John Gregg

John Henry Gregg was 14 years old when he left Ireland and settled in Delaware. He was married to Elizabeth Cooke at Concord Friends Meeting. John was only 19 years old when his father died. His family continued to live in the family home and keep possesion of their land. John was a serious, proud and capable youth. He was always a faithful Friend and a busy person. He built a house and a gristmill, married and fathered seven children. His remains are in The Friends Burial Ground, Center, Delaware.

John came to Delaware colony with his parents, sister Anne and brothers George and Richard when he was 14. Under the influence of constant Quaker discipline, he became a serious, proud and capable young man who, at age 19, took on the responsibility of his home when his father died. John was the administrator of his father's estate.

He and his brother George used the name Gregg or Grigg interchangeably in their business dealings. They seated 400 acres of land on the Brandywine as old rent on 12/13/1691-2. It was an entailed ground of James Logan to William Gregg which would never run out, but a small lien inherited in perpetuity in a property returning an income to the proprietary family.

In a deed of gift to his brother George in 1719, John passed on some land that Richard had been given previously. Based on the laws at that time, it is probable that his brother Richard had died and left no surviving heirs. Greggs were inherently land owners.

5/20/1685 - a warrant granted his father William for 200 acres was confirmed by patent to John Gregg on 2/18/1693 and later sold to Samuel Underwood, Sr. whose executor re-sold part of it back to John Gregg who sold it to Jonathan Strange on 2/18/1733. John Gregg paid the taxes for his father's estate 1693-1696.

In the summer of 1694, he built a 2 story stone house which sloped against the rocks on this land in Rocky Manor. He was 26 at the time.

8/17/1702 - John bought the first land sold out of "Letitia's Manor," 3 miles on the south side of the Brandywine; on 200 acres of it, he erected a great mill and then conveyed it to his son William on 4/10/1730.

9/8/1703 - John took up 300 acres in Chester County at Kennett, PA and lived on it for some years.

12/18/1717 - he patented 150 acres on the Brandywine for £22 10 s. That same year he desired to purchase 2 parcels of land very uneven and rocky joyning the tract where he now dwells containing 100 acres each parcel. It was formerly laid out to Richard Gregg who afterwards threw it up having never seated or improved on it. It was agreed that John could have this land for £30 and one bushel of wheat quit rent on each 100 acres.

During his lifetime, John acquired about 5760 acres of fine land along the Brandywine reaching to Wilmington and extending over 3 miles west. Deeds show all Gregg land belonged to the manor of Steining northwest of Wilmington spreading over the state into Kennett and New Garden Twps.

In a deed of gift (Deed Book X-I, p. 427) dated 12/2/1719, John passed to his brother George all title interest or demand whatsoever ... in a 150 acre tract of land formerly owned by their brother Richard. This tract included their family home of Strand Millas.

John was a member of the building committee of the Center Friends Meeting House which was built near him in 1724.

He was an advisor and guardian of his sister's husband, William Dixson (Dickerson). He was co-executor of his sister's 2nd husband's will (John Houghton).

Later during the Revolution, the DuPonts bought some of the lands surrounding those of the Greggs. They began making gunpowder. Since the homes of the Greggs shook and cracked from the explosions, they eventually sold out to the DuPonts!

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     Suffix  	of Brandywine 

     Birth  	1668  	Ardmore, Waterford, Munster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4] 

     Gender  	Male 

     AFN  	4W02-VQ 

     Immigration  	Abt 1682  	Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 4] 

     from Ireland on The Caledonia 

     Residence  	From 1684  	Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 

         o Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy volume 6: Virginia, p. 496: John Gregg of Christiana Hundred, New Castle Co., yeoman, aged about 67 years, made a deposition about 1735 "that he has dwelt in said County about 51 yrs"

     Land  	29 May 1685  [3] 

         o On May 29, 1685 a warrant granted to his father William Gregg for 200 acres was confirmed by patent to John Gregg on February 18, 1693 and later sold to Samuel Underwook, Sr. whose executor re-sold part of it back to John Gregg, who sold it to Jonathan Strange on February 18, 1733. John Gregg paid the taxes for the whole estate of his father 1693-1696.

     Biographical  	1687  [3] 

     assumed reponsibility of the home at nineteen when his father passed awa. 

     Residence  	1694  [3] 

     a two story house which he built on Rocky Manor 

     Land Acquisition  	17 Aug 1702  	Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 

     by purchase the first land sold out of Letitia's Penns Manor, 200 acres 

         o

           Among the first land owners of the Delaware area was William Penn. On Feb. 17, 1699 he directed Henry Hollingsworth to lay out 30,000 acres to his children William and Letitia Penn. Letitia's portion was later sold to settlers in the area.

In 1702 John Gregg purchased the first land sold out of Letitia's Penns Manor. On his 200 acres he built a mill which he conveyed to his son William in 1730.

     Move  	1703  	Kennett, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 

         o Using the spelling Grigg he soon took up 300 acres in Chester County at Kennett, Pennsylvania and lived on it for some years.

     Land Acquisition  	18 Dec 1717  [3] 

     a patent for 150 acres on the Brandywine for twenty-two pounds and ten shillings. 

         o

           That same year he "desired to purchase two parcels of land very uneven and rocky joyning on the tract where he now dwells containing 100 acres each parcel. It was formerly laid out to Richard Gregg, who afterward threw it up, having never seated or improved it." It was agreed that John Grigg could have said land for thirty pounds and one bushel of wheat quit rent on each 100 acres. During his life time John Gregg acquired some 4760 acres of fine land along the Brandywine reaching to Wilmington and extending over three miles west. Deeds show all Gregg land belonged in the Manor of Steining northwest of Wilmington spreading over the state into Kennett and New Carden Townships.

     Land Relinquish  	2 Dec 1719  	Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 

     150 acres to his brother George Gregg 

         o

           A deed of gift (Deed KBk. X-I p. 427) December 2, 1719 John Gregg of Brandywine to his brother George Gregg "all title interest or demand whatsovever as he the said John Gregg had or ought to have or can have in all tract of land formerly the possession of their brother Richard Gregg in Brandywine bounded by land of John Gregg, Olive Matthews, John Defoss son of Mathias Defoss and land formerly of George Hogg, 150 acres. Witnessed by William Gregg, Thomas Gregg, Thomas Doothit." This 150 acres was their boyhood home of Strand Millas which by law then was inherited by the oldest son John who gave it his brother George after their younger Richard had died in the early part of 1719.

     Name  	John Gregg  [4, 5, 6] 

     Will  	6 Mar 1737/38  	Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 

     Probate  	27 Apr 1738  	Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 

     Religion  	Quaker  [3] 

     Died  	27 Apr 1738  	Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 

     Buried  	Centerville, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 

     Person ID  	I74554  	If the Legends Are True...

     Last Modified  	15 Sep 2011 

Father William Gregg, of New Castle, b. 1642, Glenarm, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location, d. 1 Jul 1687, Strand Millas, Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location

     Mother  	Ann Wilkinson,   b. Abt 1644, Ardmore, Waterford, Munster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jan 1691/92, Strand Millas, Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location 

     Married  	Abt 1666  	Ardmore, Waterford, Munster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location 

     Immigration  	1682  	Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 

     on the "Caledonia" with William Hoge & Barbara Hume 

     Family ID  	F30906  	Group Sheet

Family Elizabeth Cooke, b. 1672, Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location, d. Aft 1738, Chester County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location

     Married  	11 Nov 1694  	Concord Friends Meeting, Concordville, Delaware County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 

         o Later during theh Revolution the DuPonts bought some of the land and began to make powder. Since the homes of the descendants shook and cracked from explosions, the Greggs gradually sold their inheritence to the DuPonts. [3]

     Children  	

     >	1. William Gregg,   b. 1695, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Jan 1745/46, Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location

     >	2. Amy Gregg,   b. 25 Aug 1698

      	3. John Gregg

     >	4. Thomas Gregg,   b. 1701, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Sep 1748, Kennett Square, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location

     >	5. Joseph Gregg,   b. 5 Aug 1710, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Oct 1770, Kennett Square, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location

     >	6. Samuel Gregg,   b. 1710, Rock Spring, New Castle, Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Sep 1767, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location

      	7. Hannah Gregg,   b. 1715, Kennett, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown

      	8. Rebecca Gregg,   b. 1718, Kennett, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown

      	9. Stephen Gregg

     Last Modified  	15 Sep 2011 

     Family ID  	F30907  	Group Sheet

GEDCOM Note

immigrant - 1682 , ship "Caledonia"

GEDCOM Note

From http://fcweb.fcasd.edu/~Mark_Welchley/gen08(gregg2).htm

"Came to America with his parents in 1682. As eldest son of William Gregg, he administered the estate, dividing the land with his brothers. In 1694, he built a 2-story stone house on his property. According to Historic Houses and Buildings of Delaware, this house has a resident ghost, dressed in old Quaker garb. This house was one of the first in Deleware to demonstrate Georgian Archicture and was still standing as late as 1964. In 1702 John Gregg bought 200 acres, part of Letitia's Manor on the Brandywine and erected a mill as early as 1715, which was later conveyed to his son William. He also owned 300 acres of land in Chester Co. PA at Kennett and lived there for a time. During his lifetime he acquired about 5760 acres of land in Deleware and Chester Co. Pa."