John M Gregory

Photographer: J. M. Gregory
Bet. 8th & 9th 810 Market St. Louisville, Ky.
example from LOST GALLERY
(identified on reverse as
W P McDonald of Dayton, TN)

John M. Gregory was found in lots of Louisville, KY, city directory listings. Connecting sparce biographical information to this timeline was difficult. Exactly where he was born and where he grew up was still not certain. And unfortunately, there were other men named J M Gregory, John Gregory and Johnson Gregory living in the same area making research on the photographer more difficult.

In the 1880 US Census there was a photographer at 105 4th street in Louisville, KY, but the enumerator had incorrectly listed his name as “James” Gregory.

Here is a timeline including street addresses which may aid in dating some cabinet cards. There are some, thus far, unexplained absences. Did he locate in a different city? Was he ill? When he returns to business in Louisville from these absences, he is at a new address.

Note also that in all city directory mentions, he is apparently living and working at the same address.

1841
Kentucky, US Census, and (Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal obituary, Johnson M Gregory is born
1863
Daviess, KY, civil war registration Johnson Gregory as artist; Daviess, KY, is 120 miles from Louisville, KY

1865
(Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal obituary says Johnson Gregory began a career as photographer this year
1867, 1869
Louisville, KY, city directory Johnson M Gregory NOT listed
1870
Louisville, KY, city directory, J M Gregory as photographer at 78 w Main; res same
1870 Jun 06
Louisville, KY, US census, John Gregory as photographer; living alone, No address shown
1871, 1872
Louisville, KY, city directory, John M Gregory as photographer at 78 Main; res same
1873
Louisville, KY, city directory, J M Gregory as photographer at 114 Market; res 144 ½ 13th (Another edition of the same directory for same year, 1873, says he boards at 241 Shelby)
1874
Louisville, KY, city directory not available
1875 - 1877
Louisville, KY, city directory, Not in these directories; Gregory has not been located for these years
1878, 1879, 1880
Louisville, KY, city directory, J M Gregory as photographer at 105 4th street; res same
1880 Jun 07
Louisville, KY, US census, “James” Gregory as photographer at 105 1/2 4th street

1881
Louisville, KY, city directory, John M Gregory as photographer at 105 4th street
1881 Feb 09
Kentucky state records says Johnson Gregory and Fanny E Harris are married
1882
Louisville, KY, city directory not available
1883
Louisville, KY, city directory John M Gregory as photographer at 613 W Market
1883 Mar 24
Frankfort (KY) Rounabout news item says J M Gregory of Louisville, will open a photograph gallery in Frankfort, KY, about the first of April
1883 Nov 03
Frankfort (KY) Rounabout news item says J M Gregory has moved to Louisville, KY, giving up his studio in Frankfort
1884 and 1885
Louisville, KY, city directory, J M Gregory does not appear in these directories
1886 through 1892
Louisville, KY, city directory John Gregory as photographer at 810 W Market
1893
Louisville, KY, city directory at 810 W Market and 904 W Market
1893 Aug 15
(Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal Johnson M Gregory dies at age 52; obituary outlines death, mentions wife and two children surviving

The cabinet card at the left must have been done between 1886 and 1893 when he was at 810 Market Street in Louisville, KY.

Frankfort (KY) Roundabout - 24 Mar 1883

Frankfort (KY) Roundabout - 03 Nov 1883

Louisville, KY, Courier Journal - 16 Aug 1893

August 6, 2019 UPDATE! Thanks to an alert comment from Vernon Purvis (see comment section) this obituary has been added. It explains a few things. This prompted a complete rewrite of the timeline above.

The Louisville KY Courier Journal -
17 Aug 1893

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. Listed here are all the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY. This is a work in progress. For a look at the original postings go to LOST GALLERY.