Thomas Gregory

The 52 Ancestors theme this week is “unusual name.” This was the first time I've done any real research for someone born in England. While the town names may not seem unusual to some people, this Georgia girl found them to be quite unusual and very interesting when I looked them up.

Thomas is not mine nor my husband’s ancestor, although I can connect him in the family tree. His great granddaughter is my husband’s Aunt Jean Murphy.

Thomas Gregory, son of Joseph Gregory and Harriett Moore, was born in March 1851 in Shelton, Staffordshire, England. He was baptized at Etruria, Staffordshire in St. Matthew Parish on April 13. When the census was taken later that year, it showed that Thomas was the only son of Joseph and Harriet at the time. The family lived on Mill Street in Stoke-Upon-Trent in Staffordshire.

In 1861, the Gregory family was still living in Shelton, on Paddock Street. The Ecclesiastical Parish was Hope, in the Stoke-Upon-Trent district. Thomas’ father worked in the coal mines. At age 10, Thomas was a scholar along with his five-year-old brother William. They would have come home from school and played with their three-year-old sister Harriett.

In 1871, the Gregory family lived in Staffordshire, Burntwood, District 14. The family had grown by one since the last census was taken—a 9-year-old brother named Joseph. Thomas’ 60-year-old widowed paternal grandfather, Samuel Gregory, was also living in the home. Samuel worked in the coal mines. When Thomas was 22 years old, he married Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Gutridge, daughter of Samuel Gutridge and Elizabeth (Betsy) Smallmon, at St. Anne’s Church on November 25, 1873. The Reverend John Montague Seaton, Vicar of Chasetown, performed the ceremony which was attended by Thomas Robinson and Sarah Gutridge. At the young age of 18, Betsy was considered a “spinster.” At the time of their marriage, both Thomas and Betsy lived in the Chasetown community in Staffordshire, which according to Wikipedia, was “developed in the mid-19th century as a coal mining village.” We already know that Thomas’ father was a coal miner and learn from Thomas and Betsy’s marriage record that Thomas and his new father-in-law was one as well.

St. Anne's Church Chasetown, image used with permission.

Marriage record for Thomas Gregory and Betsy Gutridge

A few months into their marriage, Betsy learned that she was expecting their first child. Their daughter Harriett Elizabeth Gregory was born on November 16, 1874, nine days before they celebrated their first anniversary. Daughter Sarah “Jane” (AKA Jennie) Gregory soon followed on August 8, 1876; Emily (AKA Emma or possibly even Mary) Gregory was born on January 19, 1878; and Annie Gregory was born in July 1879. With a newborn at home, U.S. census records show that Thomas left for America in 1879. However, I found conflicting immigration information. The 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 U.S. census records all recorded Thomas arriving in America in 1879. However, Thomas and his family were enumerated as living on Rugeley Road in Lichfield, Burntwood, Staffordshire, England in 1881. Thomas was 30 years old and working as a coal miner to support Betsy and their four children. Was he counted even though he was already in America? I also found conflicting information on Betsy. The 1920 U.S. census record shows she arrived in 1879. However, the 1930 U.S. census record shows she arrived in 1882. It also shows that Harriet arrived in 1882. Since Harriet was married and living several doors from her parents, the census enumerator would have asked the question from each woman and they both gave 1892 that year. I’ve looked for the actual immigration records but can't find one for any of this at this point.

6/3/24 update: Five years after writing this sketch, I found the ship manifest confirming the date Betsy and daughters Harriet, Jane, Emily, and Annie immigrated to America. On May 17, 1882, they embarked on a voyage from Liverpool aboard the S/S British Prince, arriving in Philadelphia on May 28. The family settled in the Hawk Run community of Morris Township in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

At some point (present day), an unknown (to me) family member mapped out the Gregory family on a sheet of paper. They wrote that Thomas and Betsy traveled to America with friends from Lancashire, England to Pennsylvania in the 1800s and that they had 11 children. They further noted that Samuel Thomas Gregory (March 15, 1883) was the first child born “here in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.” They wrote that the family lived in a six-sided home on the outside of the town. Since there’s a gap between the birth of Annie in 1879 and Samuel in 1883, I’m inclined to believe that Betsy in fact stayed behind in England and arrived in 1882 but I need to prove that. Their daughter Ella (AKA Nellie) Gregory was born in September 1884. Thomas and Betsy were both naturalized in 1885. Their son William Gregory, was born on January 13, 1886; daughter Florence Gregory was born in December 1888; son John B. Gregory was born in May 1890; and son Henry C. Gregory was born on October 13, 1893. By that time, Thomas had moved the family to the Carroll Township in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, another mining community, where they would live out their lives. After moving, Thomas joined the Trinity Episcopal Church in Patton, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. He remained a member at least until 1931, and most likely until his death. The 11th and last child, a daughter named Lucy Gregory was born in April 1894.

On June 21, 1900, the family lived in the Carroll Township of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The census enumerator noted that Betsy was the mother of 11 children, all of which were living. All of the children living in the home had been born in Pennsylvania. Thomas’ brother, William, had immigrated to America in 1885 and was living in the home as well. Thomas, his sons Samuel and William, and his brother William were all coal miners.

On May 11, 1910, the family still lived in the Carroll Township although it appears to be a different location. All 11 children are still living, however, only two were left at home—Henry and Lucy. Thomas was still working in the coal mine. Henry, at age 17, was now working in the mine as well.

On January 6, 1920, Thomas and Betsy lived on Reilley Road in the Carroll Township. Their son Henry and his family—wife Sarah, and sons Harry and Thomas—lived next door. Their son William and his family—wife Josephine, son William Jr., and daughter Amelia—lived four houses away. Thomas was still working in the coal mine at the age of 69. This census record notes that both Thomas and Betsy immigrated in 1879.

On April 25, 1930, Thomas and Betsy lived in the East Carroll Township of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Thomas was no longer working. Their son Henry, his wife Sara, and sons Harry and Thomas lived next door. His daughter Harriett and her husband John Randall lived next door to Henry. His son William, his wife Josephine, son William, and daughter Emily lived five houses from them on the opposite side of Henry and Harriett.

After 56 years of marriage, Thomas’ wife Betsy died on March 7, 1931 in East Carroll from a stomach hemorrhage, contributed by a gastric ulcer of the stomach. She was buried on March 10 at Fairview Cemetery in Patton, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Thomas was the informant on her death certificate.

Photo from Tricia, Find-A-Grave ID 48257775

Thomas died in 1939 at the age of 87 or 88. Other than his memorial in Find-A-Grave, I have yet to find a death record for him to pinpoint the exact age. Thomas was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Patton.

Photo from Tricia, Find-A-Grave ID 48257775

References

• “England and Wales Census, 1851,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGLB-DJK : 10 November 2017), Thomas Gregory in household of Joseph Gregory, Stoke Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England; citing Stoke Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England, p. 2, from “1851 England, Scotland and Wales census,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• “England and Wales Census, 1861,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M74Q-7B7 : 11 December 2017), Thomas Gregory in household of Joseph Gregory, Shelton, Staffordshire, England; from “1861 England, Scotland and Wales census,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• “England and Wales Census, 1881,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27X-YF2R : 13 December 2017), Thomas Gregory, Lichfield Burntwood, Staffordshire, England; from “1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 25, Piece/Folio 2774/64, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,794.
• “England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL32-F1JM : 16 March 2018), Thomas Gregory, 1851.
• “England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLQC-FYHJ : 13 December 2017), Betsy Gutteridge and Thomas Gregory, 1873.
• 1851 England Census, Stoke upon Trent Parish, Staffordshire.
• 1881 England Census, Staffordshire, Burntwood Edial and Woodhouses District 16.
• Arizona State death, certificate number 4909, Sarah Jane Steffey.
• Chasetown; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasetown.
• England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975, Betsy Gregory, no. 27934.
• Find-A-Grave memorial ID 94974850, Thomas Gregory.
• Find-A-Grave memorial ID 94975115, Betsy Gutridge Gregory.
• Harriett Randall obituary, newspaper unknown, December 1957.
• Marriage license, Thomas Gregory and Betsy Gutridge, April 25, 1905.
• Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993.
• Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906–1924, certificate number 27934, Betsy Gregory.
• Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906–1966, certificate number 55279, William Gregory.
• Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906–1966, certificate number 84776, Henry C. Gregory.
• U.S. Federal Census, Cambria, Carroll District 0100, Pennsylvania, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Cambria, Carroll District 0106, Pennsylvania, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Cambria, East Carroll, District 0032, Pennsylvania, 1930.
• U.S. Federal Census, Cambria, East Carroll, District 0154, Pennsylvania, 1920.
• "Vicars Through the Ages," St. Anne’s Church Chasetown; https://stanneschasetown.com/vicars/.