Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/308

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296

��Windham, N. H.

��WINDHAM, N. H.— Chapter 6.

��By Hon. Leonard A. Morrison, Author of " History of the Morrison Family""

AND " History of Windham, N. H."

��BIOGRAVHIE^.

David Gregg^ was one of the earli- est settlers of Wiudham. He was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1685, and was the son of John Gregg, '^ who was born there in 1665, and who was killed by the Catholics about 1689. This John Gregg was son of David Gregg, ^ who was born in Ar- gyleshire, Scotland, was a captain under Cromwell in 1655, and aided in subjugating the rebellious Irish, and subsequently settled near Lon- donderry, Ireland. Was a tanner, and proprietor of thirty acres of land. He was finally murdered by the Irish in 1689.

David Gregg^ of Windham married, in Ireland, Mary, daughter of Capt. Thomas Nevins of London. He came to Watertown, Mass., in 1712. lived there nine years, and then bought a large tract in Windham (then Lon- donderry), in November, 1721. This was then a wildei-ness abounding in wild beasts. The old cellar over which his house stood can still be seen. He was a Protestant and a devout Christian. His mind was strong, combined with decision of character, and he died at an advanced age. He was of gigantic stature, his weight was 340 pounds, and he possessed marvellous strength. He could lift 1,200 pounds with ease. His son

William Gregg,* was born in 1705, in Londonderry, Ireland. He mar- ried Elizabeth Kyle, of Scotch blood, who possessed great personal beau-

��ty. Her husband was a great hunter, and made noted inroads upon the catamounts, bears, wolves, and deer which abounded in the unbroken for- ests. He was a leading citizen, and often held offices of trust, both polit- ical and religious. Was noted for his piety and great memory. He was resolute in purpose, and adhered to his convictions with the pertinacity of the Scotch covenanter. He was well educated for his time. Though he left Ireland when eight years of age, yet he could describe with great mi- nuteness the old city of Londonderry, with its walls and fortifications. He could describe the streets as he saw them in his boyhood, and would re- late what he had seen and heard of the extreme distress growing out of the celebrated defence of the city ; distress so great and the gnawings of hunger so keen that rats were food and had a market price. He died in 1797, in his 92d year.

��Jolin Cochran was of unadulterated Scotch blood, was the son of John and ILlizabeth (Arwin) Cochran, of Londonderry, Ireland, where he was born in 1704. His father shared with his Scotch countrymen in the glorious defence of the city against the Cath- olics in 1688-89. Young Cochran came to New Hampshire in 1720, and in 1730 located on a swell of land in East Windham, which remains to this day in possession of descendants. It was at that time a wilderness, and he displayed the usual amount of endur-

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