Edgar M. Gregory

Edgar Mantlebert Gregory was born on January 1, 1804, at the town of Sand Lake, New York in Rensselaer County, New York and grew up in Pennsylvania. His father was Rev. Justus The Gregorys descended from pioneers of Norwalk, Connecticut and before that ancestors from Nottingham, England. He had brothers Henry M. and David as well as older sisters. He lived in Deposit, New York. ==Pre-war career==

Gregory lived for a number of years in Deposit, New York. He then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and was in the railroad, lumber, and banking businesses. He helped former slaves in their flight to Canada. He was the president of the Cincinnati Young Men's Auxiliary of the American Bible Society in 1846. He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, He established the Home Guards, local militia, in Philadelphia. ==Civil War==

During the American Civil War, Gregory was a Union Army officer. Two sons also enlisted in the army and both served until the end of the war. He led during the Richmond campaign (Second Battle of Deep Bottom and/or Operations against the Weldon Railroad) in August 1864. His regiment mustered out in July 1865. He was brevetted major general on August 9, 1865 ==Freedmen's Bureau==

Background General Gordon Granger issued a proclamation in Texas that slavery had come to an end, but that the "freed are advised to remain at their present homes, and work for wages." In Washington County, an Army official advised African Americans not to take a day or two to celebrate their freedom. Texas He was appointed to a position with the Freemen's Bureau after the war. He was made assistant commissioner responsible for the state of Texas. In September 1865, he took over operation of the Galveston custom house. Gregory spoke to white and black people about post-war emancipation, which white Texans thought arbitrary and unlawful, and reconstruction in the evenings, after the end of the work day. The Bureau provided funding for construction and repair of buildings for schools, as well as educational materials, for black children. Teachers were provided by religious and civic organizations. ==Marshal==

President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Gregory to the position of United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on May 11, 1869. ==Personal life==

Gregory married Ellen Young, daughter of Henry Young of Deposit, New York. Ellen was born on March 4, likely in 1807. She died on November 25, 1868. A private funeral was held November 13, 1871 at his home in Philadelphia and with a military escort, that also included men who served under Gregory, of his hearse to the Oxford Presbyterian Church. Elements from President Abraham Lincoln's view at Independence Hall were used for Gregory's public service in the church. His funeral was attended by a number of clergy, judges, and military and former military. ==Legacy==

Named for him, Edgar M. Gregory School, is the first school for African American children in Houston. It is now the African American Library at the Gregory School, one of the few black libraries. It is located in the Freedmen's Town National Historic District in the Fourth Ward, Houston. ==See also==