A little explanation as to the death of my grandfather Hendrick gregg as told to me by my mother fifty years later and in her seventy ninth year.

It seems that Grandfather was going to Milwaukee to plan a house for his daughter Kate who was at that time living in a barn fixed up for a house in Wauwatosa.

She was to meet him at her sister Sarah’s home which grandfather owned on 11th st in Milwaukee…

…and the three of them were going to do the planning.

This according to her statement was the morning of the 3rd of December 1881.  Which was nice winter day except for a heavy white frost.  Grandfather got up from the breakfast table put on his hat and coat and bidding Grandmother goodbye headed to the station.

Grandmother turned and going out doors went to the toilet.  She heard a peculiar whistle of the Madison Express…

…a fast train running to Milwaukee over the La Crosse division of the Milwaukee Road (The Prairie du Chien div where Grandfather was to take the train was about one quarter of a mile further)

God knows what interrupted this.  I wish I knew the rest of it for my mother was a great favorite of Grandad Gregg.  All I can do is to add what I have heard my father say as to the death of his father.

Evidently he was so engrossed with his thoughts that he did not hear the train approaching for it was a blind crossing and could not be seen until nearly onto him.

He was struck and killed instantly.  My father was about…

1/8 of a mile from the crossing getting a horse shod at _Morten Jerverts_’s Blacksmith shop.  Both heard the whistle and ran to the scene.  My father was the first to reach the side of his dead father.

This is as much as I know as to his death.  I still have a slug of chewing tobacco and a silver watch that was on his person when he was killed.

H.L.G