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| Hubbard Squash |
James Gregory went out of his way to do good.
Many sources describing a man who helped his neighbors, thought of future generations, and did his duty in various community organizations in spite of being a busy man convinced me Gregory was a good guy.
The worst I can think of him is that he was occasionally rather presumptive in distributing books on how to live your life.
The worst I can think of him is that he was occasionally rather presumptive in distributing books on how to live your life.
People writing about how to live your life is a common, self-centered human drive which usually is usually harmless, even if annoying.
This post just gathers some more information about his life.
James John Howard Gregory, son of James and Ruth (Roundy) Gregory, was born at Marblehead, November 7, 1827.
He was educated in the public schools of his native town, pursued a two years' course at the Middlebury Academy, after which he matriculated at Amherst College, graduating therefrom in 1850.
His advent into the seed business was almost by accident. He once said of his beginning in the seed business:
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| James J.H. Gregory as a college student in the late 1840s. |
He was educated in the public schools of his native town, pursued a two years' course at the Middlebury Academy, after which he matriculated at Amherst College, graduating therefrom in 1850.
His advent into the seed business was almost by accident. He once said of his beginning in the seed business:
"A man wrote to the New England Farmer for a nice winter squash; I heard of it and we happened to have one; my father called it "Marm Hubbard's Squash" because we got the seeds from an old lady by the name of Hubbard. I sent him some of the seeds: he tried them and so well did he like them that he wrote an article, which was published in a number of papers, describing the good points of the squash. Before I fully realized it I was getting orders for this squash seed from all parts of the United States, and also for many other kinds of seeds and soon found I was doing a thriving seed business." (Elizabeth Hubbard I later read...)At first he transacted this in his home, but about the year 1883 built a store, which he enlarged from time to time, his business becoming one of the largest of the country. He sent goods to all parts of the United States and to Canada and the provinces. During the famine in India he was especially active and benevolent. He sent from his store houses large quantities of seed corn, aiding materially in the securing of a new crop for the relief of the starving people.
"I had a college mate, he said, who was a missionary there and I sent him seeds of the best varieties of American vegetables. He planted and also distributed them among the people. It had such a good effect that the governor of that section of India where he was, sent for, thanked, and rewarded him, and offered him three hundred dollars a month to take charge of the agriculture of the government, but being a missionary he would not accept the offer."His extensive seed farms located in Middleton comprise over four hundred acres, and he makes a specialty of growing particular varieties for market garden purposes. During the time he was in the business he made a specialty of introducing new varieties of vegetables before unknown to the public. He has written, published and sold many thousands of copies of works on agriculture, and has lectured extensively on this subject before the colleges and seminaries throughout the northern states. Many of Mr. Gregory's clerks have been in his employ for a quarter of a century.
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| "The Old Squash House" Moved from Gerry's Island, the 1720 Squash House was originally owned by John Felton and used as a fish shanty. It became famous for the storage of J. J.H. Gregory & Sons squash seeds. Interesting sidelights: Tallulah Bankhead played here with Eugene O'Neil. |
He has aided a number of young men to pursue a college education. He presents to every male member of the graduating classes of the colored colleges of the south a character forming book, and has awarded a fund to continue this gift for all future time. He has given books of advantage to the public, at times as many as three thousand volumes per annum, for a number of years, sending them to jails, prisons, etc.
He has recently given a number of fine engravings to the schools of Marblehead and the Young Men's Christian Association, and twenty oil paintings to the different churches and chapels. He has for many years been a collector of Indian relics of which he has over two thousand, and also of shells of which he has a large collection and a thorough knowledge.
Mr. Gregory has taken an active interest in public and municipal affairs. He has been one of the generous supporters of all movements of moral or material benefit to his native town. He gave the bell and clock for Abbot Hall in Marblehead. He is a Republican, and in 1876-77 was state senator, elected by the joint vote of the Prohibition and Republican parties.
Mr. Gregory married (first) Eliza C. Bubier; (second) Harriet R. Knight; (third) Sarah Lydia Caswell. Mr. Gregory has adopted four children:
1. Edgar, mentioned below.
2. James H., born Boston, 1873, educated in public schools of Marblehead, spent one year at the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst, then went to South America to live with his uncle, James Gregory Carleton, a mining engineer. He enlisted in the Columbian army, being promoted through the various ranks, taking part in a number of battles, and finally being made brigadier-general. He married a Spanish girl and they are the parents of six children.
3. Annie, married Stephen Burroughs, of Long Hill, Connecticut, and has six children.
4. Laura, married Simeon Coffin, of Marblehead, and has three children.
Edgar Gregory, adopted son of James John Howard Gregory, was born at Chelsea,
He became associated with his foster-father in the seed business, and in 1901 was admitted to partnership under the firm name of J. J. H. Gregory & Son and continued thus until the senior partner and founder retired July 1, 1907.
Since then Edgar Gregory has been sole proprietor though the name is unchanged. He resided at Middleton, where the seed farms were located, until 1908, when he removed to Marblehead and where the place of business is. Mr. Gregory is interested in botany, in which study he took a first prize in college. He is a Republican, and was a member of the school committee in Middleton in 1905. He is a prominent member of the Congregational church of Middleton, is a member of its standing committee and was for three years superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is a member of Philanthropic Lodge of Free Masons, of the New England Order of Protection, Elbridge Gerry Lodge, No. 303, all of Marblehead.
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Gregory went on to build a great fortune from his agricultural talents and was quite charitable. Choosing to live on only $300 a year, he used the rest of the money for philanthropic purposes such as sending seed to regions in famine -- India, Nebraska -- and books to colleges serving African-Americans in the South. He also built schools and churches with the money, and was known for leaving free vegetables on the street for the poor.Shari Kelley Worrell, a descendent of Gregory, covers all of this and much more in her 580-page book, “Remembering James J.H. Gregory: The Seed King, Philanthropist, Man.”
1883, Transactions, Massachusetts Horticultural Society
On motion of Mr. Wetherell, Mr. Gregory was added to the Committee on Old and Interesting Trees.
From Agriculture of Maine. Annual Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, 1913:
GREGORY ORCHARDS - THEIR SOURCE AND AIM.
By A. K. Gardner, Augusta.
As a result of the New England Fruit Show held in Boston in October, 1909, Mr. James J. H. Gregory of Marblehead, Mass., gave to the State of Maine a $1000 first mortgage bond, with the provision that at intervals of five years $200 of the interest should be paid to the orchardist who could show to a committee of three the most excellent orchard of one acre or more grown on his own land, of trees of his own selection (the Ben Davis excepted) five years from setting; the first planting to be in the spring of 1910 and judged in 1915. This most generous offer of Mr. Gregory's induced others to offer like premiums as follows:—
Premium by a friend $15
Bowker Company 100
B. G. Pratt Company 100
Douglas Pump Company 100
Deming Pump Co., Salem, Ohio 50
Charles J. Jager Co., Boston, Mass 50
Portland Farmers' Club 50
This great movement received the hearty support of many of our leading orchard men throughout the State, with the result that a large number entered for the contest, and names were being booked for the acre or more of standard apple trees. Information regarding this contest was published and distributed as follows:—... (link above if you are interested)
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