BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 594-595.


ALEXANDER McGREGOR, father of the present resident on the homestead,
was born July 6, 1804, in Maryland, and was a son of James and Elizabeth
(Gordon) McGregor, natives of Scotland, who emigrated to America some
time during revolutionary times. Alexander McGregor's early life was
spent principally in acquiring an education from the limited resources
at that time at command. But in late years in educating himself, and in
the mathematical departments, became very proficient. In about 1817, he,
with his father's family, came to Ohio, and the father purchased the farm
now occupied by his descendants, together with some additional property.
Alexander was employed on the farm by his father, and on the death of his
father, the property reverted to him, and here he lived until his death
in August, 1851. He was married in 1837, to Miss Eliza Harris, a daughter
of Reuben and Sarah (Gill) Harris. Mr. Harris was a native of New Jersey.
The Miss Eliza was born in Wheeling in 1818. He was the father of seven
children, four of whom are still living: Reuben J., born February 27, 1840;
Sarah E., born December 30, 1841; Samuel H., born December 2, 1843; Robert
E., born August 22, 1845; Joseph N., born February 18, 1847; Margaret A.,
born January 19, 1849; Alexander, born August 23, 1851. Reuben J. attended
Washington college, and when near the time for his graduation, left that
institution, and taught school, and soon after the outbreak of the war,
enlisted August 13th in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio,
under Capt. Kirk. He saw much sharp fighting and had many narrow escapes.
Was employed as sergeant in signal corps under McClellan, at Antietam,
afterward in Tennessee, under Burnsides and Foster. Returning, he went
west, and was employed in many important railroad surveys. He remained
in the west until his death at Manitowoc, Wis., in 1879, at which time
he held the position of government inspector of improvement on lakes and
rivers. Sarah Elizabeth was married in November, 1866, to Mr. Andrew Neff,
a resident of Ohio, with whom she resided until his death in 1871. By him
she is the mother of three children, all living: Mary, Nelson and Maggie.
She now resides with, and keeps house for, her brother. Robert lived on
the homestead until his marriage, when he went to Minnesota, engaging
in the hardware business in Windom, Minn. He was married in 1878, to
Miss Mary B. Shields, a native of Ohio, by her he had one child, which
is dead. Joseph Nelson left the farm at an early age, going to Bellaire,
where he engaged in the business of drugs; left here about 1871, when
he went to Windon, where he entered a drug firm as partner. At present
he holds the position of cashier of the Windon National bank. He married
in 1874, Mary Evans, a native of Wisconsin. By her he had four children,
three of whom are still living: Reuben, Lizzie and Magzie. Margaret and
Alexander McGregor died when still children. The grandfather and grand-
mother were the parents of nine children, all of whom are now deceased:
Lucinda, born 1789; James, 1791; Margaret, 1794; Mary, 1796; Elizabeth,
1799; Jane, 1800; Alexander, 1804; Robert, 1806, and John, 1810. The
family ancestry, as far back as can be traced, show them to be a race
remarkable for sturdiness and industry.