John Gregory's Lunenburg Land

John Gregory was still of Mecklenburg when he purchased in Lunenburg, 69 acres from his brother Wright Gregory. The land was on the South Fork of Meherrin, adjoining Eddins Moore, Robert Saunders and John Brown. Tax records show 27 acres of this tract transferred to John's son Roderick Gregory in 1821.

The bulk of John Gregory's land in Lunenburg was 840 acres purchased September 1813 from John Robertson and wife Elizabeth of Lunenburg. John Gregory was styled "of county of Mecklenburg." (Lun. DB 23:128)

The tract lay on both sides of Mitchell Creek, with the largest portion north of the creek. On the west, pointers were described, "three pines in Saunders line." The "three pines" were marks in the 1780 grant to Jesse Saunders.

History: The 840-acre tract was part of 3604-acre patent to Hugh Miller in 1755. (Pat. Bk 31:748) Records not obtained of the transfer, but much of the Miller patent was sold by Lewis Burwell. This 840-acre survey was conveyed by Burwell to Richard Boyd in 1804. (Lun. DB 20:40A) The same was conveyed by Boyd to John Robertson in 1809.

In 1826, the tract was reduced to 603 3/4 acres when John sold 141 1/2 acres to son Roderick (on the Couch-east side), "on waters of Mitchell Creek, beginning on Couches line on Saunders rolling road, then along said road." Same year, 95 acres to son Thomas N. Gregory, the northwest corner of the tract which bounded Samuel A. Bruce on the north, German Y. Stokes at the northwest corner, then south to the apparently same 3 corner pines given in the Jesse Saunders grant.

The Thomas N. Gregory cut: In 1833 (DB 30:28) Thomas sold the 95 acres plus 88 additional (apparently adjoining) to his brother-in-law Marshall M. Keith. (The 88-acre tract was purchased 1826 by Thomas from John Goode of Charlote, adj. Richard Jones & Burwell's old line.) The 183 1/4 acres total sold to Keith was "on both sides Mitchell Creek adjoining Jno Gregory, Thomas Pettus and Robert Saunders." (Deed index indicates Keith conveyed this 1834 to John Davidson [DB 30:82], who conveyed 1839 to Joseph F. Ellis [DB 31:269])

In November 1813, John Gregory, still of Mecklenburg, purchased 35 acres from Hyde Saunders. (Lun. DB 23:188) The small tract lay south of Mitchell Creek, completing the design of the 840-acre tract on the southeast. The 35 acres adjoined a 6-acre tract John Gregory soon acquired, the mill tract. The 35-acre tract was intact when John Gregory died.

In May 1815, John Gregory, still of Mecklenburg, purchased 87 acres from Richard R. Jones, Jones portion of the estate formerly charged to the estate of Edward Jones. The tract adjoined Ro. Saunders, Bannister Chaffin and Gregory's own land. This tract was taxed as 88 acres and remained with no building valued, at least through 1829. This 88-acre tract was intact when John Gregory died.

Between 1815 and 1816, John Gregory moved to his Lunenburg tract.

Gregory's Mill

The 6-acre tract was purchased 9 April 1816, from Lewis Burwell and Sally E., his wife. (Lun. DB 24:101) This piece of land was on the north side of Mitchell Creek, adjoining John Gregory on the southeast at the creek. By then, John Gregory was styled "of county of Lunenburg." The 6-acre tract was obviously a slice from the design of a 590-acre tract Burwell conveyed by deed, same date, to Thomas Couch. The Couch tract lay east of John Gregory. Land processed shows "Gregory's Mill" in this area.

In 1820, the 6-acre mill tract was valued at 256.00 per acre and the value of the building, $1500. As a comparison, the 840-acre home tract was valued at 6.50 per acre and value of building, $800. It continued the same until 1823, when the tax record remark reads, "Mill house burnt & deducted by the commr." The 6-acre tract was then valued at 5.00 per acre, 0 value of building. Apparently the mill was not rebuilt.

In February 1822, John Gregory added to his tract on the north, purchasing from Asa and Eliza [Bruce] Cabiness of county of Nottoway, 150 acres bounded by lands of said John Gregory, the dower land of Mary Bruce [widow of Alexander Bruce] and Samuel A. Bruce.(Lun. DB25:386). The land was devised by commissioners to Eliza Bruce in 1813 (or 1812- written over), (Lun. DB 25:260), land assigned to decedent Branch Bruce, orphan of Alexander Bruce dec'd, his equal eighth part. Neither of the referenced deeds included a survey, but the land obviously was north of the John Gregory tract, and probably contained the deeded 1835 Mt. Zion Church tract. Land Tax records 1823 and 1824 describe the 150 acres 12 miles west of court house, Crupper Run, $1.25 per acre, no house or building valued. Tax records show the 150-acre tract was intact when John Gregory died.

The Mount Zion deed:

24 July 1835, John Gregory and Elizabeth his wife of Lunenburg conveyed 1 1/2 acres adjoining said John Gregory and Saml A. Bruce, to Jos. F. Ellis, David Thompson, Roderick R. Gregory and Marshall M. Keith in 1835, (Lun. DB 30:322) trustees in trust to have and hold forever for the purpose of erecting thereon a house of worship for the use of the members of the Mount Zion Baptist church according to the articles of faith's constitution and rules which have been adopted by the members of said church. The deed mentions a spring, "usually called the school house spring."

By will of John Gregory, land he owned at his death fell to his son Josephus Gregory.