their parents on the Glentanner arriving in 1853. Eight more children were born to the couple after they arrived in the colony of Victoria.

Daniel Gregory, born 22/10/1822, Plumdon, Annan, Scotland.

Margaret Gregory, born 20/05/1824, Plumdon, Annan, Scotland.

Edwardina Gregory, born 28/11/1825, St Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh; baptism of Edwardina Gregory, parents John Gregory and Margaret Milligan, Edinburgh, 28/11/1825; died 30/11/1909, Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica.

William McLellan Gregory, born 02/11/1826, St Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; died the same day in Edinburgh.

The birth and baptism records of their children show that John and Margaret moved from Jamaica to Plumdon, Annan, in 1821 or 1825. At the end of 1825, John Gregory signed over his property at Plumdon to Dr Edward Milligan, a relative of his wife. They were in Edinburgh by November 1825 for the birth of their youngest daughter. John Gregory Esq. appears at 3 Archibald Place, Edinburgh, in the Post Office Directory of 1826.

John Gregory Snr died 25/02/1827, aged 37, at 3 Archibald Place, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is believed that he was a student of medicine at the time of his death and was listed as 'formerly a coffee planter at Fellowship Hall, Jamaica'. Margaret may be the Mrs Gregory listed at 5 Archibald Place in 1827 and 1828. She died in Edinburgh, aged 42, 07/04/1835. Both are buried Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, Scotland.

1. Will of 'John Gregory Esquire sometime of the Island of Jamaica lately residing at Plumdon near Annan presently residing in Edinburgh' proved in Edinburgh 22/03/1827, makes specific provision for compensation money from the Emancipation Act (1834). The will names the children of the marriage as Elizabeth Sherlock, Timothy, John, Ann Milligan, Robert, Daniel, Margaret and Edwardina.

T71/859: Clarendon claim no. 25; The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh literary miscellany for 1810, Volume 72 (1810), p. 717; General Register Office for Scotland, OPR 812 0020 0037; General Register Office for Scotland, OPR 685/1 0550 0490; O.P.R. Births 812/0020 0037 Annan; Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Clarendon, Register of Baptisms for 1813, Familysearch.org; Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664–1880; The Argus (Melbourne, Australia), 17/8/1901, p. 9; Edinburgh Weekly Journal, 22 July 1801; Dumfriesshire Sessions, Abridgements 1821–25 (1048) Jan. 1826 ("EDWARD MILLIGAN M.D., residing at College Street, Edinburgh, Seised, Dec. 30. 1825,––in the Piece of Ground in the GREENIEFLATTS now called PLUMDON, with the Houses thereon, par. Annan. –– on Disp. by John Gregory residing at Plumdon, Feb. 23. 1825"); Post Office Directories (Edinburgh, 1826, 1827, 1828).

1. http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/w/wills-12.htm [accessed 26/01/2012].

We are grateful to Jane Morrison for her help compiling this entry.