My Genealogy Hound

Ransford P. McGregor, a man looked up to and held in the highest esteem by his fellow-citizens, also a wealthy planter of Cotton Plant, is a native of Tennessee, and was born in Rutherford County, in 1848, being the son of Ransford and Isabella (Henderson) McGregor. The senior McGregor was probably born in Davidson County, Tenn., in 1801, and his wife in Rutherford County. They were married in the latter State, where their entire lives were passed. Mrs. McGregor was called to her final home in 1849, and her husband died in 1882. He was a justice of the peace and a leading farmer at the time of his demise. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent, and among the early settlers of Davidson County, Tenn., his death occurring in Wilson County. His grandfather, Col. James Henderson, was killed at the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. He was colonel of a Tennessee regiment, and a man of considerable prominence. Ransford P. was the youngest of seven children, five sons and two daughters. He is the only one married, and the only one living out of their native State. His education was greatly interfered with by the war, but notwithstanding he is a well-read, intelligent gentleman. At the age of twenty-seven he left his home and went to Alabama, where he engaged in farming for a few years, and in 1878 came to Cotton Plant, where he was married in the year 1879. His wife was Sallie, daughter of William Cooper, of South Carolina. She was left an orphan when quite small, but was reared and educated by Dr. T. D. Chunn. To Mr. McGregor’s marriage seven children were born, four sons and three daughters, all of whom are being educated by a private tutor at home. He resided on a farm one mile east of his present home, till 1889, then came to the town, where he has recently built a very fine residence. His farm is second to none in the county, consisting of 3,000 acres with about 1,000 under a high state of cultivation, also a good school-house and yard in connection with his property in town. Mr. McGregor is one of the principal land holders of the county, rising from the possessor of a few hundreds to one of the wealthy and influential men of the county. He has a good steam gin, which has been in successful operation since his residence here, and is now ginning twenty bales per day, and he will produce about 600 bales of cotton from his land this year. Mr. McGregor is a stanch Democrat, and voted for Greeley in 1872. He is known far and wide for his charities and liberal contributions, doing many of his kind acts and generous deeds, which never reach the ears of the outside world. Mrs. McGregor is a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church.