John Gregory | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Jamaica | |
| In office 1735–1735 | |
| Monarch | King George II |
| Preceded by | John Ayscough |
| Succeeded by | Henry Cunningham |
| In office 1736–1738 | |
| Monarch | King George II |
| Preceded by | Henry Cunningham |
| Succeeded by | Edward Trelawny |
| In office 1748–1748 | |
| Monarch | King George II |
| Preceded by | Edward Trelawny |
| Succeeded by | Edward Trelawny |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1688 St. Catherine, Jamaica |
| Died | 1764 (aged 76) Conduit Street, St George's Square, London, England |
| Spouse | Lucretia Favell |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Rank | Commander-in-Chief of Jamaica & American Territories |
| Battles/wars | First Maroon War |
John Gregory (1688 - 1764) was a Jamaican-born colonial administrator, slave-owner, 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 President of the Legislative Council of Jamaica, Chancellor, & Commander-In-Chief of the colony of Jamaica and the territories theron depending in America during and following the period of the First Maroon War.[1]
In addition, "Jamaica in Slavery & Freedom" published by The University of the West Indies Press, refers to Gregory as a Lieutenant Governor, citing his own statement that in 1737, a quarter of the population of Jamaica was wiped out due to an epidemic that struck Kingston. Given that this title was often used historically to denote the "de facto second-in-command", it is fitting for him to have held it.[2] A deep examination of Jamaica's colonial history indicates that Gregory's accumulation of such a diverse array of top-tier positions in the colony is without precedent in Jamaica's history.
He held the highest judicial, administrative, executive, military, and political positions in Jamaica, at least three of which, President of the Legislative Council, Commander-in-Chief, and Chancellor, he is known to have held simultaneously during turbulent times. With this in mind, we are forced to confront that at this point he was the highest legislative authority, overseeing the creation and passage of colonial laws, the apex of judicial authority, presiding over the colony's legal system and enforcing the law, and held the most senior military position, commanding the armed forces of the Colony and its associated American territories. It is fair to say that tens of thousands, if not more, enslaved lives were directly impacted as a result.
These attributes, combined with his brother's prominence and wealth as a planter and his father's political roles and involvement with Peter Beckford Jr and other powerful colonial figures, paint a picture of a family that wielded an implacable grip on the levers of colonial authority and plantocracy.[3][4][5] It is also of note that Gregory being the most executive military officer on the Island during conflict was not contingent on his gubernatorial office, as was the case with many of his contemporaries. With this in mind, it would be fair to assert that, uniquely, this individual symbolised the entire weight of the colonial system. It is certainly a curious oversight of history that while Edward Trelawny is widely celebrated for envisioning and executing the peace treaties with the Maroons, Gregory's tenure involved advocating for the treaties in the midst of active conflict, years before Trelawny's ascent to office, a far riskier and more uncertain environment. His prescient contributions are almost entirely unsung in historical narratives, which diminishes the complexity of The First Maroon War's resolution.[6][7]
Writing in 1790, Captain Philip Thicknesse echoed the remarks made by The Honourable John Gregory in 1737 to his English audience, "For my part I know but two ways of dealing with an enemy, either by force or treaty; the first we have often tried." The famous treaties of 1739 and 1740, established after Gregory's governorship, are described as a turning point in ending guerrilla warfare and integrating the Maroons as "useful neighbors." It cannot be ignored that Gregory's prescient recommendations laid the groundwork for these peace agreements.[8]
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=WGo5AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=John+gregory+jamaica+chancellor&pg=PA290&printsec=frontcover The Political State of Great Britain, Volume 53, 1736. p. 290.
- ^ Jamaica in Slavery and Freedom: History, Heritage and Culture. (2002). Barbados: University of the West Indies Press.
- ^ Howard, R. M. (1925). Records and Letters of the Family of the Longs of Longville, Jamaica, and Hampton Lodge, Surrey. United Kingdom: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent.
- ^ Travel, Trade and Power in the Atlantic, 1765-1884. Cambridge University Press. 2002. ISBN 978-0-521-82312-8.
- ^ Bartlett, J. R. (1870). Bibliotheca Americana: A Catalogue of Books Relating to North- and South-America in the Library of J. Carter Brown. (n.p.): (n.p.).
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=G3qSTNdp1t0C&hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=John+gregory+maroons&pg=PA13&printsec=frontcover Origins of the Black Atlantic, 2013. Edited by Julius Sherrard Scott III. p. 12,13,14,15.
- ^ https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Colonial_Journal/secMAAAAYAAJ?hl=en The Colonial Journal. (1817). United Kingdom: G. Davidson. p.407
- ^ Chopra, R. (2018). Almost Home: Maroons Between Slavery and Freedom in Jamaica, Nova Scotia, and Sierra Leone. United States: Yale University Press. p. 15