Individual Details

Gregory C. Doyel was born in Rowan Co., NC colony, on Dec. 19, 1766. He was the son of Samuel Doyel who migrated to North Carolina from Maryland. Gregory married Martha Gott in Orange Co., NC, in 1785. In 1799 Gregory brought his family to Kentucky along with his brothers' families and some of his Gott in-laws. He settled permanently in then Warren Co., KY, on the Green River above Mammoth Cave and eventually owned more than 5,000 acres of land on both sides of the river. Doyle's Ford on the Green River marks the general area where he settled.

Gregory was one of the earliest settlers of present Edmonson County. He served as an Ensign of the 25th Regiment, Warren County militia in 1802, and later helped in establishing the county seat of Brownsville in 1825 by buying town lots. However, first and foremost Gregory was a farmer; his will mentions cotton, turnips, wheat, apples, peaches, and "sugar" among crops; and horses, cows, hogs and sheep among livestock. He was also a slave owner. His religious affiliation was Cumberland Presbyterian.

Gregory and Martha had nine children. The first six children were born in North Carolina before migrating into Kentucky. Their children were: 1) Samuel (1786-c. 1870), married twice and father to 18 children. He lived in the Little Jordan / Ugly Creek area; 2) Margaret (1788- ?), married Daniel J. Smith and had eight children; 3) Mary "Polly" (1790-1835), married George McLean, one of the first justices of the peace in Hart County and an early owner, along with his brothers, of Mammoth Cave. This family migrated to Illinois; 4) Elizabeth (1792- ? ); 5) Richard Gott (1794-c. 1865), married 1) Sarah Garrison and 2) a widow, Elizabeth J. Furlong. Richard was a Baptist minister and early Edmonson Co. justice of the peace as well as farmer; 6) John (1797c.1835), married Nancy and had 6 children before his early death; 7) Martha (1799 ? ); 8) Hannah (1801-c. 1825), married Matthew Garrison and had six children before her early death; 9) Cassandra (1803-c.1840) married Jesse Garrison. This family migrated to Green Co., IL, and raised six children.

Gregory's wife Martha died about 1840, and he then married Drusilla Estes who was almost 50 years his junior. Gregory died about 1846 and is buried in what is today known as the Holton Cemetery in Mammoth Cave National Park. This cemetery was the original family cemetery on the land Gregory settled. Gregory's will, recorded in the Edmonson County Will Book, reveals a great deal about his family's lifestyle. It also reveals that Gregory had little liking for one of his sons-in-law to whom he left "one dollar and no more."

Birth	19 Dec 1766	Rowan, North Carolina, British America
Marriage	19 Oct 1785	Orange, North Carolina, United States - Martha Gott
Census (family)	1810	Warren, Kentucky, United States - Martha Gott
Death	1846	Edmonson, Kentucky, United States
Burial		Mammoth Cave Nat'l Park, Holton Cemetery, Kentucky, United States

Spouse	Martha Gott ( - )
Child	Samuel Doyel (1786 - 1870)
Child	Margaret Doyel (1788 - )
Child	Mary "Polly" Doyel (1790 - 1835)
Child	Elizabeth Doyel (1792 - )
Child	Richard Gott Doyel (1794 - 1864)
Child	John Doyel (1797 - 1835)
Child	Martha Doyel (1799 - )
Child	Hannah Doyel (1801 - 1826)
Child	Cassandra Doyel (1803 - 1838)

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