Curtis Hussey Gregg
CURTIS HUSSEY GREGG, an attorney of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, of the firm of Gregg & Potts, whose ancestry and personal career has made him a man of more than ordinary prominence, was born at Adamsburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1865. The founder of this, family of Greggs in the United States was James Gregg, one of four brothers who came to this country from the north of Ireland and settled in the Cumberland valley, Pennsylvania. One of the brothers settled in New York; one in Ohio and the other in central Pennsylvania. From the latter sprang the Gregg family from which descended ex-Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin.The grandfather of Curtis Hussey Gregg was James Gregg, who was a native of the United States. He married into the Marshall family, his wife being a native of Cumberland valley.
The father was James Gregg, born in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1821. He was engaged in the mercantile business in Adamsburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, until 1876, when he became treasurer of the county. His schooling was confined to a term in Duff's Business College at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In religion he espoused the Lutheran faith. He was "an old-fashioned, Simon-pure Democrat." He served as treasurer of Westmoreland county from 1876 to 1879, and as justice of the peace in Greensburg borough from 1881 to 1886; also school director in Greensburg. He died January 5, 1889. His wife was Eliza Cort Gregg, born January 5, 1826, still living. She is the daughter of George Byerly, who was a grandson of Andrew Byerly, of Bushy Run battle fame, in the early-day Indian wars in Westmoreland county, an account of which is given in the general chapter of this work.
Curtis H. Gregg, son of James and Eliza Cort Gregg, received his education in the common schools and the Greensburg Seminary, where he pursued a two years course. He began his business career in an humble manner, serving in the role of a newsboy in Greensburg, but through his aim to accomplish more in life he was soon holding the position of news editor for the Greensburg Press, and continued from 1883 to 1887. Later he taught school one term, and then applied himself to the study of law, being admitted to the bar August 4. 1888. He studied with Hon. Lucian W. Doty (later president judge of Westmoreland county), and A. M. Sloan, Esq. He almost instantly forged into the front ranks of a bar numbering a hundred members, which body stands among the most talented in the commonwealth. His knowledge and keen foresight into the interpretation of legal problems, together with his forceful arguments, compelled an early recognition and made him a successful practitioner. Death causing a vacancy in the office of the district attorney in July, 1891, he was appointed to that office and nominated by the Democratic party the same year for that office, but the fates of political power were against him. He has always been an ardent party worker, and being possessed of rare gifts as a public speaker has been frequently drafted into hotly contested political campaigns. For four years he served acceptably on the Greensburg school board, and has been a member of the town council, of which he was president one year. He was among the progenitors of the Greensburg, Jeannette & Pittsburg Electric Railway, and has been initiated in all that has tended to give new life and growth to his hometown. In 1896 he was chairman of the Democratic county committee, and a hearty supporter of Colonel W. J. Bryan. It was in 1900 that he was the unsuccessful candidate for congress from the Twenty-fourth district in Pennsylvania, and was the nominee of his party for state senator in the Thirty-ninth district in 1904. During the time the Spanish-American war soldiers were enlisting and going to the seat of war from Westmoreland county, Mr. Gregg was called upon to deliver more than thirty flag-raising speeches in various parts of the county. They burned with true patriotism. He is a member of various civic societies, including the I. O. H., B. E., K. of M., and G. F. Mr. Gregg is a member of Zion Lutheran church of Greensburg, and has been the chorister there for more than twenty years. Mr. Gregg married, June 21, 1890, Frances A. Good, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, daughter of George W. Good, who died January 6, 1905. He was the builder and owner of many of the largest business blocks in Greensburg and adjoining towns. He was president of the St. Clair Opera House Company, and director in the John W. Pollins Company, a department store. His wife was Maria C. (Lenhart) Good, who still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg have two sons: James, born May 21, 1891; George Good, born December 29, 1895; both born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Source: Page(s) 128-130, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed February 2006 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)
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