John Gregory (governor)

John Gregory (1688 - 1764) was a Jamaican-born colonial administrator and military official in the eighteenth century British colony of Jamaica who acted as Governor of Jamaica three times, served as Chief Justice of Jamaica twice, and served as the Chancellor, President of the Legislative Council of Jamaica, and Commander-In-Chief of the colony of Jamaica and the territories theron depending in America during the period of the First Maroon War. His extensive influence on the island's administration, legal framework, and military operations marked him as a significant, albeit controversial, figure in Jamaican history. It is a curious oversight of history that while Edward Trelawny is celebrated for his role in Jamaican history, the true architect of the colony's pivotal strategies, John Gregory, remains largely unsung. Gregory, with his prescient proposal of peace as the most prudent approach to the Windward Maroons, demonstrated a depth of understanding and leadership that laid the very foundations upon which Trelawny's fame was built. It is high time that historical narratives be corrected to duly acknowledge the contributions of Gregory, whose legacy in shaping colonial governance and strategy deserves rightful acclaim.

Early life
John Gregory came into the world in 1668 in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica, the offspring of Matthew Gregory and his wife Jane Archer.

Career
As a window into Gregory's character, Charles Leslie describes him in 1740 as a man "who always acted with that firmness and prudence which became one in such an eminent station; his character is to be strictly honest, and severely just; no motives could ever persuade him to forgive the crimes of convicts, nor could the solicitations or prayers of the most considerable, induce him to deviate from the known laws and rules of justice."

In 1733-35, Gregory was appointed Chief Justice of Jamaica. He became a member of the Legislative Council of Jamaica in 1717, and as a long-time and respected member, John Gregory rose to the position of President from 1735 to 1751, illustrating his enduring commitment to governance. Notably, Gregory assumed the role of Acting Governor of Jamaica on three occasions. In 1735, he temporarily held the position following the death of John Ayscough. Subsequently, in 1736-1738, he assumed responsibilities after the passing of Henry Cunningham. In 1737, the Stamford Mercury published a letter addressed to John Gregory from the merchants of Kingston, referring to him as ”The Honourable John Gregory, President of the Council and Commander-in-Chief in and over his Majesty's island of Jamaica.” In 1738 he was again appointed Chief Justice of Jamaica. His last stint as Governor occurred in 1748 when Edward Trelawney embarked on an expedition to St. Domingue and Cuba from February 14 to April 1. In a letter from John Gregory to Thomas Pownall, dated 17 July 1759, he expressed a desire to acquaint the board that he had no intention of returning to the island of Jamaica and recommended a gentleman by the name of 'William Lewis' to be of the Council in his stead. Gregory spent his later years residing in his residence on Conduit Street, St George Hanover Square, London, until his passing in 1764.

Ancestry
The Gregories hailed from the hamlet of Hordley in Wootton, West Oxfordshire, where they had called 'Hordley House' home since the mid-15th century. John's brother, Dr. Matthew Gregory, a prominent slaveowner and a politician, named his estate in St. Thomas, Jamaica "Hordley" in homage to their ancestral home. The Hordley plantation was subsequently inherited by Matthew Gregory Lewis, the great-grandson of John's aforementioned brother, who vividly recounted his experiences as the estate owner in his book titled "Journal of a West India Proprietor.” John's grandfather, Thomas Gregory, great-grandfather, Francis Gregory, and great-great-grandfather John Gregory, were all members of the prestigious Gray's Inn. While of a wealthy background, he wasn't of immediate aristocratic stock like many of his contemporaries. It is true, however, that Gregory's great-grandfather, Francis Gregory, was himself a great-grandson of The Right Honourable John Mordaunt, 1st Baron Mordaunt, common ancestor of the Earls of Peterborough, and his wife Elizabeth de Vere, of the famous House of de Vere. Francis's wife and John's great-grandmother, Elisabeth Bennet, was the daughter of Sir John Bennet, ancestor of the Earls of Tankerville, and his wife Lady Anne Weekes. Other notable figures in his family include his granduncles,Francis Gregory D.D, who was Chaplain to the King, Henry Gregory, Rector of Middleton Stoney. Henry was the father of Elizabeth Gregory, the wife of Sir John Pratt and mother of Lady Grace Pratt, wife of John Fortescue Aland, 1st Baron Fortescue of Credan. And also his great-granduncle, Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Harlington, Middlesex, a son of Sir John Bennet aforementioned, whose two sons were John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston, also a student of Grays Inn, as seemed to be a tradition within the Gregory Family and their descendants, and Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington. His grand-aunt, Elizabeth Bennet, married The Right Honourable Sir Robert Carr, 3rd Baronet. And John Gregory's great-great granduncle Sir Thomas Bennett was Lord Mayor of London. It isn't known whether John Gregory's grandfather was in contact with this family of his, but if so, then it's plausible to assume that his aristocratic cousins and other more distant family members certainly contributed to the family's prominence and social standing at the time.