Document Type
Finding Aid
Publication Date
11-2024
Abstract
Anna Catherine “Kay” Kelly Gregg was born in 1920 in Dawson, West Virginia, to Aldridge James Kelly and Mary Leah Lowry. She was raised in Huntington, West Virginia, alongside her four siblings: James Thompson Kelly, Franklin C. Kelly, Bonna Kelly Paul, and Jeanette W. Kelly Scheerer. Kay enrolled at Marshall College in 1940 and completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Teachers College on September 12, 1944.
Harrison “Harry” Humphreys Gregg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Daniel B. Gregg and Rebecca Humphreys. He attended the University of Cincinnati and later met Kay Kelly while visiting Huntington. The two were introduced at a student party hosted at a boarding house for Marshall students operated by Kay’s mother, Mary Kelly, at 1730 3rd Avenue. The couple eloped on February 13, 1943, in Warsaw, Kentucky, shortly after Harry enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. Following his military training, Harry and Kay spent their honeymoon rowing and camping along the Ohio River in August 1943.
During the war, Harry was stationed in several locations, including Chicago, New York City, England, and Norway, from March 13, 1943, until at least July 1945. Kay remained in Huntington throughout much of the war, where she completed her education and regularly corresponded with Harrison. Kay passed away in Huntington on October 7, 1955.
The couple had one child, Robert “Bob” Ellis Gregg, born in Huntington. Bob attended Marshall University from 1966 to 1970, graduating with a degree in Radio and Television Advertising. While a student, he was a brother of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and served as chapter historian and social service chairman during his undergraduate years.
Bob Gregg was also active in student activism and co-founded Buffalo Chips, an anti-Vietnam War underground newspaper published between 1969 and 1970. Shortly after graduation, he married Leigh Ann Furguson, a fellow staff member of Buffalo Chips. Bob enlisted in the Army and was later selected to work for the Department of Defense, developing anti-discrimination programs for military personnel. After his military service, he obtained a master’s degree in social work at West Virginia University and a J.D. from West Virginia University Law School.
The Gregg Family Papers primarily document the World War II–era correspondence between Catherine “Kay” Kelly Gregg and her husband, Harrison Gregg, from 1943 to 1945. Kay wrote frequently from Huntington, West Virginia, while Harrison was stationed in Chicago, New York City, England, and Norway. Her letters provide insight into the personal experiences of wartime separation and daily life on the home front. The collection also includes photographs related to Kay’s time at Marshall College.
Additional materials pertain to their son, Robert “Bob” Ellis Gregg, focusing on his years at Marshall University from the mid-1960s to 1970. These include publications of Buffalo Chips, an anti–Vietnam War underground newspaper he co-founded, as well as fraternity ephemera from Marshall’s chapter of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. The collection presents a multigenerational view of a West Virginia family engaged in education and public service across the mid-20th century.
Rights
Special collections material is obtained from many sources and is intended primarily for research and educational purposes. Certain works may be protected by copyright, trademark, or related interests not governed by the department. It is up to the researcher to verify that they have permission to use these materials for publication or other activities.
Accession Number
2024/11.0892
Access and Use
For more information or to use any of these collections, contact:
Special Collections, Morrow Library
Marshall University
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755
(304) 696-2343
speccoll@marshall.edu
Recommended Citation
The Gregg Family Papers, 1940-2024, Accession No. 2024/11.0892, Special Collections Department, Marshall University, Huntington, WV.
Included in
Genealogy Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Legal Commons, Military History Commons, Political History Commons, Public History Commons, Social History Commons, United States History Commons
