My Genealogy Hound

James Gregory, another successful farmer and stock-raiser of Lamar Township, Barton County, Mo., is a native of York County, Penn., born February 22, 1822, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (LaRue) Gregory, both natives of Pennsylvania, he of Scotch-Irish descent, and she of German and French. Mr. Gregory was an extensive farmer, and died in 1852. In 1835 they moved to Morgan County, Ill., and in the days of militia he was colonel of a regiment. He was a Whig in politics, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also the mother, who died in 1862. Of their family of seven children, five sons and two daughters, James Gregory was the third in order of birth. He attained his growth on the farm, and, while growing up, learned the blacksmith trade, at which he worked for some time. After farming and trading until 1852, he went to California by way of South America, visiting Brazil, Chili, etc., and, after reaching California, he mined, ranched and freighted for two years. He then returned by way of Central America, Cuba and New York, In 1862 he again went West, and remained abroad until 1868, engaged in mining, ranching, freighting, saw-milling and dealing in stock. He has been in every Territory but Alaska, Arizona and New Mexico. He bought Brigham Young’s cattle when he died, located in Carbon County, Wyoming Territory, and drove stock from Texas and west to St. Louis. Having located in Carbon County, Wyoming Territory, he here engaged in the stock business until 1877, when he moved to Barton County, Mo., and settled on his present farm of over 1,200 acres, which is situated five miles east of Lamar. He devotes his energies to the raising of fine stock of all kind, and principally short-horn cattle. In 1860 he married Miss Frances B. Guyatt, a native of Canada, and the fruits of this union are two children: James R. and Mary B. While in Illinois, Mr. Gregory served eight years as sheriff, deputy sheriff and constable, and while in Wyoming he was chosen by both parties to the Legislature, but refused the position. He takes an active part in politics, is a Republican, as are also all the members of his family. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his son is a Knight Templar. He began in life a poor boy, and has made his property by his own industry. He has traveled fourteen times across the continent, is a self-made man, and one of the influential citizens of the county.