Overview
James John Howard Gregory (November 7, 1827 – February 20, 1910) was an American educator, horticultural businessman, writer, politician and philanthropist from Marblehead, Massachusetts. After working as a teacher and school principal, he founded the seed company James J. H. Gregory & Son in 1854. The business sold vegetable and flower seeds and was associated with the Hubbard squash, the cherry tomato and the Danvers onion. Gregory was known as the "Seed King of Marblehead". Gregory served as a Marblehead selectman and as a Massachusetts State Senator from 1876 to 1877. He wrote practical works on vegetable gardening and soil fertility.
Through his philanthropy he supported local projects in Marblehead and education for African Americans, including the Gregory Normal School in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Marblehead Libraries, a travelling library service for African-American schools and colleges in the southern United States.
Early life
James John Howard Gregory was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on November 7, 1827, to James Adams Gregory and Ruth Gregory (). His father worked as a justice of the peace and customs officer in Marblehead.
Education and teaching
Gregory attended public schools in Marblehead and studied for two years at Middlebury College. He taught at Marblehead Academy and the Farm School before graduating from Amherst College in 1850. After graduating, he taught in Marblehead and Lunenburg. From 1851 to 1854, he was principal of Derby Academy in Hingham, Massachusetts.
Seed business
In 1854, Gregory began operating James J. H. Gregory & Son from his home. He sent seed that his father had received from their neighbour Elizabeth "Marm" Hubbard. The variety was named the Hubbard squash and became popular. He was among the leading seed sellers in the United States and was known as the "Seed King of Marblehead". As the business grew, Gregory moved a fish-drying house from Gerry Island to 59 Elm Street in Marblehead for use as a seed-drying warehouse. Known as the "Squash House", the building survived into the 21st century.
Writing
Gregory wrote practical guides on vegetable gardening. His books included Squashes: How to Grow Them (1867), Fertilizers: Where the Materials Come From (1886), and Cabbages and Cauliflowers: How to Grow Them (1908). He also wrote for horticultural magazines.
Politics
Gregory was elected to the Board of Selectmen in Marblehead in 1861 and 1868. He was a Republican and served as a Massachusetts State Senator from 1876 to 1877, representing the 2nd Essex district. He was elected by the joint vote of the Republican and Prohibition parties.
Philanthropy
Gregory limited his annual personal expenses to $300 and donated the rest of his income. The school was renamed the Gregory Normal School after his contribution.
Marblehead Libraries
In 1910, Gregory founded the Marblehead Libraries, a travelling library service for more than 50 African-American schools and colleges in the southern United States. In the same year, Gregory funded a librarian apprentice program at the Louisville Free Public Library in Louisville, Kentucky, which operated until 1929.
Personal life and death
Gregory married three times and had four adopted children. Gregory Street, on the Townside Harbor Front in Marblehead, was named for him.
Publications
* Onion Raising: What Kinds to Raise, and the Way to Raise Them (Boston: A. Williams & Company, 1865) * Squashes: How to Grow Them (New York: Orange Judd Company, ) * Pamphlets on Vegetable Gardening (Marblehead, Mass: Messenger Steam Printing House, 1867–1883) * Cabbages: How to Grow Them (New York: Orange Judd Company, ) * Carrots, Mangold Wurtzels and Sugar Beets (Marblehead, Mass: N.A. Lindsey & Co., ) * Fertilizers (Boston: Rand, Avery & Company, 1885) * Cabbages and Cauliflowers: How to Grow Them (Boston: S. J. Parkhill & Co., 1908)
External links
* * Works by James J. H. Gregory at the Internet Archive * * Works by James J. H. Gregory at the Biodiversity Heritage Library