UPPER BRIDGE.+

.Elder Jacob Grigg, former pastor of Upper Bridge is

an Englishman who received an education at the Bristol Baptist

academy after he began to preach. When he finished his

education he was sent by the missionary society into AfriGa.

Having some disturbance there with the governor of the colony,

he came to Norfolk, in Virginia. After preaching for the ·

church there awhile, he came to Upper Bridge, and was there

very useful. At length he moved to Kentucky, and was pastor

to one of the most prosperous churches there. But in con­

sequence of the disturbances about hereditary slavery, he

again moved to Ohio, and finally to Richmond, Va., where he

now resides. His high, and perhaps in some respects, untenable , opinions of civil liberty, involved him in embarrassments both

in Africa and Kentucky. Some of his friends are ~f opinion

that age and experience have corrected these protuberances.

His moral character has never been assailed. By all who know

him he is esteemed pious and zealous. As a preacher, for deep

investigation, for clear and lucid exhibition of divine truth,

he is unsurpassed by any preacher in Virginia.*

+ The location of this church was in the southeastern part of Norfolk county, near the North Carolina line. Their meeting-house was burned in 1818, and at the completion of their present building in 1821 the name of the church was changed to Northwest.

* Elder Gregg (Grigg), after spending some years in Kentucky, Ohio, and North Carolina, returned to Virginia and settled in Richmond. About the year 1817 he removed to Philadelphia, where he became pastor of the Market-Street church. He again returned to Virginia and died in Sussex county in 1836.

SE~WLE'S HISTORY OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE BAPTISTS IN VIRGINIA, page: 459-460

By: Robert B. Semple

286.09755/Se5.2

It will be seen by the subjoined paragraph from the

Religious Herald, that our venerable brother Grigg is no more.

He died on the 28th of Sept. at the house of John Lipsey, in

Greenville county, Virginia, after an illness of eight days.-­

The deceased had many friends in this State, and his unwearied

labors of love will long be held in grateful remembrance.

ELDER JACOB GRIGG

"Many of our readers will regret to learn the departure

of this aged minister of the cross. At one period Elder Grigg

ranked as one of the first preachers in our state, and many of

his sermons will long dwell in the memories of his hearers.

Subsequently he strayed into forbidden paths,~ and appeared to

have made shipwreck of the faith. But he was mercifully restored,

and for some time past has again been laboring in his Master's

cause, with acceptance and usefulness; and has been permitted to

die rejoicing in the truth.

Few preachers have possessed a more thorough knowledge of

the Scriptures, than Elder G.: and as a doctrinal preacher,

he has rarely been equalled.

BIBLICAL RECORDER, October 21, 1835, p. 3:1

MINUTES OF THE GOSHEN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, October 4, 5, & 6,

1833 - ­

5. Letters were presented from the newly constituted Churches:

Moore's Creek, Hopewell and Wilmington, by their Messengers,

viz: ... From Wilmington, JACOB C. GRIGG; praying admission

to this Association. The necessary evidence being furnished

of the principles, conduct, and regular Constitution of

these Churches~ they were received as constituent members

of this Association ....

6. Resolved, That Elders JACOB C. GRIGG, Hiram Stallings and

Brother Stephen Grham correspond with the Neuse Association ...

17. The Ministers appointed to preach on Sun~ay, proceeded in , the following order---Elder Wm. J. Findley, from Psalms, 126

ch. 6 v.; Elder J. C. GRIGG from Acts. 17 ch: ~O, 31 v. -- ­

Page 4:

11. Wilmington.--This Church was first constituted April 13th, of

the present date.--At its constitution, Elders Lewis Whitfield

and John Armstrong presided, and assisted it by their advice

and council. At its constitution, brethren Warren and Grigg

were requested to take the pastoral charge of the brethren,

to which they also submitted. Through indisposition and

other engagements brother Warren has been precluded from

filling up his appointment.

The Neuse Baptist Association held its annual session at Fort

Barnwell Chapel, Craven County, on the 19th, 20th, and 21st

of October last. The introductory discourse was delivered by

ELDER JACOB GRIGG ...

BIBLICAL RECORDER, January 4, 1834, p. 3:2

205/B47

JACOB GREGG (GRIGG) was among the emancipators. He was a native

of England, and was educated at Bristol Academy. Early in life

he entered the Baptist ministry, and was sent as a missionary

to Sierra Leon, in Africa. Here he remained a short time, and

then sailed for America. He first settled at Portsmouth,

Virginia, where he preached for a time, and then married a Miss

Goodwin. After visiting Kentucky, and spending the summer Qf

1796, he moved to North Carolina, and took charge of the church

at Northwest River ?ridge. (This was a Virginia church just

over the North Carolina line). Here he labored a few years and

then moved to Kentucky. He settled in Mason county, and took

charge of May's Lick church in 1802. Shortly after this he

espoused the cause of the emancipationists. To this cause he

gave his splendid abilities during a period o~ two or three

years. Here also it became apparent to his bret'hren that he was

indulging too freely in intoxicating drinks. When called to

account for this sin he acknowledged his fault and promised

amendment. But as he did not wholly abandon the use of strong

drink, he was afterwards frequently overtaken in the same fault.

About the year 1816 he moved to Philadelphia, and took the care

of Market Street church in that city. Subsequently he returned

to Virginia, and spend the evening of his life in itinerating.

He died in Sussex county, Virginia, after a few days illness,

in 1836.

Elder J. B. Taylor says of Mr. Gregg: "It will not be a de­

parture from the truth to represent him as possessing extra­

ordinary powers of mind. Perhaps the most remarkable trait in

his intellectual character was a tenacious memory. It is said

that while on the ocean, after he left his native land, he

memorized the Old and New Testaments, and the whole of Watts'

Psalms: .

HISTORY OF KENTUCKY BAPTISTS, Volume 1, page: 190-191

286/Sp32

Note: Parentheses inserted by BHC Staff.

JACOB GREGG

His name is familiar to many Baptists in North America, and especially to the churches of Virginia. He was an Englishman by birth, and continued in his native land until he had risen to man­hood. When very young, he professed religion, by uniting with a Baptist church, and soon commenced the ministry. After he began to preach, he was induced to enter the Bristol Baptist Academy, and there prosecuted a limited course of study. Very soon after he left the institution, he received an appointment from some society, as a missionary to Sierra Leone, on the coast of Africa. This . station he did not long retain; for having some misunderstanding with the governor of the colony, he determined to settle in America.

Having arrived at Norfolk, he served, at different times, the church in that borough, and the churches of Portsmouth and Upper bridge. While in that region, he married a Miss Goodwin. In a few years he removed to Kentucky, and became the pastor of a flourishing Baptist church. But this state he soon left, and visited Ohio; there remaining but for a short period. In 1808 or '9, he returned to Virginia, on a visit to his wife's parents, wno were residing in Richmond. At their earnest solicitude, he consented to remain in Richmond, and open a school, which he conducted for several years. During this period, he was generally employed in preaching, either in the vicinity of the city, or for the first church, then under the pastoral care of Elder John Courtney. In the capacity of a teacher, he was highly approved, having a large number of youth under his direction. His acquaintance with the Latin and Greek was not very thorough; but he was considered an excellent scholar in all the branches of English literature. His readiness in ' communica­ting instruction, and the aptness of his illustrations, rendered him exceedingly popular with the young.

During his residence in Richmond, it became apparent to his intimate friends and brethren, much to their grief, that he was in the habit of using too freely the intoxicating draught. How mourn­ful the fact, that, with his capacity for usefulness in the kingdom of Christ, the best of his life should have been yielded to the gratification of his vile appetite. When by some of his brethren his fault was faithfully exposed to his view, he confessed his guilt, seemed deeply penitent, and promised amendment. As, however, he did not utterly abandon the use of spiritious liquors, he was afterwards, in several instances, overtaken by the same vice. In the year 1816, or '17, he left Richmond, and remained sometime in Philadelphia and its vicinity. During this period he was chosen to the pastoral oversight of Market street Baptist church, in Philadelphia. Subsequently he settled in Virginia, and was em­ployed sometimes in the instruction of youth; but, towards the close of life, mostly in preaching, as an itinerant. There are not many men whose lives have been more subject to vicissitude than his, especially in regard to location. As will appear from the rapid survey taken, he remained but a short period in anyone place, and therefore did not exercise the ministerial function, in particular churches, sufficiently to create a permanent influence.

JACOB GREGG-----------------2

In referring to the talents of Elder Gregg, it will not be a departure from the truth, to represent him as possessing extra­ordinary powers of mind. Perhaps the most remarkable trait in his intellectual character was a tenacious memory. this formed the foundation of all his greatness. While he remembered almost every­thing he ever read, he possessed a peculiar aptness in selecting and arranging, from his ample stores of knowledge, as circumstances might render necessary. As an evidence of the retentiveness of his memory, it is said, that while on the ocean after he left his native land, he memorised the Old and New Testaments with the whole of Watts' Psalms. During his whole future life, he was able to repeat at pleasure entire chapters and hymns. Very frequently, in conducting family worship, instead of calling for the books, or using them when brought, he would commence and go through lengthy portions from the bible, and line out the words of a hymn with perfect accuracy. In his sermons he sometimes introduced lengthy quotations from the sacred writings without referring to the volume before him.

His illustrations in the pulpit were usually apposite and forcible, and his style, while it was simple and chaste, was 'remarkable for its copiousness. He was an excellent sermoniser. The ' natural fer­tility of his mind, and his extensive information, preeminently qualified him for the pulpit. There was sometimes too much division in his discourses, and perhaps a disposition to make portions of the bible teach what they never intended to inculcate. He was peculiarly fond of seizing some historical incident recorded in the sacred volume, and making it the basis of a discourse. At other times, he would indulge in the spiritual ising vein, and with peculiar ingenuity, oft~n to the amusement of his auditors, endeavor to elucidate some dark and mysterious passage, or deduce doctrinal truth from the fragment of a verse. The writer has in possession a curious skeleton of a sermon founded on the clause, "0 wheel." His sermons, however, were generally judicious, and highly instructive. While thus much may be said respecting his talents as a preacher, he indicated but little judgment in the common affairs of life. There was possessed a small measure of what is usually denominated common sense; in the management of his own pecuniary and domestic matters, he was a mere child, and in mingling in the social circle there was seen but little regard to the courtesies of life. He was rather awkward in his address, excepting with a few intimate friends, and then as a com­panion he was peculiarly interesting. His colloqual powers in such a c ircle were excellent.

In sentiment he was strongly Calvinistic. A superior sermon on predestination, delivered before the Dover Association, was at their request printed. About the same period a circular letter on the subject of close communion was published, and excited consider­able regard.

For the last few years of his life, he was a warm friend of the temperance cause, having himself abstained entirely from the use of ardent spirits. His standing, too, among his brethren, was en­tirely regained, although as a preacher, with men generally, he was far from being regarded as in former days. How dangerous for

JACOB GREGG------------------3

ministers to parley with temptation. How disastrous the effects of their sin, when they fall. Elder Gregg died in Sussex county, after a few days' illness in 1836.

LIVES OF VIRGINIA BAPTIST MINISTERS, p. 390-393

By: James B. Taylor

920/T21v2

Note: We feel the author made an error in the date of death of Rev. Jacob Grigg. (Sometimes he was recorded as Gregg and sometimes as Grigg). Jacob Grigg died in 1835.

BHD-Staff.

b.

Ancestry

NAME

Married

b. d.

I Ancestry

/1 33

Se8

File No. (Over)