Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-17
OLD-TIME NOTABLES.
A MAN VINO WAS TWENTY. YEARS IN
THE HIGHER COUNCILS or THE NATION
THE NOT GuBERSAToRIAL CAM
PAIGN OF lS27--TuE WAR

PAIGN OF lS27--TuE WAR
or 1912.
From the Philadelphia Times
The public services of Andrew Gregg
commenced when, on the Sth of No.
vember, 1891, he presented his creden.
rials and took his seat as n member of
the House Of Representatives of the
United States. Continued in the popu.
lar branch of Congress by successive
elections for period Of sixteen years,
the Legislature of 1907 chose him n
United States Senator, which position
he occupied on the Sd of March, 1913,
when his services in our national coun
ellis ended. Ii is TO be regretted that
these twenty-five years OF consecutive
service, during the formative processes
of national legislation, cannot be IL
lumined and illustrated by the glowing
color of personal incident, which Mr..
Gregg's extensive correspondence and
notes once afforded, for il takes more
raiment than the jeiune record OF the
Journals Of Congress to clothe the dead
issues OF the past with engaging inter
est for the general reader OF the pres
ent.
Ht NfutIhOlt - bhtllfh IIhIlllhHini feai ist
who in his early life had great deal Of
intercourse with Mr.. Gregg, informs me
that the latter had preserved his large
correspondence, duly labeled and pig.
eon.holed, ana occasionally entertained
and instructed his visitors with reading
extracts from the letters of his distin.
guished compeers but it has been put
beyond the reach OF present research
by that restless disposition of our peo.
pie, notably so OF the defendants of
our old time worthies, which has dis.
persed them into every corner Of the
Cnited States where there was any hope
OF profit from venture or opportunity
to exert their active business abilities
and energies.
Mr.. GEEGG's AuTOBIOGRtPHY.
In the latter years of his life Mr..
Gregg commenced an autobiography,
but before he had progressed more than
a half dozen pages he laid down his
pen, never 10 resume it; a disappoint
ment to the reader the more severe
from the promise OF interesting Incl.
dents given by his opening chapter
II says his parents were both natives
of Ireland. Ny father, whose name
was Andrew, was born in the liberties of
Londonderry. His fathers name was
John, and there my knowledge stops in
that line They were "A Scotch family.
which migrated to Ireland soon after
the accession Of William aud Mary. aud
he adds that he often noticed III his
boyhood days among the up stairs lum.
Der of the old house on the Conodog.
winet an old.iashioucd sword and es-
poutoon, which his parents told him
were worn and carried by his ancestor
in King Williams army At the battle Of
Boyuc, July |, 1890. Of his grandiath.
cr's family. John remained In Ireland
and became very wealthy; David, An
drew and their sister. who all married
in Ireland, came 10 this country in the
same vessel, landed at Boston and trav-
eled into New Hampshire. where David
settled and raised a large family, some
of whose defendants occupy the very
spot whore he settled. Others, as cIer.
eymen, physicians, fur traders and law.
yers, founded the Gregg families of
Salem, Mas, ElmJra. y. T.. and India.
uapolis, Indiana. Mr. Gregg then pro
ceeds 10 relate two anecdotes. to show.
as he says, that family relationship is
often discovered by family Likeness in
branches far removed from the original
stock. "While in Congress IN 1898 or
'9i Mr. Forster, member OF that body
from the State Of New Hampshire, ask
ed me II | had any relations in that
State. On my answering in the affirm
alive he said he had been led to make
the inquiry struck by the imposing
likeness betwiNt me and Colonel Gregg,
who had been the opposing candidate
10 him at his late election. On my
first introduction to Governor Clinton,
when he became Vice President of the
United States, he asked me whether |
was n native OF Pennsy ylvania | told
him was. He replied, saying; There
ia so striking resemblance betwixt
you and young man named James
Gregg. who was a lieutenant in my
brigade during the Revolution, that
when | saw you my first impression was
that you must be his brother He was
of the New England family, then set.
tied in New York. lie then related
the story often published in the news.
papers Of that officer having been shot,
scalped and left for dead by the Indians
and rescued by detachment sent by
the commanding officer of the garrison
where he had been stationed. conducted
TO the place where he lay by Lieutenant
Gregg's deg" See Lossing's Field
Book Of the Revolution, volume |, page
2j2.
Continuing his statement, Mr.. Gregg
says that his father and Solomon Walk.
er, husband Of his aunt Rachel. not
pleased with the prospect of a settle
ment in New Hampshire. returned to
Boston and shipped for Philadelphia.
but landed at New Castle, spent the
winter of 1882 at furnace belonging TO
Governor Keith, on Christianua creek,
near Newark, Delaware. and in the
spring commenced their settlement at
Chestnut Level, near the southern
boundary of Lancaster county. On the
settlement becoming sufficiently mum.
erous they formed a Presbyterian con.
gregation, called Rev. Mr.. Thorn for
their pastor, Mr.. Gregg's father being