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Adam - was a member of old Meherrin Baptist
Church 1771-1844, Lunenburg Co., VA; went with John Gregory's son Jackson
Gregory to North Carolina, then Cobb Co., GA. His "Mother"
is mentioned in family letters and believed to be Old
Aunt Fanny who
lived to a great age, died during Civil War at the old John Gregory
homeplace, then in the hands of son Josephus Gregory. Adam was wanted
by other sons of John Gregory, but is known by letters to have remained
with Jackson.
Excerpts from letters written by Jackson Gregory from Georgia to his
brother Josephus Gregory living at the old Gregory homeplace in Lunenburg
Co., VA:
Aug 1837 from Decatur, GA: "N.B.
Adam sends howdy to his mother and says he is well pleased. I wish you
to get a letter from the Church for him & send it on by the next
letter if possible as he is anxious to join society. Be sure and send
one as soon as possible. Bring Betsy [wife of Josephus] with you when
you come. Be sure and bring Aunt Fanny [slave thought to be Adam's mother]
with you if she wishes to come". By this time the Gregorys had
removed from the Old Meherrin Church and were members of Mt. Zion Baptist
Church built on the land of John Gregory.
Sep 1844 from Cobb Co., GA: "Adam wishes to be remembered to his mother if alive."
Jul 1846 from Marietta, GA:
"N.B. Adam is well and looks as young as when you last saw him."
May 1850 "At home" postmarked
Atlanta, GA: "Adam wishes to be kindly remembered to his mother."
Feb 1852 "At home"
postmarked Atlanta, GA: ""Adam is quite well."
No further letters from Jackson survived in the the collection until
1879 when he responded to notification of the death of his brother Josephus
Gregory by E. J. Gregory. Jackson wrote of his loss of fortune during
the Civil War and his move to Floyd Co., GA. He wrote of one of his
slaves:
Sep 1879 Cave Spring Floyd Co., GA:
" I also sold a negro man who wished to remain near his wife for
one thousand." I don't know if Adam was still living in 1860's
(Civil War period), but I am sure Jackson would have made any arrangements
necessary for him to remain with his wife. Like so if Adam was deceased
and one of his family was still in the household. If the slave sold
was "Adam" I am not sure that Jackson would have mentioned
his name to E. J. Gregoroy as E. J. was not born when Jackson moved
from Virginia, and would not have known Adam. Any
follow-up on this is much desired.
Old Aunt Fanny - beloved slave mentioned
in many family letters, believed to have been the mother of Adam with
Jackson Gregory in North Carolina and Cobb Co., GA. In 1837 from Decatur,
GA Jackson Gregory wrote to his bro. Josephus at the homeplace in Lunenburg,
inviting them to come visit. At the end of the letter Jackson wrote:
"Be sure and bring Aunt Fanny with you if she wishes to come."
Celia, Grace & Peter - John Gregory's
son Roderick in Union, MO wrote to brother Josephus: "if you conclude
that my part will purchase Celia and Peter you will please do so for
me. If Old Grace is as well and hearty as she was when we left Virginia
buy her for Sintha [wife], if Brother Thomas will bring them out. .
." It was not determined if this occurred. Brother David S. Gregory
in TN also wanted Peter.
Jane
Lucy, Moriah - with John Gregory's daughter
Mary A. "Lucilia" Robertson, widow of Peter Robertson, in
Williamson Co., TN. Lucilia added to her letter to Lunenburg 1839: "Tell
Aunt Fanny and Uncle
Claborn howdy for us all. Tell Jack Mariah says
his is the likeliest Negro in Tennessee. Lucy sends howdy to Aunt
Fanny."
Uncle Claborn may have been the Claiborn purchased by Joseph Gregory
(father of John Gregory) from the estate sale of Peter Robertson deceased.
A low value indicated Claiborn was not young. In March 1841 or 1842,
Lucilia again wrote her brother Josephus in Lunenburg: "Brother
we have lost Lucy. She was taken the first of October with a cough,
very much like her daddy had. The Dr. said it was cold settled on her
lungs. She was hardy (sic) untill she died which was the 8 of January."
In the same letter: "Moriah has so many children that I did not
know what better to do than to try to make something for them to eat.
Moriah has had two children since she left you."
Rachel - Rachel's "00" value suggests
she was quite old and leads me to think she was the Rachel over 16 on
the Personal Property Taxes of John Gregory's father, Joseph Gregory
Senr, in Mecklenburg County at least 1795 through 1801.
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