William Samuel Gregory (August 4, 1825 – August 11, 1887) was the first

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

of Kansas City,

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, beginning his term on April 18, 1853. He was also the owner of grocery businesses in Missouri and Illinois.

Early life

William S. Gregory was born on August 4, 1825, in

Shelby County, Kentucky Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,065. Its county seat is Shelbyville. The county was founded in 1792 and named for Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Shelb ...

. His mother was related to

Bland Ballard Bland Williams Ballard (October 16, 1761 – September 5, 1853) was a soldier and statesman from Kentucky. Biography Bland Williams Ballard was born on October 16, 1761, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, the eldest son of Bland Ballard. In 1779 ...

, an early settler of Kentucky. He took a full collegiate course at

Hanover College Hanover College is a private college in Hanover, Indiana, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Founded in 1827 by Reverend John Finley Crowe, it is Indiana's oldest private college. The Hanover athletic teams participate in the H ...

in Indiana.

Career

Gregory moved from Kentucky, with his wife Elizabeth, to

Jackson County, Missouri Jackson County is located in the western portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 717,204. making it the second-most populous county in the state (after St. Louis County). Although Independence retains ...

, in August 1844. He bought a farm in Jackson County in 1844, and moved to

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...

in 1851. Gregory operated a grocery store on the levee. He and other settlers petitioned to incorporate the Town of Kansas. When Kansas City was incorporated on March 18, 1853, it had an area and a population of 2,500. 63 votes were cast for mayor and Gregory defeated Dr. Benoist Troost by nine votes. Gregory only served 10 months as mayor, when it was discovered that he lived on a farm that was outside the city limits eastern boundary at Locust Street. Therefore, he was not eligible to be mayor. Dr.

Johnston Lykins Johnston Lykins (April 15, 1800 – August 15, 1876) was a prominent settler and civic leader in the Americans, American American frontier, frontier Town of Kansas, which became Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri. He was editor of the ...

finished out his term, beginning in February 1854. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Gregory commanded a company under Colonel John Reid in Kansas and Western Missouri. He then moved to

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

with his family and joined with E. R. Threlkald and L. C. Alexander to form the W. S. Gregory grocery business. After a year, Gregory moved to

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and partnered with J. R. Staley and S. C. Bennett. After Staley retired in 1865, the business continued as Bennett & Gregory. In 1857, Gregory moved back to Kansas City and opened a store at 420 Delaware Street. In 1872, Gregory bought out his partner and consolidated with L. H. Warriner and A. C. Dyas at 51 West Third Street as Gregory, Warriner & Dyas. In 1877, the business was re-organized as Gregory & Co. In 1878, Gregory was a member of the common council of Kansas City. He was a director of the Bank of Kansas City since its organization.

Personal life

Gregory married Eliza A. Wade in January 1846. She died in April 1851. In May 1852, Gregory married the sister of his former wife, Mary C. Wade. He had four children: Mrs. R. H. Cannon, Samuel W., Robert L. and Mrs. F. Holmes. Gregory died on August 11, 1867, at his home on 729 Troost Avenue in Kansas City. Gregory is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. In the 1930s, 71st Street was renamed Gregory Boulevard in his honor.

References

External links

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Kansas City Missouri timeline
1825 births 1887 deaths People from Shelby County, Kentucky Hanover College alumni Mayors of Kansas City, Missouri Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Kansas City, Missouri) 19th-century American politicians {{LouisvilleMSA-stub