History of Monongalia County West Virginia United States of America

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William Gregg, manufacturer, was born in Monongahela county, Va., Feb. 2, 1800; son of William and Elizabeth (Webb) Gregg; grandson of Herman and Mary Gregg; great-grandson of William and ??? (Hinchy) Gregg, and great, great-grandson of John Gregg, a native of Scotland, who formed a friendship with William Penn, travelled with him in England and Germany, and came to America with him in 1682. William Gregg's father, William, was among the troops who fought in defence of Charleston, S.C., in the Revolution, and was taken prisoner by the British, making his escape at the surrender of the city. William, Jr., was brought up in the family of his uncle, Jacob Gregg, a wealthy watchmaker and manufacturer of spinning machinery in Alexandria, Va., and with him removed to Georgia in 1810. There Jacob erected Whatley's mills on Little River, one of the first cotton mills in the south. William was sent to Lexington, Ky., in 1816, to learn the trade of watchmaker and silversmith, removing thence to Petersburg, Va., in 1821, and to Columbia, S.C., in 1827. In 1829 he was married to Marina, daughter of Col. Matthias Jones of Edgefield county, S.C. In 1837 he purchased an interest in the Vaucluse (cotton) manufacturing company, S.C., but abandoned his intention of entering the cotton business on account of ill health. In 1838 he resumed his business in Charleston, S.C., and acquired considerable wealth. In 1845 the Vaucluse mill was incorporated as the Graniteville company, and thereafter Mr. Gregg devoted his entire attention to the interests of the company, becoming its president and manager. He is the author of numerous essays on domestic industry, and the development of the manufacture of cotton yarns and cloth, contributed to periodicals. He died at Kalmia, near Graniteville, S.C, Sept. 12, 1867.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Clark McGrew, representative, was born in Monongalia county, Virginia, Sept. 14, 1813; son of James and Isabella (Clark) McGrew; grandson of Patrick McGrew, and great-grandson of Ian (John) McGrew, a Highland Scotchman. He was brought up on his father's farm, received a practical English education, and in 1833 engaged in merchandising, which he followed successfully until the civil war began. He was a delegate to the Virginia convention which met in the city of Richmond in February, 1861, and was one of the "fifty-five" who voted against the ordinance of secession passed by that body. With eleven other delegates from western Virginia he was expelled from the convention for his active opposition to secession. He was active in organizing the new state of West Virginia, and was a member of its legislature, 1863-65. He engaged in banking in Kingwood in 1865, and was a representative from West Virginia in the 41st and 42d congresses, 1869-73; a director of the West Virginia hospital for the insane, 1863-70, and one of the trustees of the Ohio Wesleyan university for a number of years. He was sent as a lay delegate to the First Methodist OEcumenical conference, which met in London, England, in September. 1881.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Monongalia County West Virginia

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