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David Gregory, Of Kinnairdie

David Gregory, Of Kinnairdie[1, 2]

Male 1625 - 1720  (94 years)

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  • Name David Gregory 
    Suffix Of Kinnairdie 
    Birth 20 Dec 1625  Kinnairdy, Aberdeen, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 1720  Kinnairdy, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Cause: Y 
    Death 10 Oct 1720  Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Education Librarian At King's College Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation Merchant, Scientist, Inventor Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _AMTID 132543252704:1030:194851487 
    _FSFTID GMYY-NY6 
    _UID 51321442AECDE21E8F1B17FEC2C0BDD32593 
    Person ID I145766  World of Hyde
    Last Modified 3 May 2021 

    Father John Gregory,   b. 1598, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1652, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 54 years) 
    Mother Janet Anderson,   c. 5 Feb 1605, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Nov 1668, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 63 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1622  Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F49174  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Isabel Gordon,   c. 7 Jan 1651, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Nov 1696, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 45 years) 
    Marriage 15 Feb 1672 
    Children 
     1. Marjory Gregory   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Gregorie, Gregorie,   b. 7 Oct 1675   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Charles Gregory,   b. 14 Feb 1681   d. 1754 (Age 72 years)
     4. Anna Gregory,   c. 6 Sep 1688, Marnoch, Banffshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown (Age ~ 66 years)
    Family ID F49173  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Feb 2024 

    Family 2 Jean Walker   d. Oct 1671 
    Marriage 8 Feb 1655 
    Children 
     1. Jean Gregorie,   b. 27 Mar 1656   d. Nov 1675 (Age 19 years)
     2. John Gregorie,   b. 3 Feb 1657   d. 21 Feb 1658 (Age 1 year)
     3. Alexander Gregorie,   b. 24 Feb 1658   d. Nov 1658 (Age 0 years)
     4. William Gregorie,   b. 12 Jul 1660   d. Mar 1661 (Age 0 years)
     5. David Gregory,   b. 24 Jun 1661   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Isobel Gregory,   b. 18 Jul 1661, Aberdeen, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1697 (Age 35 years)
     7. Janet Gregorie,   b. 10 Aug 1662   d. 1686 (Age 23 years)
     8. Christian Gregorie,   b. 15 Jan 1664   d. 12 Jun 1739 (Age 75 years)
     9. Marjorie Gregorie,   b. 5 Feb 1665   d. Sep 1665 (Age 0 years)
     10. Margaret Gregory,   b. 5 Feb 1665, Aberdeen, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Oct 1667 (Age 2 years)
     11. James Gregory,   b. 1666, Kinairdy, Aberdeen, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1742 (Age 76 years)
     12. Patrick Gregorie,   b. 26 Jul 1667   d. 29 Jan 1668 (Age 0 years)
     13. Gregorie,   b. 13 Sep 1668   d. Yes, date unknown
     14. Anna Gregorie,   b. 16 Feb 1670   d. Oct 1675 (Age 5 years)
     15. Gregorie,   b. Oct 1671   d. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F49393  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Feb 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 10 Oct 1720 - Aberdeenshire, Scotland Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 

    • GREGORY, DAVID, of Kinnairdie, an elder brother of the inventor of the reflecting telescope, and who himself possessed a remarkable turn for mathematical and mechanical knowledge, was born in 1627 or 1628. He was the son of the Rev. John Gregory, minister of Drumoak, in Aberdeenshire, by his wife, the daughter of Mr. David Anderson of Finshaugh, commonly called, at Aberdeen, “Davie Do a’ Thing,” from his multifarious attainments, whose brother, Alexander Anderson, was, abut the beginning of the seventeenth century, professor of mathematics in the university of Paris. He was educated by his father for trade, and served an apprenticeship to a mercantile house in Holland. In 1655, having relinquished all commercial pursuits, he returned to Scotland, and succeeded, on the death of an elder brother, to the estate of Kinnairdie, situated about forty miles north of Aberdeen, where he lived many years, and where thirty-two children were born to him by two wives. Three of his sons were professors of mathematics at the same time in three of the British universities, namely, David at Oxford, James at Edinburgh, and Charles at St. Andrews; and one of his daughters was mother of the celebrated Dr. Thomas Reid of Glasgow. Devoting himself, in his retirement, to the cultivation of science and the study of medicine, which he practised gratuitously among his neighbours, and being, moreover, the only one in that part of the country who possessed a barometer, by which he obtained a knowledge of the weather, he incurred the suspicion of the ignorant and superstitious as a dealer in the ‘black art,’ and narrowly escaped being formally tried by the presbytery of the bounds for witchcraft or conjuration. A deputation of that reverend body waited upon him to inquire into the ground of certain reports that were in circulation concerning him; but he was able to give them the most ample and satisfactory explanation, whereby a prosecution was averted.

            About the beginning of the eighteenth century he removed to Aberdeen with his family, and having invented an engine to make the shot of great guns more destructive to the enemy, he sent a model of it to his son, the Savilian professor at Oxford, that he might obtain his and Sir Isaac Newton’s opinion of it. The latter at once condemned this improvement in artillery as calculated to increase the horrors of war, and recommended that it should be destroyed. As the machine was never afterwards found, it is supposed that the professor followed Newton’s advice. On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1715, Mr. Gregory went a second time to Holland, but returned when it was over to Aberdeen, where he died about 1720, aged ninety-three. He left behind him a history of his own time and country, which was never published.

      Another summary:

      Mr David Gregory, brother of the inventor of the reflecting telescope, had been educated as a merchant, and spent a considerable time in Holland; but by the death of his elder brother he became heir to the estate of Kinnairdie, and from a predilection for the mathematics and experimental philosophy, he soon afterwards renounced all commercial employments, devoting himself entirely to the cultivation of science. The peculiarity of Mr Gregory’s pursuits, caused him to be noted through the whole country, and he being the first person in Scotland who possessed a barometer, from which he derived an extensive knowledge of the weather, it was universally believed that he held intercourse with the beings of another world. So extensive had this belief been circulated, that a deputation from the presbytery waited on him, and it was only one fortunate circumstance that prevented him from undergoing a formal trial for witchcraft. He had from choice obtained an extensive knowledge of the healing art, his opinion was held in the highest estimation, and as he practiced in all cases without fee, he was of great use in the district where he lived. It was this circumstance alone that prevented the reverend members of the presbytery from calling him to account for his superior intelligence.

       

      An anecdote is told of David Gregory of Kinnairdie, Dr Gregory’s father, which it would not perhaps, be altogether proper to omit. He had, as was remarked at the beginning, a turn for mathematical and mechanical subjects, and during queen Anne’s wars had contrived a method to increase the effect of field ordnance. He sent it to the Savilian professor, his son, wishing his opinion, together with Sir I. Newton’s. Gregory showed it to Newton, who advised him earnestly to destroy it, as said Newton, "Any invention of that kind, if it even were effectual, would soon become known to the enemy, so that it would only increase the horrors of war." There is every reason to think that the professor followed Newton’s advice, as the machine was never afterwards to be found.

      It is a more singular circumstance, and indeed without parallel in the scientific history of Scotland, that this old gentleman lived to see three of his sons professors at the same time, viz. David, the subject of the preceding sketch; James, who succeeded his brother in the chair of mathematics at Edinburgh; and Charles, professor of mathematics in the university of St Andrews.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1009] Hyde Family Web Site, https://www.myheritage.com/person-1500305_363003421_363003421/david-gregory-of-kinnairdie (Reliability: 3).
      Added by confirming a Smart Match

    2. [S1012] Sessions Web Site, David "Baron of /Kinnairdy/" Gregorie of Kinairdy (Reliability: 3).
      Added by confirming a Smart Match