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 ^1 .G8775 
 1806 
 Copy 1 
 
 ^ S 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 OF 
 
 MAJOR SAMUEL GREGG. 
 
 1806. 
 
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AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 OF 
 
 MAJOR SAMUEIv GREGG. 
 
 1806. 
 
 Copy of Manuscript fozmd aino7ig the Papers of VVasJiington 
 P. Gregg ^ of Boston^ Mass.^ by Miss Liicinda J. Gregg — eji- 
 dorsed: ^^ Samuel Gregg ^ of Peterborough^ N. H . Brief account 
 by liira of his family^ ivHtten in 1805-1806^ when he was 66-67 
 years of age. Pie zuas )?iy Grandfather and Giving to his age 
 and defective memory^ he has made several mistakes in t/ie 
 zvithin which is very difficult for me to correct. 
 
 IV. P. Gregg.'' 
 
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A GENEALOGY OF i\IY ANCESTORS. 
 
 My Grandfather, James Gregg, was a native of Ayrshire, Scot- 
 land, emigrated about the year 1690; lived in the north of Ireland 
 in County of Derry, in the Parish IMuaskee. Ilis forefathei-s came 
 from Scotland, from a place called Aberdeen. He was a bleacher of 
 linen cloth. He married a Scotch woman. Her name was Janet 
 Cargill. She was from Ilia, Scotland. They had four sons and one 
 daughter born to them in Ireland. Their eldest son's name, "William; 
 2nd, John; 3rd, Samuel; 4th, Thomas. Their daughter's name, 
 Elizabeth. Their youngest son was about ten years old and my 
 Grandfather was about forty when the family left Ireland. 
 
 They came to America in the year 1718 and landed at Boston with 
 several other passengers, that came in other ships. The ship that they 
 came in as passengers went down East and spent the winter at Casco, 
 which is now called Portland. They came back the next spring to 
 Newbury and a number of them that came over from Ireland that 
 year, joined together and got a town.ship granted them, lying partly 
 west from Newbury about thirty miles, which they called Nut field. 
 They moved into it in the year 1710. My Grandfather. James Gregg, 
 was one of the proprietors of the Town and helped to lay it out into 
 lots. And he built the first Grist ^lill in the town, and was Captain 
 of the first company of the Militia. The town granted him 300 acres 
 of land, which was some compensation for his trouble. 
 
 A few years later, my mother's father came over from Ireland. Ilis 
 name was Hugh Rankin. He was a native of Ireland. He was sev- 
 enteen years old when he was in Londonderry, besieged by tlie Papists 
 ninety-six days in the year 1()89, After that he was married to a 
 woman whose name was Dunlap. They lived in a town called Don- 
 given in the north of In'laml. I cannot tell what county. He had 
 eight daughters that u'n \v ui» and not any son. Il<' brought them 
 all to America and brought them to Londonderry, for that was the 
 name of the town after they had got their charter. My Grandmother 
 
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Rankin died in Ireland. The names of their daughters are as fol- 
 lows: 1st, Mary, 2nd, Martha;, 3rd, Jane; 4th, Esther; 5th, Janet; 
 6th, Agnes ; 7th, Anne ; 8th, Dinah. 
 
 I shall turn over to my Grandfather Gregg's family. My Grand- 
 father, James Gregg settled all his sons in Londonderry, N. H. His 
 oldest son, William, married to my Grandfather Ranldn 's fifth daugh- 
 ter, Jinnet Rankin. They had two sons and five daughters. His 
 oldest son's name was James; his second son, Hugh. His eldest 
 daughter's name was Mary; 2nd, Jinnet; 3rd, Agnes; 4th, Fanny; 
 and 5th, Naomi. My father, who was my Grandfather Gregg's second 
 son, John, married my Grandfather Rankin's sixth daughter. Her 
 name was Agnes. They had eight sons and two daughters. The 
 eldest sons, James and his twin mate, Hugh, who died, aged twenty- 
 one ; 3rd, John ; 4th, William ; 5th, George ; 6th, Samuel ; 7th, Joseph ; 
 8th, Benjamin. Their eldest daughter's name was Elizabeth; 2nd, 
 Jinnet. 
 
 My Grandfather Gregg's 3rd son Avhose name was Samuel, married 
 Mary Moore. They had four sons and four daughters, that growed 
 up. The name of their oldest was James; 2nd, John; 3rd, Samuel; 
 4th, David. Their oldest daughter's name was Margaret; 2nd, Eliza- 
 beth ; 3rd, Mary ; 4th, Agnes. 
 
 My Grandfather Gregg's fourth son was Thomas. He married 
 Agnes Fergeson. They had six children grow up. They went off to 
 the Cohos country a number of years ago and my uncle Thomas died 
 there. My Grandfather Gregg's daughter married to James Moore. 
 They had five sons and four daughters. The name of their oldest 
 was James ; 2nd, John ; 3rd, William ; 4th, Hugh ; 5th, Robert. Their 
 oldest daughter named Jinnet; 2nd, Elizabeth; 3rd, Sarah; 4tli, Mary. 
 My Grandfather Rankin's oldest daughter's name was I\Iary, she 
 was married to Allan Anderson. They had no children. His second 
 daughter whose name was Llartha married James Doak. They had 
 three sons and three daughters. Their oldest son's name was Robert; 
 2nd, John; 3rd, James; their oldest daughter's name was Margaret; 
 2nd, IMartha; 3rd, Esther. His third daughter whose name was Jane, 
 was married to John Crombie. They had three sons and five daughters. 
 Their oldest son was Hugh; 2nd, John; 3rd, James; Their oldest 
 daughter was Elizabeth; 2nd, Jinnet; 3rd, Agnes; 4th, IMary; 5th, 
 Anne. His fourth daughter married Daniel Clyde. They had five 
 sons and three daughters. The name of his oldest son, Joseph ; 2nd, 
 Hugh; 3rd, John; 4th, Samuel; 5th, Daniel. Their oldest daughter's 
 name was Anne; 2nd, Mary; 3rd, Agnes. His seventh daugh- 
 
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ter (nothing sniil of olh nn«l titli. Mr. Williiiiu mikI .lulm Grofrfr.) 
 Anne married Jnnies Cochran, that was takt-n with the 
 Indians in tlio year ITlT). Tlicy liad toiir sons and tivc dau},'htoi-s. 
 Their oldest son's iianif was James; "Jnd, .lolui ; :{rd. William; 4th, 
 Jonathan. Their oldest dau^dit(>r's name was Hannah; 2nd. Liley; 
 3rd, Dinah; 4th. IMary; oth, Anne. His ei^rhth dauf,'hter Dinah 
 married to \VilIiam Koircrs. They went to the Eastward and settled 
 at a town ealled Houcked — at the month of the Caneheck river— 
 sinee ealled (ieorpretown. Tlifv liml five sons and three dantrhters. 
 The oldest son's name was (Jeortre; l!nd, Thomas; 3rd, Huk'h; 4th, 
 John; 5th. AVilliam. Oldest danghter's name was Jinnet; 2nd, 
 Llargaret ; 3rd, Anne. 
 
 I shall turn to my Father's family. My father was sixteen years 
 old when he eame to Ameriea. ^Ty mother was Ajrnes Kankin. They 
 had eicrht sons and two daughters. ]My oldest brother James married 
 to Mary ^McCurdy. They had tivc sons and three daughters. Their 
 oldest son's name was John ; 2n(l. Joseph ; 3rd, James; 4th, Jonathan ; 
 5th, Benjamin. Their oldest daughter's name was Elizabeth; 2nd, 
 Hannah; 3rd. ]\Iary. ]\ly brother James went off from Londonderry 
 in the year 1790 to York State. Settled in a town called Snosbach, 
 since called Litchfield, about 100 miles west of Albany, and about 
 miles south of the ^lohawk River. Since that he moved about thirty 
 miles farther to the westward, and settled in a town called Auixusta, 
 where he settled all his sons but one. His oldest, John, was Captain 
 of a Company of Militia, and his son Joseph settled in a town called 
 Ackworth. X. H. State. Was Captain of a Company in that town, 
 ^ly brother Hugh who was a twin with my brother James, lost his 
 sight when he was about thirteen years of age, and died at the age 
 of 21. So nnieh for my oldest brothers. 
 
 ^ly brother John was my father's third .son. He married to 
 Elizabeth Gregg. She was the dantrhter of my uncle Samuel Gregg. 
 They moved to Peterl)orouirh in the year 17.")".). They had three sons 
 and three daughters. Tlnir oldest son's name Benjamin; 2nd, Eben- 
 ezer; 3nl. ^Villiam. Their oldest daughter's name was Agnes; 2nd, 
 Mary; 3rd, Jinnet. Then liis wife died and he married acrain to 
 widow Sturt. Her maiden name was Elizabeth White. daut;hter of 
 Patrick White. Three .sons and three daughtei-s. Their oklest son's 
 name John; 2nd. James; (no No. 3.) Their oldest daughter's name 
 was Betty; 2nd, Jane; 3rd, Fanny. ^ly brother John died in the year 
 1789. He was Lieutenant in the Militia. 
 
 ^!y brother William, who was my father's fourth son married Bar- 
 
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bara Aiken. They had two sons and four daughters. The name of 
 the oldest son Ebenezer; 2nd, William. His oldest daughter's name 
 was Agnes ; 2nd, Jane ; 3rd, R'osanna ; 4th, Betsey. His wife died and 
 lie married again to Agnes McCluer. She w^as a native of Ireland. 
 She had no children. She died. He married again Widow Abbot. 
 Her maiden name was Holt. They had children. He was a Captain 
 of Militia and when the American war began went at the Alarm to 
 Lexington with his Company, stayed a tour and was relieved by Cap- 
 tain Eeid'. Then he returned home. After that there was a call 
 for men to York State to stop the progress of the enemy. He went 
 as a Major and took a tour at White Plains and then returned home. 
 After that there was a call for men to stop Genrl. Burgoyne's army, 
 who was invading our Western Territories. He went as Colonel of 
 the Militia, and a few days before the battle at Bennington, he v.-as 
 sent out to meet a part of Burgoyne's army who were coming right 
 on to Bennington. He met them several miles beyond Bennington, 
 and finding their force far superior to his, he was obliged to retreat. 
 His name was recorded in the history of the American AVar. His 
 oldest son, Ebenezer was a captain of a company of the Militia in 
 Londonderry, and his second son is a Preacher of the Gospel. 
 
 N. B. ]\Iy brother William lives in Londonderry. 
 
 My sister Elizabeth was my father's oldest daughter. She was 
 next in age to my brother AA^illiam. She married to John 
 Willison of Blenford, in Mass. She went off with him in the 
 year 1761. They had three sons and three daughters. Their oldest 
 son was John; 2nd, Andrew; 3rd, George. Their oldest daughter's 
 name was Polly ; 2nd, Agnes ; 3rd, Betsey. My brother Willison died 
 several years ago. My sister Willison died 1801. 
 
 My brother George was my father's fifth son. He married to 
 Sarah Wason. They had not any children. They took my brother 
 John's second son, whose name was Ebenezer, when he was a child 
 and brought him up and made him their heir. They live in London- 
 derry. 
 
 My sister Jinnet, my father's second daughter, she married Wil- 
 liam Miltimore. They had four sons and three daughters that grew 
 up. The name of his oldest son, Daniel; 2nd, John; 3rd, William; 
 4th, James. (No mention of daughter's names.) They lived in Lon- 
 donderry in the South Range, so called. My brother Miltimore 's 
 son William is a preacher of the Gospel somewhere in the Eastern 
 Country, 
 
 N. B. My brother IMiltimore was a Tailor by trade^ 
 
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I Ava.s Jiiy fathor's sixth son. ]\Iy iiiollaT died when I wjus about 
 five years old. ^ly father had a larszc family and a good many of us 
 quite small. He was obliged to hire a housekeeper a good many yeai-s 
 before my sisters grew up. lie governed the family with u very 
 steady hand. He did not indulge too much neither was he too severe. 
 He gave us a chance of schooling, equal to our neighbors, which was 
 poor euough. in those days. My brothers that were older than I, 
 my father gave them land and they began to work for themselves. I 
 was obliged to work very hard at home with my father, till I was 
 <ilmost eighteen years of age. Then it was in the time of the French 
 War. There was great demand for men for to go into the War for the 
 fight the French who were invading our Territories. There was a 
 great many recruiting officers, some 'listing soldiers for the Provin- 
 cial Service and some for the Batoe Service, and some for the Rengen 
 (Ranging) Service. As my mind at that time led me to go into the 
 Army, I listed wath Capt. James Rogers who was recrniting men for 
 the Rengen Service for one year. I marched ofl: with him for Albany 
 the 10th of March, the year 1758. We marched on and got about 10 
 miles beyond Worcester, and then we got orders to return to Boston 
 to go to Cape Breton, which was far against my will, for my mind 
 Avas to go to the Westward. AVe got to Boston very much fatigued 
 and then we were sent on to Cape William. There was the place of 
 rendezvous for the Rengers. There were four Companies of Rangers 
 which met there, viz. : Capt. IMcCordes ; Capt. Rogers ; Capt. Stark 
 and Capt. Broncas. We stayed there about a fortnight and then went 
 aboard of vessels and sailed to Halifax, 
 
 This was in the month of April and we stayed there to about the 
 first of June. By this time the Grand Fleet was made np, which 
 consisted of about 360 Sail of which 21 wei'e ships of the line. Some- 
 time about the 1st of June the whole fleet sailed from Halifax for 
 Cape Breton. They arrived in Caberrus Bay in {ilain sight of the 
 French intrenchment. The 8th day early in the morning, we were 
 put in boats and pushed to the shore and stormed their trenches and 
 drove the French into the City, which was about three miles. Then 
 retreated back toward the Bay and camped that night. Then the 
 siege began which lasted 46 days. The City surrendered with all its 
 contents to the British arms. Sometime in the month of August a 
 party of men was sent to the Island of St. Johns. About 400 com- 
 manded by Capt. Roler. There was half of Capt. Roger's Company 
 an one-half of Capt. Stark's. I went with Capt. Rogers to St. John's 
 Island and was there about three months and helped to build a Fort 
 
 
and then returned to Cape Breton, in the month of November and 
 there was our headquarters for that winter. In the month of ]\Iarch 
 Lieutenant Wm. Duffee was sent out with a party of men to see if 
 there were any French on the back side of the Island of Cape Breton. 
 He took with him about 40 men. I went with him. We took with us 21 
 days provision. We went most part of the way upon snow shoes. We 
 took a number of French prisoners and returned in fifteen days. 
 AVhen the Spring opened the British fleet met in Cape Breton harbor 
 and sailed for Quebec about the 4th of June under the command of 
 Admiral Sandos and Genrl. Wolfe. My time was out that I had en- 
 listed for — I insisted on my discharge and got it and got a passage 
 for Boston. The 8th day of June we sailed from Cape Breton and 
 in nine days we arrived in Boston. This was in 1759. 
 
 I came home to Londonderry to my father's and worked with him 
 that summer. The next winter I went to my brother James to learn 
 to make foot wheels, for he was a Wheel Maker. The next Spring I 
 set up Wheel making at my father's and worked about one year and 
 found wheel making was no great object. I thought I must have a 
 farm. My two youngest brothers still lived with my father— viz. : 
 Joseph and Benjamin. I saw that my father's mind was to have 
 them live at home. I knew that I must turn out somewhere. My 
 father told me that he had lands in Peterborough lying close by my 
 brother John's and that he would give me a lot if I would go there 
 and live. I told him I would go and see it. Accordingly I did, 
 and after I had seen his lands in Peterborough, I told liim that if he 
 would give me such a lot that I would go to work on it. In the year 
 1762 I worked upon my land all Summer. In the Fall of the j^ear, 
 I put up a frame of a house, and returned to my father's in London- 
 derry in the winter. In the March following I was married to Agnes 
 Smiley. She was a daughter of John Smiley of Haverhill and I 
 moved her in June, to Peterborough in the year 1763. I got my 
 house boarded and my chimneys up and got into it in the month of 
 July and began housekeeping. We had a dull prospect. I had but 
 little land cleared and no roads, and four or five miles from either 
 Grist Mill or Saw Mill. No minister and few neighbors. We were 
 but young and it was very discouraging to us, it being a new town 
 and we were not used to the woods. 
 
 Notwithstanding the many difficulties that appeared before us, we 
 kept up good courage in hopes for better times. In the course of 
 about one year after we were married, my wife brought me a son and 
 seeing that we had addition to our family, then we began to work 
 
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on our laud for to pet support for ourselves and ofl'sprin*;, as beiufr 
 at a great distance from our relatives, we did not depend on any as- 
 sistance from any of them. We were obliged to work very hard. \Ve 
 got a barn up the year after we came to Peterborough. I got land 
 cleared and got some cows and oxen and a horse and in a few years, 
 through the blessing of God we had a living equal to the rest of our 
 neighbors. Before the War broke out, I was appointed a Sergeant 
 of a Company of the Militia in Peterborough. I served in that equal 
 to any Sergeant in any Company, although I was the youngest Ser- 
 geant in the Company. A few years after a good many of the old 
 officers resigned their commissions and there was choice of new 
 officers in our Company. I was chosen Second Lieutenant of the 
 Company. I served in that station a few years, then the war broke 
 out between Britain and America. I went with the Company at the 
 alarm to Lexington, more as a leader than a Connnander, for I looked 
 on my commission as quite dead. I stayed with the Company about 
 eight or ten days and then returned home. By this time we had four 
 sons and one daughter living. I worked on my farm and did not go 
 into the army, although I had a great inclination to go into the army, 
 but happened not to. A few years after I was chosen 1st Lieut, of a 
 Company. After the war broke out, this State began to regulate the 
 Militia and divide the State into regiments, and I was honored with 
 a IMajor's Commission in the 23rd Regiment, commanded by Francis 
 Blood, Colonel. I officiated in that station at one muster, which was at 
 Temple and reviewed by Genrl. Bates and Genrl. Lovell, who was our 
 Brigade General, and a few years after I resigned my commission and 
 the regiment was filled up with new field officers. This ended my 
 Military ^Matters, after serving as an officer of one kind or another 
 for nigh twenty years. 
 
 During the time of the American War with Great Britain, I did not 
 go into the war, but I assisted in carrying on the war, equal to any in 
 town according to my interest— I stayed at home with my family. The 
 war between America and Great Britain commenced on April 19th, 
 1775, and lasted to the year 1782. Then a Peace was made between 
 Britain and America. And about the year 1785 our youngest dauiih- 
 ter was born. Then we had four sons and four daughtei-s, and iK'ar 
 about this time our oldest son was married to Kachel Stuart. I gave 
 him a lot of land about one mile from where I live. They had 
 three children; two sons and a daughter. Their oldest son's name 
 was John; he died when he was about two years old. Their second 
 son's name was Hugh. He was born Dec. 12th, 1787, and Iheir 
 
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daughter Rachel was born Jan. 8th, 1789. His wife died in about 
 three weeks after Rachel was born. Then he married again to Han- 
 nah Hardy and they had five children when they left this town. They 
 went off to York State in the year 1800, and settled in a town called 
 Augusta, Hugh and Rachel we took and brought up, Hugh was our 
 second son. He married to Sarah Holmes, They settled in Green- 
 field, They have had eight children, seven are now living. Our oldest 
 daughter's name is Sarah. She married to Capt. David Steele. He 
 is now a Colonel, She has had seven children. They are all dead 
 but one. Our 3rd daughter's name was Anne. She was married to 
 James Gregg of Londonderry and had three children— two that 
 lived— a boy and a girl. She died in the year 180-4:, She left the 
 care of her son with his Grandfather Benjamin Gregg and she left 
 the care of her daughter ^^^th her sister Polly Gregg. The name of 
 the boy is Franklin; the name of the girl is Lucinda, Our 3rd son 
 was Samuel. Went off to York State when he was about 21 years of 
 age, and stayed there four or five years. He married there to Lucinda 
 Campbell. She lived Avith him about two years and died. 
 
 Then he left York State and settled in Boston, He married to 
 Elizabeth Hopkinson, They have three children; two twin boys 
 and a girl. The names of his boys are "Washington, and the other 
 Jefferson. He follows the Chair making business, etc., etc. Daugh- 
 ter's name Elizabeth. Our 4th son's name was George. I settled 
 him at home with me and gave him part of my farm. He built a 
 house and married to Sarah Moore, daughter of Lieut. AVm. jMoore of 
 this town. They lived with me two or three years, then sold his part 
 of the farm and bought another farm about one mile from my house 
 and lived there three years, and sold that farm and went and bought 
 in York State and moved off from here in the month of Nov, 1805. 
 They had three children, two boys and one girl. Their oldest son 
 died in this town. He was about five years old. His name was Ste- 
 phen, The other two the}'' took with them. The boy's name is 
 George, The girl's name was Nancy, Our 3rd daughter's name is 
 Polly. She took great care of her mother in her sickness and has 
 kept my house since her mother died. She remains single as yet. 
 Our 4tli daughter's name is Betsey. She was married in Feb., 1806,^ 
 to Wm. Hutchings of Boston. She went off to Boston to live 6th of 
 May, 1806. Her husband is a Chairmaker. They live in Hanover 
 at Boston. Hugh and Rachel we took and brought up. They were 
 our son John's children that his first wife had to him. Hugh lived 
 with me till he was about 18 years of age. Then I put him to John 
 
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Crombie of New Boston, to learn the carpenter trade in April, 1805. 
 And his sister Kachel lived with us until she was about 17 yt^ars of 
 ac:e, then she went off to (iroton to learn the Tailor's trade with 
 Gilbert Smith. She went otf in Feb., 180G. 
 
 I have given a small sketch of my family. I shall mention some- 
 thing: respectinj? myself and my wife. AVe both enjoj'ed for a UmiH 
 lime a considerable good state of health. ]\Iy wife was very healthy 
 till she had nnrsed all her children. Then she nursed two grand 
 children which wore her almost out. She began to be very weakly and 
 for about ten years before she died, she failed very fast and became 
 very weakly and was so far gone many times, that her life was many 
 times despaired of. At last she fell into a consumption about two 
 years before she died. It seemed to wear her away very fast, not- 
 withstanding all the doctors we employed or the medicines and direc- 
 tions were to no purpose. She kept growing weaker eveiy day to 
 lier last. She died Feb. 2nd, 1803, in the 60th year of her age. AVe 
 were married in ]\Iareh, 1763. AVe lived together almost fortv vears. 
 As for myself, I have enjoyed a tolerable state of health for a long 
 time, till about the year 1799, I was taken with a bad cough and 
 shortness of breath, which settled in the Asthma disorder and has 
 continued with me ever since. But before that in the year 1797 I had 
 a sore begin on one of my hips. I had it opened and it became a 
 running sore, and ran about four years and then dried up. And in 
 about the year 1801, I fell and broke one of my legs and put my 
 ankle out of joint. Old age and infirmities my health is very much 
 impaired. I am scarcely able to keep about, but I have great reason 
 to thank God that he has continued me so long in the land of the 
 living. 
 
 I was born in Londonderry, X. 11., in April, 1739, and I am now 
 in my 67th year, and I have wrote these few memorandums which I 
 have collected in the year 1806. 
 
 Samuel Gregg. 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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