{"id":361,"date":"2011-08-20T22:15:31","date_gmt":"2011-08-20T22:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/?page_id=361"},"modified":"2016-06-17T18:36:43","modified_gmt":"2016-06-17T22:36:43","slug":"gregson-memories-of-julius-edgar-gregson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/gregson-memories-of-julius-edgar-gregson\/","title":{"rendered":"Gregson &#8212; Memories of Julius Edgar Gregson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Memories of Julius Edgar Gregson<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Native Son of Randolph County, NC<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>From a Typewritten Personal Document<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Notes By Lynette Hudspeth<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Julius Edgar (J. E.\/Ed) Gregson<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Born: 4 Jan 1874\/1875\/1876 [see footnote 1]<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Naomi Falls, Randolph County, North Carolina<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Resident of Carrollton and Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Died: 24 Dec 1964<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Hospital in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Final Resting Place: Berryville Memorial Park Cemetery, Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PLEASE NOTE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">While finding this memoir an enjoyable and informative read I must point out that inconsistencies exist between some of my great-uncle\u2019s recollections and actual genealogical facts. It is certainly understandable, given his youth, the number of times he moved, and the three marriages of his father, that his memories of those early years would be somewhat confused. I\u2019m sure the distance in time since the events occurred and being physically removed from his relatives contributed to this confusion. I have<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> provided some of our family\u2019s genealogy in the form of footnotes in an attempt to keep the record as accurate as possible. I would ask if you intend to use this document for any type of reference that you do so only by including these footnotes and the information contained within them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">With gratitude to the owner of the CarJoy Website for providing the census data on the<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium\"> Gregston\/Grigson\/Gragson\/Gregson families of America and deeply felt appreciation to my aunt, Ruth Gregson Wall, for collecting this and other documents for her Gregson family. As always, my thanks to those who aid us in preserving our history &#8212; Lynette Hudspeth, February 7, 2007<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Julius Edgar Gregson\u2019s Words: I was born on the 4th day of January, 1875<sup>1<\/sup>, at Naomi Falls, a small town located on Deep river, in Randolph County, North Carolina. It seems this town derived its name from an old legend that tells of the pathetic ending of a romance between two young lovers. As the story goes they were crossing the river on horseback at this point when their horses became frightened and the lady fell from her mount and was drowned<sup>2<\/sup>. The lady\u2019s name was \u201cNaomi\u201d, so the town was named Naomi Falls.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">My father\u2019s name was Henry Clay Gregson<sup>3<\/sup>, my mother\u2019s maiden was Fatima Hargrove4 [incorrect, PLEASE read footnote], both of Scotch-Irish descent. Of this union there were four children born, brother John<sup>5<\/sup>\u00a0being the oldest, then myself, then Carl<sup>6<\/sup>\u00a0and last Willie<sup>7<\/sup>. John and Carl are both deceased, while Willie still lives near the old homestead in Randolph County, North Carolina. I remember very little about folks outside our immediate family, as my mother died while I was very young. I had a grandfather, Julius Gregson<sup>8<\/sup>, living near Naomi Falls, after whom I was named. I remember two uncles, Uncle Amos<sup>9<\/sup>\u00a0who lived at Randleman, and Uncle John<sup>10<\/sup>, who later lived in Gainsville,<sup>11<\/sup>\u00a0[sic]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">At a very early age I found father, John<sup>12<\/sup>\u00a0and myself working in the cotton factory at Naomi Falls. This factory was operated by water power and fishing below the dam was excellent and I never missed an opportunity to try my luck. After working in the mill at Naomi Falls for some time I was transferred to Randleman, another cotton factory town one mile up river from Naomi Falls. Randleman had two cottom mills, one operated by water power and the other by steam, I worked in the water power plant. My stay there was not too long as father moved from Naomi Falls to Lexington in Davidson County, North Carolina, where father, John and I were employed for quite some time in the cotton mill there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">I was later transferred to McAdensville<sup>13<\/sup>, a small town in the extreme southwestern part of the State, on the French Border river<sup>14<\/sup>, where I again boarded out and worked in the cotton mill there. Father then purchased a farm in Randolph County, North Carolina, about 16 miles south of Greensboro, and we moved to it. All this time we were baching, but when we moved to the farm father and all the rest of us had had enough baching, so father married the second time<sup>15<\/sup>. He married a Quaker lady by the name of Hockett<sup>16<\/sup>, She was a fine woman, good cook, an excellent housekeeper and gave us boys the best of treatment. The Quakers are a wonderful people, their quaint thee, thou, thine, first day second day, for you, yours Monday, etc. sounded a little strange at first but we soon got used to it. Many Quakers lived in our neighborhood, in fact the only church accessible to us was a Quaker church, and we attended it. At some services no sermon was preached and no audible prayers offered, but again maybe talks would be made and prayers offered by the members \u2013 just as the spirit moved them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">There we worked on the farm during the summer season up to time for the public school to open when we attended a three months term in a one room log school house, with puncheon floors, split log seats and two small windows. Several children were born to father\u2019s last marriage, sister Mamie<sup>17<\/sup>\u00a0being one of them and the only girl in the whole family, she now lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, while the remainder of the family live near the old homestead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">I remained at home until the Spring of 1891, when John Cox, a neighbor boy, and I decided to make a trip \u201cout west\u201d. Taking a change of clothing with us we stole away one night at midnight and walked past Greensboro, a city 16 miles north of our home, before daylight next morning. We were now on foot on our own. From that time until we reached Carrollton, Arkansas some months later, we were never inside a house except on two occasions, once when we stopped at a point in Virginia where a townsite had been laid out and the streets were being graded by the use of picks, shovels and wheel barrows. There I was given a shovel and wheel barrow to use in moving dirt. Notwithstanding I was only\u00a0<sup>17<\/sup>years old and somewhat frail at that I was loading and unloading with the rest of the laborers. The foreman after watching me for awhile directed me to quit moving dirt and take an axe and join the clearing crew, telling me the wheel barrow work was tooheavy [sic] for me. After two weeks work there we quit and started for Memphis, but stopped at a farm on the Tennessee river just below Chattanooga, at the base of Lookout mountain, and worked for a month during crop time on a farm. Leaving the farm we went on to Memphis, Tennessee. At that time no bridge spanned the Mississippi. The piers for the first bridge over the Mississippi at Memphis were in place and construction work begun on the east side of the river. We had to use the large ferry boat or get a river boatman to set us across in a small boat, this he did for the small fee of four bits ($.50). Leaving what is now West Memphis we passed through Forrest City without incident. We then hitchhiked a ride on a freight train to Walnut Ridge, assisting the brakemen in loading and unloading for this privilege, deserting the train before we got cleverly in town to avoid any possible police incident.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">From Walnut Ridge we passed on through Salem, Bellefonte and Harrison, landing at Carrollton on the 4th day of July, 1891.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">John Cox had an uncle, a man by the name of J. M. Harper, who lived at Carrollton and owned a farm two miles west of town. Here we stopped. After working for awhile here John decided to go on west and I stayed. For a year or two I worked on the farm, getting $10.00 per month during the crop season and nothing during the winter season except the use of some good hounds and the privilege of hunting at night and my board. At that time we did not know what a fish and game law was so we had the privilege of hunting and fishing at any and all times. The sky and our ability to catch and kill was the limit. Deer, turkey, bob cats, foxes, coons, pole cats were plentiful \u2013 at least for a time, and I certainly got my share of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">After working on the farm for a couple of years I decided I had been losing time and should enter school. This I did, attending our local school for three months, less time out to cut sorghum and make molasses in the Fall, that gave me about two months in school. I then entered school at the old Carrollton Academy, at that time one of the best schools in the county. Working hard during the first six months, I then attended the quarterly examination for teachers who wanted to teach. I was given a second grade license, so I taught that year. When my school was out I again entered the old academy, and teaching the year following, this routine I followed for four years, then I continued teaching for six years longer. $25.00 per month for three months was my first salary, and this was upped to $50.00 before I quit. Board only $5.00 per month.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">During the year 1908 while I was teaching my last school at the Gardner school house on [sic] Osage, I ran for County Clerk, was successful and that Fall moved to Berryville.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">I was re-elected in 1910 and served until 1912. I then retired as County Clerk and entered the grocery business, in which I was engaged for the ensuing four years. In the meantime I had been reading law and taking a correspondence course in law. Upon leaving the Clerk\u2019s office I took the Bar Examination and was admitted to practice law. I then opened an office in the First National Bank building here, and this office is still my official home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Much water has gone over the dam since I came here in the Fall of 1908. I had gotten acquainted with Uncle Jay Freeman before coming to Berryville. Uncle Jay was a retired business man, but instead of actually retiring he bent all his energies to the bettarment [sic]and improvement of Berryville and Carroll County.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">When I came here in the Fall of 1908, our town had about 750 inhabitants, no public utilities or civic improvements of any kind. Uncle Jay and I teamed up together and went to work, and I am pleased to say we were interested in every addition or improvement of any kind made here during the remainder of Uncle Jay\u2019s life. Our efforts were not confined to the town proper, but to roads and highways out side of the city limits. In highway work Uncle Jay would furnish his team, wagon and tools as well as his services free, while the burden was on me to obtain the financial help necessary to carry on, and this was no easy job, it being at times necessary for me [to] furnish the means myself. The best work I ever did personally after Uncle Jay was gone was obtaining the construction of the Kings river highway bridge and constructing that part of the highway necessary to reach this bridge. My friendship with then Governor, Harvey Parnell, and our Highway Commissioner Blackwood, was all that enabled me to get this work done at a time when we had no funds on hand to do it with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">I served a long time as a member of our local School Board and for a long time as city mayor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">It has been a pleasure for me to see our town of 750 residents grow into a small city with all the present day utilities of any modern city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Signed J. E. Gregson__________<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">[The following is a handwritten addition to the above statement. It was provided by one of Mr. Gregson\u2019s daughter-in-laws (he had two and I am uncertain which wrote this extra information as it is unsigned but thank her for this valuable contribution and insight into Mr. Gregson\u2019s life and character)]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">On December 4, 1910 Papa Gregson was married to Martha Savanna Owens. They had twin boys, Jack Owens and Joe Harper, born on October 2, 1913. Jack is a dentist living in Conway, Arkansas. Joe is retired and living in the family home which Papa Gregson built in Berryville, Ark., when he got married in 1910. His wife died in Dec. 1954<sup>18<\/sup>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Papa Gregson was much too modest about his achievements. From the time he arrived in Berryville until his death on Dec. 24, 1964, he was involved in every improvement for his home town. He was a man of great integrity, was a \u201cgentleman of the old school\u201d, always dignified &amp; gracious, always immaculately dressed, his back as straight as an arrow as he marched to his office (even when he approached his 90th birthday) and he left his office to enter a hospital in Springfield, Mo. where he died ten days later<sup>19<\/sup>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><strong>FOOTNOTES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>1<\/sup>\u00a0Julius Edgar Gregson is probably incorrect about the year of his birth. In the 1980s Ruby SNIDER Gregson copied this generation\u2019s births as listed in a family Bible. Other dates on her list have agreed with those provided in various vital records for the family. That list states the birth date of Julius Edgar is Jan. 4, 1874. Also supporting this year of birth is the US 1880 Census. It records his age at the time of enumeration, June 1880, as 6. As his mother was alive at the time of that census and it was the one closest to the actual birth event, I believe it to be a strong indicator of the true year of his birth. Another supporting document is the one above. In his own words, Edgar states he was seventeen in the spring of 1891 when he left home to travel west. For these reasons, I believe his birth to be 4 JAN 1874.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>2<\/sup>\u00a0The Legend of Naomi Wise of Randolph County, NC is even more tragic than Mr. Gregson describes. Naomi was a poor orphan who was touted for her great beauty and wooed by a Randolph County man. Legend has it that the man was persuaded by his mother to pursue another woman who possessed greater wealth and public status. This he did without giving up his romantic relationship with Naomi and, compounding this deception, giving her cause to believe she would be his wife. When Naomi\u2019s bloody body was found on the banks of the Deep River her lover was tracked down, charged with murder, and imprisoned in the Asheboro Jail. He would eventually escape. This sad story has been preserved for us in local writings, court records, and a beautiful folksong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>3<\/sup>\u00a0Henry Clay GREGSON, 3rd son of Reverend Julius Cicero Gregson and wife Holland BRILES, was born 3 FEB 1847 and died 24 NOV 1921. He was married three times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>4<\/sup>\u00a0Julius Edgar\u2019s mother is Fatima Jane WOOD, first wife of Henry Clay Gregson. Fatima was born 9 AUG 1846, married to Henry Clay Gregson 28 FEB 1871, and died 8 MAR 1881. Henry Clay Gregson married his second wife, Sarah A. HARGROVE, 26 APR 1882. Sarah died 12 MAY 1884. Being a young boy at the time one can understand how Julius Edgar could easily confuse these names.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>5<\/sup>\u00a0This elder brother, John LeRoy GREGSON, first child of Henry Clay Gregson and Fatima Jane Wood, was born 13 APR 1872 and died 22 MAR 1941.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>6<\/sup>\u00a0This younger sibling, Amos Carl GREGSON, third child of Henry Clay Gregson and Fatima Jane Wood, was born 16 MAR 1876 and died 18 JUL 1915.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>7<\/sup>\u00a0This younger sibling, William Henry (Willie) GREGSON, fourth and last child of Henry Clay Gregson and Fatima Jane Wood, was born 1 MAR 1879 and died 1 AUG 1958.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>8<\/sup>\u00a0Julius Edgar\u2019s grandfather, Reverend Julius Cicero GREGSON, was born 1 MAR 1809 and died 8 JUN 1887. He farmed in Randolph County, NC and was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal religion in Randleman, Randolph County, NC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>9<\/sup>\u00a0Julius Edgar\u2019s uncle, Reverend Amos GREGSON, 1st son of Reverend Julius Cicero Gregson and wife Holland BRILES, was born 21 MAR 1839 and died 11 MAY 1926. He was a circuit riding Methodist minister whose religious influence is found in the records of several churches ranging in location from Randolph County, NC to the city of Durham, NC where a street &#8211; Gregson Street &#8211; is named in his honor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>10<\/sup>\u00a0Julius Edgar\u2019s uncle, John GREGSON, 2nd son of Reverend Julius Cicero Gregson and wife Holland BRILES, was born in 1845 (note: 1880 Census age would indicate he was born ABT 1848). He married Liza (Lilly\/Lily) DOZIER who, per the 1880 Census, was born in Texas. He and his wife are found on the 1880 US Census living in Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>11<\/sup>\u00a0One line of this photocopy has been cut off at this location. Since this last line pertains to \u201cUncle John\u201d [see footnote 10], a logical conclusion would be that it completes the statement with Gainsville, Texas. Correct spelling is Gainesville, Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>12<\/sup>\u00a0This \u201cJohn\u201d being Julius Edgar Gregson\u2019s elder brother [see footnote 5]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>13<\/sup>\u00a0The correct spelling is McAdenville; a town in North Carolina located east of Gastonia, NC and west of Charlotte, NC<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>14<\/sup>\u00a0This is the French Broad River. An excellent web page for the location and history of the French Broad River can be found at this link: http:\/\/sherpaguides.com\/north_carolina\/mountains\/newfound_mountains\/french_broad_river.html<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>15<\/sup>\u00a0This is actually the third marriage of Henry Clay Gregson.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>16<\/sup>\u00a0Hannah Elizabeth (Lizzie) HOCKETT, 3rd and final wife of Henry Clay Gregson, was born 31 MAY 1853 and died 12 MAY 1938. They were married 30 SEP 1886.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>17<\/sup>\u00a0Mamie Anna GREGSON, the only child born to Henry Clay Gregson and his 2nd wife Sarah A. HARGROVE, was born 25 MAR 1883 and died 11 JAN 1980. Mamie married William Hunter MILLER 12 JUN 1907.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><sup>18<\/sup>\u00a0After the \u201cDec.\u201d a day of 17th has been added. It does not appear to be in the same handwriting as the rest of the document but completes the date of death for Martha Savanna OWENS Gregson to read Dec. 17th 1954. Berryville Memorial Park Cemetery records, as presented by rootsweb, give a death date of\u00a012\/16\/1954 for \u201cMattie Gregson\u201d interred beside \u201cJ. E. Gregson\u201d. Yet another rootsweb document with a heading \u201cCarroll County AR Historical Society Obituary &amp; Death Notice Index\u201d shows a \u201cMattie Gregson\u201d with a death year of 1953 \u2013 I believe this to be an error.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">January 4, 1874 Born [see footnote 1] in Randolph Co., NC<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Jan. 4, 1875 birth date per his statement and as it appears in cemetery records<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Jan. 4, 1876 birth date given by LDS Social Security Index for \u201cJulius Gregson\u201d, AR<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">June 1880 enumerated with his family for the US 1880 Census \u2013 Head of Household is<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Henry C. Gregson [see footnote 3] Town of Randleman Mill, Randolph Co.,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">NC \u201cJulius E. Gregson\u201d\u2019s age, as reported on this census, is 6<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">March 8, 1881 his mother, Fatima Jane Wood Gregson, dies [see footnote 4] &#8212; Julius Edgar is 7 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">April 26, 1882 his father marries second wife, Sarah A. Hargrove [see footnote 4] \u2013 Julius Edgar is 8 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">May 12, 1884 his step-mother, Sarah A. Hargrove, dies [see footnote 4] \u2013 Julius Edgar is 10 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">May 1884-Sep 1886 within this time frame Julius Edgar is working in NC factories, as described in his statement, with his father and elder brother \u2013 he is only 10 to 12 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">September 30, 1886 his father marries a third time to the \u201cQuaker lady\u201d, Hannah Elizabeth Hockett \u2013 Julius Edgar is 12 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Spring of 1891 he leaves home, heading west with John Cox \u2013 Julius Edgar is 17 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">July 4, 1891 he and John Cox arrive in Carrollton, Carroll Co., AR \u2013 Julius Edgar is 17 \u2013 he remains here and works as a farmhand for a few years before entering the old Carrollton Academy \u2013 still doing some farm work and teaching while a student<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">June 1900 enumerated for the US 1900 Census \u2013 Head of Household, \u201cJessie Harper\u201d (John Cox\u2019s uncle), Carrollton, Carroll Co., AR \u2013 he appears as \u201cJ. E. Gregson\u201d, Boarder, Single, White, Age 25, Born in NC, Parents born in NC, Can read and write &#8211; Julius Edgar is 26 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Spring 1908 finds him teaching at the Gardner Schoolhouse in Osage, AR<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Fall 1908 moves to Berryville, Carroll Co., AR to take up post of County Clerk \u2013 Julius Edgar is 34 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">1910 re-elected County Clerk of Carroll Co., AR<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">April 18, 1910 enumerated for the US 1910 Census \u2013 Head of Household, \u201cThomas S. Whitely\u201d (Hotel Manager), Prairie Twp. Berryville Town, Ward 2, Carroll Co., AR \u2013 he appears as \u201cJulius C. [sic] Gregson\u201d, Boarder, Single, White, Age 34, Born in NC, Parents born in NC, County Clerk of Carroll County \u2013 Julius Edgar is now 36 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">December 4, 1910 marries Martha Savanna Owens \u2013 Julius Edgar is 36 years old \u2013 just a month shy of being 37 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">1912 \u2013 1916 took a break from being County Clerk and worked in the \u201cgrocery business\u201d; takes the Bar Exam and passes; opens a law practice in the First National Bank Building in Berryville, Carroll Co., AR; has office and practice until his death<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">October 2, 1913 wife gives birth to twins \u2013 Julius Edgar is a proud father at 39 years old \u2013 they name their sons Joe Harper Gregson &amp; Jack Owens Gregson<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">1920 enumerated for the US 1920 Census \u2013 Head of Household, \u201cEd J. Gregson\u201d, Prairie Township, Berryville, Carroll Co., AR, owns home free, Male, White, Age 45, Married, Born in NC, Parents born in NC, Clerk-County \u2013 wife, Mattie Gregson, Age 33, Born in Arkansas, Father born in Arkansas, Mother born in Tennessee \u2013 Jack Gregson, Son, Male, White, Age 6, Single, Born in Arkansas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Arkansas \u2013 Joe Gregson, Son, Male, White, Age 6, Single, Born in Arkansas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Arkansas \u2013 Julius Edgar is now 46 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">1928 \u2013 1933 Harvey Parnell is Governor of Arkansas and Julius Edgar Gregson is involved with the Kings River Bridge and highway project<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">April 10, 1930 enumerated for the US 1930 Census \u2013 Head of Household, \u201cJulius E. Gregson\u201d, Prairie Township, Berryville Town, Carroll Co., AR, Owns, Male, White, Age 55, Married at age 36, Born in NC, Parents born in NC, Lawyer \u2013 Civil \u2013 wife, Mattie S. Gregson, Age 44, Married at 23, Born in Arkansas, Father born in Arkansas, Mother born in Tennessee \u2013 Jack H. [sic] Gregson, Son, Male, White, Age 16, Born in Arkansas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Arkansas \u2013 Joe D. [sic] Gregson, Son, Male, White, Age 16, Single, Born in Arkansas, Father born in NC, Mother born in Arkansas \u2013 Julius Edgar is 56 years old<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">March 22, 1941 his elder brother, John LeRoy Gregson, dies; other brother, Amos Carl Gregson, which he mentions as being deceased, had died July 18, 1915 and his youngest brother, Willie \u2013 reported to still be alive when statement is produced \u2013 dies on August 1, 1958. This gives us an approximate time range for Julius Edgar\u2019s writing of this document \u2013 between March 22, 1941 and August 1, 1958.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">December 16, 1954 Julius Edgar\u2019s wife, Martha (Mattie) Savanna Owens Gregson dies [see footnote 18] \u2013 Julius Edgar is 80years<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Loose Ends at the end of his statement, Julius Edgar says he \u201cserved a long time\u201d as city Mayor and a member of the local School Board \u2013 I do not know the dates of these events<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">December 24, 1964 Julius Edgar Gregson dies at Hospital, Springfield, Greene Co., Missouri; his final resting place is Berryville Memorial Park Cemetery, Carroll Co., Arkansas \u2013 JuliusEdgar was 90 years of age and just 11 days shy of his 91st Birthday \u2013 Bless him<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">ENDNOTE:\u00a0If you\u2019d like even more details\u2026\u2026..consider this: John Cox\u2019s Uncle, that would be Mr. J. M. Harper (aka Jessie\/Jesse M. Harper) with whom Julius Edgar Gregson boarded for many years, appears on the US 1880 Census for Carrollton, Carroll Co., AR as \u201cJesse M. Harper\u201d, Age 32, Farmer, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in NC with wife, Eliza J.(born TN), daughter, Rosina (born AR), son, Milford (born AR)\u2026 \u2026and\u2026\u2026his neighbor on that census\u2026. Nathan BRILES, none other than the nephew of Julius Edgar\u2019s very own grandmother, Holland BRILES and, Julius Edgar\u2019s 1st cousin once removed. \u201cNathan Briles\u201d, Age 41, Farmer, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in NC with wife, Martha A. M. (born NC)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Both of these gentlemen, along with their wives and the Harper\u2019s son, are buried in Carrollton Cemetery, Carroll Co., AR. Names with dates as they appear on the rootsweb page for that cemetery are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">J. M. Harper b. June 2, 1847 d. Jan. 29, 1928<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Eliza J. Harper \u2013 wife of J. M. \u2013 b. Apr. 7, 1851 d. June 6, 1921<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Milphord Harper \u2013 son of J. M. &amp; E. J. \u2013 b. Dec. 23, 1877 d. June 24, 1880<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Nathan Briles b. Jan 9, 1939 [sic] \u2013 year of birth should be 1839 \u2013 d. Sept 27 1881<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Martha A. Briles \u2013 wife of Nathan \u2013 b. Oct 23, 1843 d. Feb 7, 1933<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">\u201cA small world\u201d you say\u2026\u2026Well, maybe\u2026\u2026but I believe we\u2019ll discover it\u2019s just another case of Randolph County, NC families that moved together, settled together, and were buried\u00a0together.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Copyright 2007 by Lynette Hudspeth, Nola Duffy or individual contributors. No portion of any document appearing on this site is to be used for other than personal research. Any republication or reposting is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the contributor.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Memories of Julius Edgar Gregson Native Son of Randolph County, NC From a Typewritten Personal Document Notes By Lynette Hudspeth Julius Edgar (J. E.\/Ed) Gregson Born: 4 Jan 1874\/1875\/1876 [see footnote 1] Naomi Falls, Randolph County, North Carolina Resident of Carrollton and Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas Died: 24 Dec 1964 Hospital in Springfield, Greene County, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/gregson-memories-of-julius-edgar-gregson\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Gregson &#8212; Memories of Julius Edgar Gregson&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-361","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":720,"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/361\/revisions\/720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncgenweb.us\/randolph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}