Life History

Notes

• In a list of children in Find a Grave, the chidle hnatching Wiliiam Bryan Gregory was reported as Bruyant W Gregory, brother of Gerard Ennis Gregory and other siblings, as a child of Andrew Jackson Gregory and Jennie Lee James James.  In the FAG record the list of children was found in the biography section of the parents and other siblings, but no burial memorial was linked for Braynt, and none was found in searching FAG.
  
  Gerard Ennis Gregory
  Birth 8 Nov 1886 Texas, USA
  Death 6 Sep 1955 (aged 68) Tarrant County, Texas, USA
  Burial Shannon Rose Hill Memorial Park, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas Highland Section
  Parents:
  Andrew J Gregory 1856-1932
  Jennie Lee James Gregory 1861-1955
  Spouse Florence Mae Scott Gregory 1886-1973
  Siblings:
  Lena Lee Gregory 1881-1883
  Nota Mae Gregory 1888-1959
  John Gregory 1893-1914
  Bryant W Gregory 1898 - (no memorial link, in bio of parents)
  Child Coston Lee Gregory 1910-1972
  Maintained by Beckie Saar Leone, Originally Created by Deb 6 Jun 2010
  --  Find A Grave Memorial 53348336, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53348336/gerard-ennis-gregory
  
  In searching for records to document this individual, the first found was a WWI draft registration record in the full name Bryant Wilkins Gregory, born in 1898 as reported in the list of A J Gregory's children..  However, this individual reported he was employed by his father, Ezell Gregory in Union County, South Carolina.  Another problem was the birthplace, reported as Union County, South Carolina, where Bryant was still living in 1918.
  But the two older children of A J and Jennie born before Bryant were reported on FAG as born in Texas.  Their younger brother would not have been born in South Carolina, where their parents came from originally.
  
  A quick search turned up censuses of the family of S Ezell Gregory in Santuc division of Union County.  The 1900 census reported a son named Wilkins, age 2, born in September 1998, matchnig the military record.  The name should be William Bryan Gregory, born in Texas, married Leta Townsend and Mildred (?), died Ft Worth.
  
  William Bryan Gregory was reported as a 15-year-old in the 1910 census.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Texas, 16 April, Justice Precinct 3, District 67, page 2B, Hse/Fam #37
  Gregory, A J Head Rents M W 53 Married 30 yrs SC SC NC Farmer Owns
  Gregory, J L Wife F W 46 Married 30 yrs 6 children/5 living VA Wayls [Wales?] (No entry for mother's place of birth)
  Gregory, Nota May Dau F W 17 Single TX SC VA
  Gregory, John Son M W 16 Single TX SC VA Farm Laborer
  Gregory, Bryan Son M W 11 Single TX SC VA
  Gregory, Hary [sic] Clynton Son M W 8 Single TX SC VA
  
  In 1918, however, when he registered for the WWI draft, he reported his birth date as 15 March 1899.  He was living in Fort Worth, Texas, at that tme, but reported his mother as his nearest relative, living at their farm address near Stephenville, Erath County, Texas to the southeast a couple of counties.
  
  U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
  William Bryan Gregory
  Age 19, Birth 15 March 1899
  Residence 1320 No Houston St, Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA
  Occupation Timekeeper, Employer Armour & Co, Ft Worth
  Nearest Relative (mother) Mrs Jennie Gregory, Rt 6, Stephenville, Erath County, Texas
  Medium Height & Build, Brown Eyes and Hair
  Registered 12 September 1918
  Signed William Bryan Gregory
  
  Bryan was also reported in the Fort Worth City Directory in 1918.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1918, p 415
  Gregory Bryan rms 1317 N Grove
  
  Bryan married Leta Gladys Townsend.  No marriage record has been found, but they were already listed together in the 1923 Ft Worth City Directory.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1923, p 674
  Gregory Harry (Annie L), clk, rms 318 W 22nd
  Gregory Leta Mrs sten American Natl Ins Co of Galveston, h 1407 Lincoln av
  Gregory Wm B (Leta) bkpr Agricultural Livestock Finance Corp Jess Taylor & Co, r 1407 Lincoln av, N Ft W
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1924, p 662
  Gregory Leta sten h 2805 Scott av
  Gregory William B (Leta) clk Jess Taylor & Co r 2805 Scott av
  
  Their daughter Billie Ruth was born in September 1926 in Fort Worth.
  
  Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1932
  Billie Ruth [Gregory]
  Birth Date 13 September 1926 at home, Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA
  Gender Female
  Father William Bryan Gregory, Age 27, born Texas, Occupation Realtor
  Mother Leta Townsend, Age 27, born Texas, Housewife
  Family Residence 2709 Wilkerson, Fort Worth
  
  In 1940, Bryan was enumerated with his wife Leta Townsend and their daughter Billie Ruth.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas, 24 April, Fort Worth Ward 14, Enumeration District 257-98, Page 63A, 2529 Greene St, Hse #381, Owns $5000
  Gregory, Bryan Head M W 41 Married Grade C1 b Texas Same House in 1935 Owner-Manager Real Estate Firm [b abt 1899]
  Gregory, Leta Wife F Ind 41 Married Grade H4 b Texas Same House in 1935 [b abt 1899]
  Gregory, Billie Ruth Dau F Ind 13 Married Grade 7 b Texas Same House in 1935 [b abt 1927]
  
  In 1942 in his WWII draft registration, Bryan reported his full birthplace and reported his closest relative as G E Gregory, his brother Gerard Ennis Gregory (address not included in the transcription, no image available).
  
  U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
  William Bryan Gregory
  Age 42
  Birth 15 March 1899 Ben Hur, Limestone County, Texas, USA
  Residence Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA
  Employer Bryan Gregory and Townsen Ins and Real Estate
  Next of Kin G E Gregory
  5' 8" 145 lbs, Brown Eyes, Brown Hair, Dark Complexion
  Registration 16 Feb 1942 Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA
  
  Leta died in 1960.  Bryan lived until 1973.  They were both cremated and their ashes buried in the mausoleum of Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Fort Woirth.  At the time of his death, his wife and informant on his death certificate was named Mildred.
  
  Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
  William Bryan Gregory
  Married, Real Estate and Insurance Agency, Age 73
  Residence 3528 Rogers Ave, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, for 50+ years
  Birth 15 March 1899 Texas
  Father and Mother Unknown
  Informant Mrs Mildred Gregory, wife
  Death 10 February 1973 Harris Hospital, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, United States
  Cause of Death Pneumonia, RVL for 48 hrs, due to Chronic Bronchitis for several years
  Burial 12 February 1973 Greenwood Mausoleum, Fort Worth, by Robertson-Mueller-Harper
  Certificate #15057 filed 14 February 1973, filed State 23 February 1973
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Bryan Gregory
  Born 15 Mar 1899
  Died Feb 1973
  Last Residence Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas 76109
  SSN 453-52-3477 issued Texas (Before 1951)
  
  Here is Leta's Find a Grave memorial.  For some reason the manager of her memorial failed to link the memorial to the cemetery, though it was listed in the Find a Grave database.  But she did report in notes that burial was at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum.  We linked our new memorial for Bryan (below) to the on e found on FAG for Leta
  
  Leta Townsen Gregory
  BIRTH 24 Feb 1889 Lampasas County, Texas, USA
  DEATH 22 Jul 1960 (aged 71) Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
  BURIAL Cremated, Ashes interred at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, Texas
  Father Horace Greeley Townsen
  Mother Mamie Moses
  Spouse William Bryan Gregory 1899-1973 (m. 1925)
  Created by Sue Lilley 27 Feb 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial 66218379, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66218379
  
  A probate record was ofund in Tarrant county, Texas, that matches Bryan, but it is puzzling in presenting the date probate was opened as 2 January 1973.  He did not die until 10 February 1923 (see death certificate above).  No image was available for reference.
  
  Tarrant County,Texas, Probate Index, 1800-2012
  William Bryan Gregory
  Only Address Provided Texas, USA
  File Date 2 Jan 1973 [? but death date was not until 10 February 1973]
  Decedent, Probate - Dependent Administration
  Case #1973-A015077
  Status Administratively Closed - (Conversion)
  Estate of WILLIAM BRYAM GREGORY, Deceased
  
  We could find no memorial for Bryan on Find a Grave so the follwoing memorial was written for him on 26 October 2019.
  
  -------------------
  William Bryan Gregory
  BIRTH 15 Mar 1899 Ben Hur, Limestone County, Texas
  DEATH 10 Feb 1973 (aged 73) Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
  BURIAL Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas,
  
  He went by his middle name.  Bryan was born in Ben Hur, Limestone County, Texas, about 25 miles east of Waco.  He was the son of Andrew Jackson Greogry of Union County, South Carolina and Jennie Lee James of Virginia.  His parents lived in Limestone County, Texas, then moved to Erath County, Texas, while Bryan was still living at home, and died there.
  
  Bryan had moved to Fort Worth by 1918, when he registered for the WWI military draft.  At that time he reported his nearest relative as his mother Jennie, whose address was Rt 6, Stephenville, Erath County, Texas.
  
  Bryan married Leta Gladys Townsend (some records spell the name Townsen), who was born in Lampassas County, Texas.  They married about 1925, though their marriage record has not been found.  Their daughter Billie Ruth Gregory was born in Fort Worth in September 1926.
  
  Bryan and his first wife Leta were cremated and their ashes were buried in the mausoleum of Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum.  Bryan's ashes were buried there 12 February 1973 by Robertson Mueller Harper Funeral and Cremation Services of Fort Worth.  For some reason the menager of Leta's memorial does not link the memorial to Greenwood, though she mentions in the notes that Leta's ashes were interred there.
  
  After Leta's death in July 1960, Bryan married again to someone named Mildred.  On his death certificate, the informant is reported as his wife Mildred Gregory.
  
  Parents:
  Andrew J Gregory 1856-1932
  Jennie Lee James Gregory 1861-1955
  
  Spouse Leta Townsen Gregory 1889-1960 (m. 1925)
  
  Siblings:
  Lena Lee Gregory 1881-1883
  Gerard Ennis Gregory 1886-1955
  Nota Mae Gregory 1888-1959
  John Gregory 1893-1914
  
  Created by Orville Jenkins 26 Oct 2019
  --  Find A Grave Memorial 204165631, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204165631/william-bryan-gregory
  -------------------
  

Sources

• 1. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 2. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 3. Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
• 4. Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1932
• 5. 1910 Federal Census, Hamilton County, Texas
  • 16 April, Justice Precinct 3, District 67, page 2B, Hse/Fam #37
• 6. 1940 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 24 April, Fort Worth Ward 14, Enumeration District 257-98, Page 63A, 2529 Greene St, Hse #381, Owns $5000
• 7. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• 8. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 9. U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
• 10. 1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 7 April, Ft Worth Ward 19-N, District 220-74, page 8A, 2305 Marigold St, Hse/Fam #95
• 11. GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014
• 12. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1924, p 662
• 13. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1918, p 415