On a recent Saturday afternoon, I took my seven-year-old grandson to introduce him to our ancestor, Rev. William McGregor. It's a rare thing to have an immigrant ancestor such a short distance from where we still live, only a few miles and a bearable walk through the woods. I want members of the newest generation of my family tree know that they have a biological and historical connection to this ground, and that people who lived before them took part in their history and their creation. Know where the graves are. Know who the people were. Continue to honor your ancestors after I am gone. He is not the first grandchild I've introduced to Rev. McGregor.
Ten years ago, I also introduced my first and oldest grandchild to the resting place of the old Scottish minister. I hope it will be a tradition. The grave is off the beaten path, which is a good thing, the fewer who know where it is, the better. The Kron cemetery, which is nearby, has tragically suffered much destruction since I was a child, some natural, like tree falls, but primarily from evil, cruel and destructive people, usually adolescents, who sometimes think doing something wrong and criminal will impress their friends. I want to influence members of the next generation to protect and preserve their own history and that of our location upon the planet.
As I've posted on William McGregor multiple times already, I do not expect this to be a lengthy post, but there may be some details I've never shared. One post is found in the link below.
And he is mentioned also in the following post, linked below, concerning his daughter, Ava, my fourth Great Grandmother.
Fellow blogger and distant cousin, Cynthia also has mentioned him in this post from her blog, Uwharrie Roots.
Rev. William McGregor was born in Scotland. That much is fact. Some give his date of birth as 19 Jan 1733; however, I cannot determine where or how anyone came about with that date. Dr. Francis Kron, who later lived on his property, praised his planting of apples trees and claimed he came from "Osiaran's Glenn", which doesn't' exactly exist. Most have his birthplace as Perth. I will say Scotland, that is without a doubt.
I've not found record of when he arrived in America, but it's most likely he arrived straight to North Carolina, possibly through Wilmington, but as he is found in records of counties in the northeastern part of the state, he probably came in through New Bern, or Bath.
William McGregor is counted in the 1771 Tax Role of Bute County. He was a Junior.
Bute County, NC Record Book 7 records the Will of William Solomon Sr. on May 25, 1772. "William Solomon to William Solomon Jr. Gift of a negro man to be his at my death." Witnesses were John Edwards, William McGregor, and Green Hill. All three of these men would soon be found later in either Montgomery or Anson Counties, NC, or both.
John Edwards is later seen in a Franklin County deed, as being "of Montgomery County" and selling land in Franklin to the Solomons. The Solomon brothers were in Franklin County, North Carolina at the same time Rev. William McGregor was for two or three years. Bennett Solomon would marry his daughter, Ava. They are my 4th Great Grandparents. They would also arrive in Montgomery County (Stanly side of the river), and two of them, William and Bennett, would become Baptist Ministers.
Rev. William McGregor is mentioned in the 1774 minutes of the Kehuky Baptist Association of Bute County.
In 1776, William McGregor was given a license to preach in Franklin County, NC, formerly Bute.
In February 1779, a Petition was taken to separate a portion of Anson County to form Montgomery County. Rev. William McGregor's signature was on the petition. He was also on the 1780 - 1782 Tax lists for Montgomery County.
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| From Genealogies of Rowan County, is found the abovemention of Rev. McGregor and his church, the "Mouth of the Uwharrie Baptist Church" in a history of the Liberty Baptist Association. |
William McGregor received 3 Land Grants.
Land Grant 1041 dated 1795, was on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River beginning on the Riverbank, Book 94 Page 73, Entered on Jan 4, 1795, and granted on July 10, 1797. It consisted of 50 acres 'near my own land I live on', a Spanish Oak, McColoks (McColloughs) (sic) south corner, and joined the property of Jarrett Huckaby.
Grant 1197 was for 150 acres that bordered William McGregors own residence on the south side of the PeeDee. Book 111 Page 289, Granted on November 30, 1810, but applied for in 1800.
Grant Number 1928 Began at 'William McGregor's own corner post oak in McLester's own line running west 106 poles to Bennett Solomons line, N 26 East 68 poles to Mungers old 100....back to McGregor's line.
He expanded his holdings but never moved.
A great deal of confusion has been caused by two groups of people with similar names, who named their children similar names. There were two William McGregors and Rev. William was a Jr., before he became a Sr., as he named a son William, too.
One McGregor Clan lived in Northampton County. One was a William, with a brother, John McGregor who also lived in Northampton County. These two brothers married Flowers sisters. John had a son named Flowers McGregor. Brother William died about 1813 in Northampton County, and evidence from his will and other probate papers demonstrate that his son was William, Jr. North Carolina land records show him there well into the 1830's.
The other William McGregor lived in Bute County, a now defunct county, part of which became Franklin. The Bute/Franklin branch moved to Montgomery County, North Carolina in the 1770's. The Rev. William McGregor was associated with a Bartlett McGregor who may have been his brother or eldest son. I personally have him down as a son due to obvious age differences.
The 1790 census of Northampton County, NC lists John McGregor, William McGregor and Flowers McGregor. The 1790 census of Montgomery County, NC list Willam McGregor, Bartlet McGregor, Thomas Huckaby and Bennett Solomon, along with Roland Ware. Two of Roland Ware's daughters, Susan and Sarah, will marry Rev. William McGregors's twin sons, Ezekial and Willis.
| Name | William Megrigler |
|---|---|
| Home in 1790 (City, County, State) | Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over | 3 |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 16 | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Females | 3 |
| Number of Slaves | 4 |
| Number of Household Members | 12 |
In 1790, Rev. McGregor (transcribed incorrectly as "Megrigler"), is shown with three males over 16 in his home, and two under 16, along with three daughters. Nearby, is Bartlett McGregor with a household of four, one male over 16, two under and three females. Subtracting the parents, this would be a possible 4 sons and two daughters, with one son, Bartlett, already out on his own.
Bartlett McGregor will still be in Montgomery County, NC in 1800 and marries Ann Harris, probably a daughter of one of the Montgomery County Harris family. They end up in Stewart County, Tennessee, where Bartlett dies in 1842. His date of birth was roughly around 1770, and he would have been a little tot when the family arrived in Montgomery. Rev. McGregor's mother is said to have been named Margaret Scott Bartlett. There was also a Bartlett Huckabee in the area at this time, and this family also originated in the Butte/ Franklin County area before arriving in Montgomery. There could have been a familial connection between the McGregor and Huckabee's through the Barlett's.
1800
The 1800 census created a little bit of confusion with two William McGregors side by side. If you look carefully, however, the top line says William Mcgregor JUN. and the second line has William Mcgregor SEN.
| Name | William Mcgreger Jr |
|---|---|
| Home in 1800 (City, County, State) | Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25 | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over | 1 |
| Number of Slaves | 6 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25 | 2 |
| Number of Household Members | 10 |
The household of William Senior in 1800 has one male over 45, one female over 45, and two males between 16 and 25. These were the twins.
| Name | William Mcgreger Jr |
|---|---|
| Home in 1800 (City, County, State) | Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15 | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 | 1 |
| Number of Household Members Under 16 | 5 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25 | 2 |
| Number of Household Members | 7 |
William McGregor Jr., son of Rev. McGregor is shown as between 26 and 44, with a female of the same age range in his household, presumably his wife, with two boys under ten, two females under 10, and one female 10 to 15.
Name Bartlett Mcriger Home in 1800 (City, County, State) Montgomery, North Carolina Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 2 Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15 1 Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 1 Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 2 Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15 2 Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 1 Number of Household Members Under 16 7 Number of Household Members Over 25 2 Number of Household Members 9
Bartlett McGregor and his wife are in the same age range, with two boys under 10, and one 10 to 15, tw females under ten and two 10 to 15.
The 1790 census suggested that Rev. McGregor and his wife had four sons and two daughters at home, and that's with Bartlett McGregor already head of his own household, so who could the extra son have been, if we count William Jr, and the twins, Willis and Ezekial.
Some add Flowers McGregor, who I am certain belongs to the Northhampton branch of McGregors, and others add Anthony McGregor. So, who was Anthony?
Anthony McGregor
In 1790, there is an Anthony McGregor in Edgecombe County, NC, and Rev. William had actually been there for a while. Oddly, his name was almost mis-transcribed the same way, as "Megriggo".
| Name | Anthony Megriggo |
|---|---|
| Home in 1790 (City, County, State) | Edgecombe, Halifax, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females | 3 |
| Number of Slaves | 4 |
| Number of Household Members | 8 |
In 1800, he is now in Anson County, which makes some folks tack him onto Rev. McGregor, but he could not have been the missing McGregor.
| Name | Anthony Mcgregor |
|---|---|
| Home in 1800 (City, County, State) | Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25 | 1 |
| Number of Household Members Over 25 | 1 |
| Number of Household Members | 2 |
There may have even been two Anthony's. Edgecomb Anthony had three females in his home in 1790, and four slaves. 1800 Anthony appears to have had one young wife, no children and no slaves in 1800.
Of course, he could have suffered some major life changes in that decade.
Anson Anthony remained in Anson and married a Lydia. His birth year is shown as 1778, and he and Lydia are buried in the Henry-Leggett Cemetery southeast of Wadesboro. His daughter would marry a Henry.
In a land entry from 1818, Anthony is shown with three middle initials, "H. S. R." McGregor.
Anthony McGregor left a will
He named his only son, William Lemeul McGregor, and left him land on Thompson's Creek.
He then bequeathed property to the children of his sister, Nancy Hill. There were a number of Nancy's among the records of the Northampton MacGregors, and I feel quite confident that Anthony was one of them. There could have been a distant relationship between the two groups. We will later follow the trail of the McGregor Children to see if any secrets or hints are revealed.
Where did the good Reverend Settle?
The December 20th 1780 Grant shows that William McGregor settled upon 250 acres on the southwest side of the Pee Dee.
The written part revealed the property sat on the east side of "Ataway Mountain", joining McLester's line, to the Ataway branch, joining his own lines, or land he already had entered or bought. This is exactly where the Kron House sits today. After his death, Dr. Francis Kron would purchase McGregor's old farm, and this site is preserved for posterity at Morrow Mountain State Park today.
This above plat shows the McGregor property meeting that of Henry Mounger's and the mouth of Attaway Branch, dated December, 1779, with Mounger and McGregor their own chain carriers.
On a state census prior to the first Federal Census of 1790, Rev. McGregor's name is incorrectly transcribed as "Wm McGrice", with Bartlett beside him. Other notable names near him is Neddy Pennington and Ephraim Carter, there are a number of Nobles, a family who dissipated over time, but left their name on Noble's Mountain, right outside the park. Moses Curtis is there, who is mentioned in my previous post on William McGregor and the Solomons, Daniel McLester, who may have been the neighbor, Kinchen Pennington, Peter Ware and two spots below him, possibly Roland Ware, and between them, Samuel P.? (Parsons maybe?).
In a list of Anson County Will Indexes, we find the 1824 list of Anthony McGregor's Will, but there is a 1797 list of a John McGregor with a wife named Mary.
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Religion and the ministry were driving forces in the course of life for Rev. McGregor and his kin. In my earlier post, linked above, I gave a little more depth of information on his ties to the church and the Sandy Creek Association, to which they belonged. Sandy Creek, which was located in Randolph County, had been established in 1755 by Shubal Stearnes and Daniel Marshall.
Above is a list of Churches who were members of the Association, and the delegates who had represented them at a particular conference in the later 1700's. Representing "Uwharrie", referring to the Mouth Of the Uwharrie Primitive Baptist Church, were my ancestors, William McGregor and Isaac Calloway.
There has been some debate concerning the location of the Church. The physical mouth of the Uwharrie River lies on the eastern shore of the Yadkin- Pee Dee River, and this marks the exact point where the Yadkin becomes the Pee Dee. When the Yadkin and the Uwharrie Rivers come together, you have the Pee Dee, they are the parents of it .Rev. McGregor could see the place from the Ferry Crossing near his home and named the church for it. His home was most definitely on the western bank of the river. Near the site of his home is the marker of the original site of Stony Hill Church. The Mouth of the Uwharrie Congregation would become the Stony Hill Congregation, an active church. I believe that marker also indicates in general proximity the location of the Mouth of the Uwharrie Church, also. It may or may not have been the same building. There had been recorded storm damage to the spot over the decades.
From those I know who attended the church, my ancestors, the McGregors, the Calloways and the Solomons, my ancestor, Rev. Samuel Parsons Morton, who was recorded in a later biographical sketch as attending as a youth and young man, and others who represented the church as delegates to the conferences over the years, by and large were from the western side of the river. A few were even from Cabarrus County. The one exception was Pleasant Epps, who lived on the eastern bank of the river. Most easterners attended the Fork of the Little River Church or the Pee Dee Baptist Church.
We know that Rev. McGregor died in 1804 and is buried at Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County, NC. But what of his children? The 1805 tax list of Warren County, Tennessee contains the names Ezekial, Willis and William McGregor (Jr). There's a Thomas McGregor in Davidson County, Tennessee in the same list and Flowers McGregor joins Thomas by 1811. Another William and Ezekial Ware end up in Maury County, TN. They're probably all related in some way or another, but the Warren County set are the only ones who are children of Rev. William of Montgomery County. By the 1820 census, Ezekial, William and Richmond McGregor are listed in Warren County. Richmond was a son of William, Jr., although some trees tie him to William Sr.. My belief is that he was a grandson of Rev. William, not a son. By 1830. Rev. Bennett Solomon, my ancestor who married Ava McGregor, daughter of Rev. William, and took over his ministry after his death, has himself passed away. Ava would join her brothers in Warren County, Tennessee, taking most of her children with her. She left behind her oldest son, named William after his grandfather, who would fill the empty shoes of his father, and also become a minister. She also left behind a daughter, Francis "Fanny" Solomon, who married a Russell.
The 1830 census of Warren County lists Ezekial, William Jr., Willis, Ava Solomon and Jehu, Richmond, Ezekial II, and William III, the latter four all grandsons. Later generations would move westward and southward still, while leaving a handful of relatives in and around Warren as they had in the parts of North Carolina where they had dwelt.
The children I am assured were the children of Rev. William McGregor were:
1) Bartlett McGregor (1770-1842) married Ann Harris, daughter of Roland Harris. Moved to Stewart County, Tennessee by 1810 and died there in 1842 at age 72.
Children:
A) Nancy McGregor (1791-1885) married Marmaduke Hogan.
B) Harris Valentine McGregor (1796-1854) Married Libby Herndon, moved to Trigg co Kentucky.
C) Lucy McGregor (1799-1863) married John Mann, died in Indian Mound, Stewart, TN.
D) Mary Lucinda McGregor (1800-1832) married Harrison, died Dade County, Missouri.
E) Arvila Avie Ann McGregor (1802-1880) married Willliam Morris of Anson County, NC, 1st, married Uriah Tyson 2nd., father and grandfather of "Tyson's Chicken" founders. Died in Atkins, Pope County, Arkansas.
F) Joel Henderson McGregor (1805-1870) married Emily Gay, moved to Brazos, Texas.
G) Levi Bartlett McGregor (1805-1861) married Elizabeth Mann. died in Travis, Texas.
H) Noah McGregor (1811-1885) married 1st Nellie Allen, married 2nd Mahala Duncan. Involved in the politics and government of Stewart County, Tennessee and died there in 1885.
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| Noah McGregor |
I) John "Jack" McGregor -according to family records, died in Indian Mound, Stewart,TN at age 16.
J) Bartlett II McGregor-according to family records, died at age 6 in Montgomery County, NC.
J) Bartlett II McGregor-according to family records, died at age 6 in Montgomery County, NC.
2)William McGregor Jr. (actually III) died October 6, 1839 in Warren County, Tennessee.
Married Martha Jane Stiles.
A) Elizabeth Mae McGregor (1784 - Unknown) married William M. Williams, three children.
B) Willis Wallac(son of III) McGregor (1784-1861) Married Susannah, died in McMinnville, Warren County.
C) Maryann 'Polly' McGregor (1789-1868) Married Robert Allen "Bob" Stoker III, died in Carroll County, Tennessee.
D) Sarah 'Sally' McGregor (1792-1868) Married Elijah Dodson, died in Smyrna, Warren County, TN.
E) Richmond J McGregor (1794-1858) Married 1st Mary Magdalena Myers 9 children, died in Smyrna, Warren, TN.
F) Martha McGregor (1794-1872) Married James Madison Mitchell, died in Dade Co. Missouri.
G) Jehu "Jay" McGregor (1796-1866) Married Sarah Dodson, died in Smyrna, Warren, Tenn.
H) Salina McGregor (1799 -1874) Married Raleigh Shipley, died in Dade County, Missouri.
I) William (son of III) McGregor (1805 -1839) called "Nard". Died in Smynra, Warren County. Married "Mary".
J) Ezekial (son of III) McGregor (1810-1856)
K) Clinton McGregor (1814-1853) Married Celcena Myers.
L) Jason McGregor (died 1845 in Grundy, Tennessee. Was in Warren in 1838)
3) Ava " Avey" McGregor (1778-1857) Married Bennett Solomon (1773-1818) Her husband died in Stanly County, NC. She died in Warren County, TN.
A) Tehony Solomon (1791- ?)
B) Martha B. "Patsy" Solomon (1799-1850) Married George W. Bullen. Died in Warren County, TN
C) Rev. William S. Solomon (1801-1874) Married Tabitha Marks. Died in Stanly County, NC.
D) Frances "Fanny" Solomon (1803-1875) Married Jarrett Russell. Died in Stanly County, NC.
E) Jane Solomon (1805-1880) Married Robert H. Turner. Died in Dekalb County, Tennessee
F) Sarah A. Solomon (1805-1875) Married Hardin "Hardy" Russell. Died in Warren County, TN.
G) Mary 'Polly' Solomon (1807-1847) Married Micajah Massey. Died in Cannon County, TN.
H) Willis Lymon Solomon (1809-1877) Married Myrick Safely. Died in Warren County, TN.
I) Bennett Solomon Jr. (1812-1862) Married Anna Carlyle Morton. Died in Benton County, Missouri.
J) Hixey Solomon (1814-1885) Married Charles Hutchison. Died in Warren County, TN.
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| McGregor Homestead in Stewart County, Tennessee |
4) Ezekial McGregor (1784-1856) Ezekial and Willis were twins and married twins. Twins ran in the family and several of Rev. McGregors children and grandchildren would have twins. Ezekial also followed his father into the ministry He married Sarah Jane "Sallie" Ware, daughter of Roland Ware and Temperance White. He is buried in the Smyrna Cemetery, formerly known as the McGregor family cemetery, with Ava McGregor Solomon and many other family members.
A) Ahixoam "Hixie" McGregor (1806-1865) Married Phillip Gysberti Hoodenpyl. Died in McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee. 12 children: Phillip II, George, Nancy Paine, Mary Minerva, Miria, Susan, Sarah, Missouri Polk, Wallace/Willis, Mary E., Adalaide, Christianna.
B) Temperance Mae "Tweaky" (1807-1883) Married James Allen of Montgomery County, North Carolina. They relocated to Adairsville, Bristow County, Georgia. Like her father, she had 13 children, but no twins: Jerusha Winifred, Nepthalie Durham, Missouri, America, Ezekial M., Milton Columbus, William Calvin, Washington Jackson, Jason Franklin, Wiley Jefferson, Louisiana "Lou", James Rufus, Alexander McGregor Allen.
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| Temperance McGregor Allen aka "Tweaky" |
C) Elizabeth "Betsy" McGregor (1810-1881) Married McGladdrie. Believe to have died in Missouri or Mississippi.
D) Willis Nard McGregor (1812-1860) Married Nettie Ellen Harrison. Settled in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Thirteen children: William Washington, Audley Harrison, Sarah Elizabeth, Jemima, George, Mexico, Wiley M. 'Bud, Joseph Jason James Clinton Henderson Pleasant aka "Coon" (seriously), Newton Ezekial, Martha Vesta Ann aka "Pink", Nettie D. and Rachel.
E) Jason McGregor (1813-1871) Married 1st to Margaret Jane Pennington; 6 children: Mary Ann, Victory Jane, John Wesley, Romulus, Remus,Silas. Married Theresa "Tressie" Sims 3 children: Charlotte, Francis and Mae. Died in Warren County, TN.
F) Susan McGregor (1814-1850) Married Benjamin Huckabee; 7 children: Sarah, James, William, John Henry, Eva Malinda, Matthew, Lundy. Died in Bell County, Texas.
G) Minnie McGregor (1815- ?) never married. Died in Pontotoc, Mississippi.
H) Jemima McGregor (1816-1859) married William Huckabee; 11 children: Ezekial, George Washington, Calvin, Mary Susan, Ava, Sarah Jane, Andrew Jackson, William Jr, Evy Charlotte, John Bartlett Huckabee. Died in Pontotoc, Mississippi.
I) Andres Wiley McGregor (1819- aft 1880) Married 1st Sarah A. Harrison; 5 children: Martha Lill, Sarah Celeste, Elizabeth Young, Mary Catherine, William Clary; Married 2nd, Francis "Fannie" Winsett; 7 children: Andrew, Thomas, Mack, Vesta Ann, Zala, Ida, Avy. Died in Athens, Limestone, Alabama.
J) Avey McGregor (1819-1897) Married 1st Benjamin Marks of Montgomery/Stanly County, NC; tw sons: James H. Marks, Ezekial McGregor "Mack" Marks. Married 2nd Bartlett Huckabee; 4 children: Jason T., Charlotte Ann, Mary G., Martha D. Huckabee. Died in Bell County, Texas.
K) Henderson Seawell McGregor (1821-1887) Married Martha C. Young; 9 children; Thomas Hiram, Dosia Delia, Mary Elizabeth, Charles, Lou, Sallie F., Martha J, Bruce Edward, Margaret. Died in Irving College, Warren County, Tennessee.
L) Clinton McGregor (1824-1874)
M) William Bartley/Barclay (Barlett) McGregor (1826-1874) Married twice. 1st to "Wisse" Mayes, 2 children: John T and Benton McGregor.. Married 2nd to Currie Swindle, three children (may have been hers previously) Margaret, Anna and Charles Swindle.
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| Nancy McGregor Hunter |
5) Willis McGregor (1784-1861) Twin of Rev. Ezekial McGregor. Married Susannah Ware, sister of Ezekial's wife, Sarah Ware. 9 daughters:
A) Nancy McGregor (1812-1884) Married Peter Hunter. Died in Grayson County, Texas. 6 children: John W, Vashti/Vesta, Susan Lavonia, Andrew Peter, Missouri.
B) Almira Cinthia "Myra" McGregor (1812-1880) twin. Married James Anderson Safley. 12 children: Cynthia , Jaspar, Ann, Mary, Marion, Spencer, Nancy, Lawson Isaiah, Louisa, Laura, Lucus, Doc Anderson.
Died in Warren County, Tennessee.
C) Minerva "Mina" McGregor (1812 - after 1880) Twin. Never married.
D) Mexico McGregor (1816-1891) Married James Madison Ware; two children; Mary Susan and Willia J Ware. Died in Garland, Collin County, Texas.
E) Ahinoam McGregor (1817-1895) Married Logan Dietz; 8 children: Thomas J,, Molly, Silas, Josephine "Josie", Virginia L. "Jenny", Ira Lester "William", Amos Stone, Susan C. Died in Bogota, Red River, Texas.
F) Vesta or Vashti McGregor (1821-1889) Never married. Lived with sister Orpha's family after parents death. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.
G) Lavonia Anna McGregor (1824-1883) Never married. Died in Warren County. Lived with family members.
G) Orpha McGregor (1823-1905) Married John Wesley Mitchell; 4 children; Charles, Florence, John and Idell. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.
H) Cynthia McGregor (1827-1902) Married William Lane Swan, one child, Susan Swan. Married late (41), helped raise step-children. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.
6) Martha McGregor
Martha McGregor was one of Rev. McGregors' two daughters. Martha was born around 1780 died in 1815. She married William Boyd, a Revolutionary War soldier
William Boyd was born August 11, 1760, in Southhampton, Virginia. He died in 1854 in Washington County, Arkansas. He enlisted in the Revolution from Rowan County, NC and lived there at the time of his enlistment. According to his Revolutionary War pension, after the War he lived in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and like many former soldiers, became a worm in hot ashes. He first moved with his family and inlaws to Warren County, Tennesee. From there to Lauderdale County, Alabama. From there to McNairy County, Tennessee, and finally to Washington County, Arkansas in 1837 and died there in 1854.
He and Martha McGregor, whom he married in Montgomery County, NC, probably just before her father's death. The couple had five children:
1) McGregor "Mack" Boyd (1804-1853) Married 1st: Lavina Oxford, 5 children, married 2nd, Charlotte Young, 1 child. Moved 1st from Tennessee to Prairie, Washington County, Arkansas, Moved lastly to Hopkins County, Texas.
2) William Daniel or David Boyd (1806-1891) Married 1st to Elizabeth Oxford, 11 children. Married 2nd to Jane Moody, Married 3rd to Jane Thomas. Settled in Washington County, Arkansas.
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| William D. Boyd |
3) Willis Boyd (1808-1882) Married Lucinda Surratt 1st and Lucinda Watkins or Waltrip, 2nd. Father of between 8 to 12 children. Some confusion among who is who. Died in Oxford Bend, Washington County, Arkansas.
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| Willis Boyd and wife, Lucinda W. Boyd |
4) Ezekial Boyd (1811-1841) Married Lucinda Waltrip, 3 children: Washington, Carolina and Nancy. Died in Washington County, Arkansas. His widow married his brother Willis, after Willis's 1st wife, Lucinda Surratt died.
5) Martha Hardin Boyd Todd (1813-1900). Married Elijah Smith Todd, 12 children, listed in the below Todd family history. Died in Washington County, Arkansas.
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The children often attributed to Rev. McGregor that may have been his kin, but I don't believe were his children were: Anthony of Anson, John and a different William who stayed back east, Flowers and Sarah "Sallie" McGregor.
Rev. William McGregor left his influence far and wide, through his ministry and through his large family. Everywhere they landed, some stayed and others removed further west. They moved in groups. Once they chose a certain town or county and several family members, along with neighbors or intermarried families moved with them. The MacGregors had interesting family trends. As usual, names floated from generation to generation, in honor of the predecessors, parents, grandparents, and siblings. Ezekial, Willis, William and Ava or it's variations like Eva or Avey, passed down through various lines and variations and over to other surnames that female family members married into. The name "Bartlett" traveled through the McGregor, Huckabee and associated lines from old Bute County, NC to Montgomery, NC to Warren, McNairy, and Stewart Counties in Tennessee, and the places in Arkansas, Alabama and Texas that the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Rev. McGregor spread to. Other recurring names were Nard and Henderson as middle names. There seems to be a connection to Joel Henderson of old Montgomery County, NC.
Unusual girls' names were also common, like Vashti, short for Vashita, which also ran through the Isaac Calloway family, also my ancestor, and we know from church records that Rev. McGregor had a close association with Isaac Callaway, both serving as delegates to the Association meetings. Another uncommon girl's name was Ahinoam, a Biblical name meaning "my brother is pleasant", or Ahixoam, aka "Hixie". There were two in the Bible, one married King Saul, and the other was a wife of King David. It's a very rare name and I wonder if Rev. William's wife, mother or grandmother was the originator of the name in the family lines. The also liked to name daughters after place names. Rev. McGregor had multiple granddaughters and great granddaughters named Mexico, Missouri, Louisiana and America.
There were also many marriages within several other families that had either migrated with them from Montgomery County, NC or came afterwards, perhaps by mail request, to marry into the family. Siblings married siblings from other families. Cousin marriages were not uncommon. Some of those intragenerational marriages were from the Huckabee, Ware, Harrison, Mitchell, Safely, and Young families, a lot of them with representation in North Carolina before going to Tennessee. They married who was close, as well as married who was distant and traveled to join them. Twins ran in the family and still do, according to the McGregor Association online. Rev. McGregor contributed to my Scottish genes, the largest hunk in the recipe that is me.
