George C. Gregory
Encyclopedia
George Craghead Gregory was an American attorney, businessman, historian
, and author
. He lived with his wife and seven children at "Granite Hall", an estate located near Granite
in northwestern Chesterfield County
about 8 miles west of Richmond, Virginia
.
In 1932, he discovered the foundation of the first brick statehouse (capitol) building (circa 1646) of the Colony of Virginia at Jamestown Island
. In 1936, he founded the Jamestowne Society
, a lineage organization.
on July 17, 1878, to Lucy Jane Brodie and Archibald Hatchett Gregory (1840–1897). His father was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia
, and was one of the Virginia Military Institute
(VMI) cadets who were ordered by the Governor of Virginia
Henry A. Wise
to stand guard at the hanging
of John Brown
at Harper's Ferry in 1859 under the command of VMI Majors William Gilham
and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. During the American Civil War
, Captain Gregory was with the Confederate North Carolina Infantry, and was wounded and imprisoned during the war.
One of 10 children, George graduated from the University of Virginia
School of Law in 1902. Gregory became a prominent attorney, businessman and land developer in Richmond, Virginia
, where he was an officer of Guaranty Trust Company, a predecessor of the modern Bank of America
.
year, 1909–1910, in Richmond, on September 1, 1910, he married Constance Adela Heath (1890–1982) of California
at Sonning-on-Thames, England
. They made their home at "Granite Hall", which was located near the south side of the James River
in Chesterfield County, Virginia
, where he had a large mansion erected. It was faced with granite quarried nearby. They had seven children.
Among the children of Constance Adela (née Heath) Gregory and George Craghead Gregory was Edward Meeks "Pope" Gregory
(1922–1995). Born at Granite Hall on September 30, 1922, he became an Episcopalian
priest in Richmond. He was associated with Christ Church School, Christ-Church, Virginia; St. Marks Episcopal Church, Richmond, and lastly, St. Peters Episcopal Church in Richmond. During the era of Massive Resistance
and the desegregation crisis post-Brown v. Board of Education
in Virginia, when Prince Edward County
’s public schools were closed, Gregory raised money for black students to attend private schools from 1959 to 1964. Reverend Meeks held the first gay marriage ceremony in Virginia, on the lawn of St. Peter's Church in Richmond, in August 1978. In 1979, while serving on Richmond'’s Human Relations Commission, Gregory became a big proponent, albeit unsuccessfully, of adding sexual orientation to the city code's nondiscrimination policies.
, a toll-bridge, which was completed in 1911. Linking western Henrico
and Chesterfield counties, the bridge was located between Bosher's Dam and Williams Island Dam
just west of the 7 miles of rapids and falls which constitute the fall line
of the James River at Richmond. The Westham Bridge was located just west of the Huguenot Bridge, which was built in 1949 and replaced it. Piers, abutments at each side, and power lines still marked the path in the early 20th century.
Gregory was also involved in a scheme to extend streetcar service from Westhampton Lake (now part of the campus of the University of Richmond
) across the Westham Bridge to the suburban resort community of Bon Air
. Although grading was done and some roadbed was actually prepared, the plans never materialized. This was possibly due to either weight considerations involving the Westham Bridge or a right-of-way issue in Henrico County, or both. A portion of the graded pathway planned for the streetcar rising from the river survives as Southampton Road. Another stretch became Mohawk Drive in Bon Air.
.
In 1936, he founded the Jamestowne Society
for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to the year 1700.
Mrs. Gregory retired to California after the death of her husband in 1956, where she died in Oakland in 1982.
, and a subdivision beginning in 1958. The granite stone manor house remains, fronting on Piney Branch Road, and is occupied as a private residence. Nearby, Granite Hall Avenue winds through the subdivision, now located within the city limits of the independent city
of Richmond.
.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He lived with his wife and seven children at "Granite Hall", an estate located near Granite
Granite, Virginia
Granite was an unincorporated town in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It was originally located along the Richmond and Danville Railroad five miles west of Manchester and about a mile south of the rapids of the James River along Powhite Creek....
in northwestern Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
about 8 miles west of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
In 1932, he discovered the foundation of the first brick statehouse (capitol) building (circa 1646) of the Colony of Virginia at Jamestown Island
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
. In 1936, he founded the Jamestowne Society
Jamestowne Society
Jamestowne Society is an organization founded in 1936 by George Craghead Gregory for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to the year 1700.-Jamestown:In May 1607,...
, a lineage organization.
Birth, education
George Craghead Gregory was born in Granville County, North CarolinaGranville County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 59,916 people in 20,628 households residing in the county. The population density was 111.6 people per square mile . There were 22,827 housing units at an average density of 42.5 per square mile...
on July 17, 1878, to Lucy Jane Brodie and Archibald Hatchett Gregory (1840–1897). His father was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia
Lunenburg County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,146 people, 4,998 households, and 3,383 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile . There were 5,736 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, and was one of the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
(VMI) cadets who were ordered by the Governor of Virginia
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
Henry A. Wise
Henry A. Wise
Henry Alexander Wise was an American politician and governor of Virginia, as well as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
to stand guard at the hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
of John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
at Harper's Ferry in 1859 under the command of VMI Majors William Gilham
William Gilham
William Henry Gilham was an American soldier, teacher, chemist, and author. A member of the faculty at Virginia Military Institute, in 1860, he wrote a military manual which was still in modern use 145 years later...
and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Captain Gregory was with the Confederate North Carolina Infantry, and was wounded and imprisoned during the war.
One of 10 children, George graduated from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
School of Law in 1902. Gregory became a prominent attorney, businessman and land developer in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, where he was an officer of Guaranty Trust Company, a predecessor of the modern Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
Marriage, family
Following her debutanteDebutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
year, 1909–1910, in Richmond, on September 1, 1910, he married Constance Adela Heath (1890–1982) of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at Sonning-on-Thames, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They made their home at "Granite Hall", which was located near the south side of the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
in Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
, where he had a large mansion erected. It was faced with granite quarried nearby. They had seven children.
Among the children of Constance Adela (née Heath) Gregory and George Craghead Gregory was Edward Meeks "Pope" Gregory
Edward Meeks "Pope" Gregory
Edward Meeks "Pope" Gregory was an Episcopal priest in Richmond, Virginia. Reverend Meeks held the first gay marriage ceremony in Virginia at St...
(1922–1995). Born at Granite Hall on September 30, 1922, he became an Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
priest in Richmond. He was associated with Christ Church School, Christ-Church, Virginia; St. Marks Episcopal Church, Richmond, and lastly, St. Peters Episcopal Church in Richmond. During the era of Massive Resistance
Massive resistance
Massive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
and the desegregation crisis post-Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
in Virginia, when Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
’s public schools were closed, Gregory raised money for black students to attend private schools from 1959 to 1964. Reverend Meeks held the first gay marriage ceremony in Virginia, on the lawn of St. Peter's Church in Richmond, in August 1978. In 1979, while serving on Richmond'’s Human Relations Commission, Gregory became a big proponent, albeit unsuccessfully, of adding sexual orientation to the city code's nondiscrimination policies.
Developer: bridging the James River
George C. Gregory led the successful effort to build the privately-funded Westham BridgeWestham Bridge
Westham Bridge crossed the James River between Henrico County and Chesterfield County. The bridge was located between Bosher Dam and Williams Island Dam just west of the 7 miles of rapids and falls which constitute the fall line of the James River at Richmond, Virginia.Built as a toll bridge in...
, a toll-bridge, which was completed in 1911. Linking western Henrico
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Chesterfield counties, the bridge was located between Bosher's Dam and Williams Island Dam
Williams Island Dam
Williams Island Dam is located on the James River in the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. Just below the dam, seven miles of rapids mark the descent of the river downstream through the geological fall line region to the navigable tidal portion below Richmond, which extends southeast to...
just west of the 7 miles of rapids and falls which constitute the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
of the James River at Richmond. The Westham Bridge was located just west of the Huguenot Bridge, which was built in 1949 and replaced it. Piers, abutments at each side, and power lines still marked the path in the early 20th century.
Gregory was also involved in a scheme to extend streetcar service from Westhampton Lake (now part of the campus of the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
) across the Westham Bridge to the suburban resort community of Bon Air
Bon Air, Virginia
Bon Air is a census-designated place in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. The population was 16,366 at the 2010 census. The community is considered a suburb of the independent city of Richmond in the Richmond-Petersburg region, and shares a post office with Richmond...
. Although grading was done and some roadbed was actually prepared, the plans never materialized. This was possibly due to either weight considerations involving the Westham Bridge or a right-of-way issue in Henrico County, or both. A portion of the graded pathway planned for the streetcar rising from the river survives as Southampton Road. Another stretch became Mohawk Drive in Bon Air.
Historical activity
George C. Gregory and his wife were active in the Virginia Historical Society. He is credited in 1932 with discovering the foundation of the first brick statehouse (capitol) building circa 1646 at Jamestown, VirginiaJamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
.
In 1936, he founded the Jamestowne Society
Jamestowne Society
Jamestowne Society is an organization founded in 1936 by George Craghead Gregory for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to the year 1700.-Jamestown:In May 1607,...
for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to the year 1700.
Mrs. Gregory retired to California after the death of her husband in 1956, where she died in Oakland in 1982.
Heritage, memoriam
The land surrounding the Gregory family estate, Granite Hall, became the site of a golf course of the Bon Air Country Club after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and a subdivision beginning in 1958. The granite stone manor house remains, fronting on Piney Branch Road, and is occupied as a private residence. Nearby, Granite Hall Avenue winds through the subdivision, now located within the city limits of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Richmond.
Books and publications by George C. Gregory
- United nations of the world 1906 ISBN: B00088HAT8
- Sir Thomas West, 2nd Lord De La Warr 1926 ISBN: B0008960OI
- The Ransom work box 1933 ISBN: B0008BTR7S
- Nicolas and Jane Martiau, ancestors of Washington 1934 ISBN: B0008BU25Y
- Jamestown, first brick state house 1935 ISBN: B0008BU2C2
- Log house at Jamestown, 1607 1936 ISBN: B0008BU59W
- Parents, uncles and aunts 1992 ISBN: B0006P9K82
Further reading
- Claflin, Mary Anne, and Richardson, Elizabeth Guy (1977) Bon Air: A History, Hale Publishing, Richmond, Virginia
- Sorely, Merrow Egerton (1935) Lewis of Warner Hall
.