SECTION 2 |
[January 1999: A descendant line has been added before each change in generation to aid in discerning lineage. The information has not been changed except as noted within the text.]
The second generation of Gossetts in
Ohio was the fourth generation in America (IV). The representatives
of the three preceding generations were:
[January 2000. From Marsha Folks of North Dakota: "This is my Great-great-grandfather and his name is William MARION Gossett. I have complete records of his name, his service during the Civil War with the Ohio Cavalry. Also, my aunt has the original Family Bible pages in which William MARION Gossett is listed as the 3rd child of Joseph AMBROSE Gossett and Sophia Chaney. I would imagine that the error in the Newcomer book came about by trying to "translate" the hand-writing on old Census records. I've strained over those old Census records and the hand-writing in them enough to know how hard it is to accurately get the names that were written by the census takers."] |
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Their children and grandchildren: |
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1. 2. 3. |
Wilma Jane, b. November 6, 1927; graduated from high school, Greenfield, Ohio; from business college in San Bernardino, California, June 1947. She is very musical. Married October 29, 1950, Merrick E. Everhart, veteran of World War II. He is associated with Gossett Co., Greenfield, Ohio, as manager of the printing plant. Thad Harley, b. March 10, 1934. Graduated at high school in Greenfield, Ohio, then at San Bernardino Valley College, June 1951. Enlisted July 1951 in Navy Air Service. |
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John D. Gossett, First National Bank,
Topeka, Kansas, gave the line of descent, as follows
Containing information on members of the Ohio branch, several letters dated about 1900 from the correspondence of William Decatur Gossett of Topeka, Kansas, have been forwarded throughout the country. To him Cinda E. Chaney, corresponding secretary, Gossett Association, wrote, in discussing a reunion to be held at Pricetown, Ohio, the following extract:
“. . . One of our historians is Rev. Frank Foust of Pricetown... We hope to have Senator A. J. Beveridge of Indiana here, who is a distant relative... Have received word from Mrs. Duncanson (a Gossett) of Neely, Kansas, saying she and her husband would be here... We are expecting several from your old home, Frank Gossett, Jerome, John G. and others... Nearly all of the Gossetts at the present time in the county are farmers and as a rule are very religious. . .”
Two letters give information pertaining to descendants of Amariah and Abijah Gossett (sons of John and Honour Gossett), as quoted.
William Decatur Gossett, Topeka, Kansas, to William Gossett, Falls City, Nebraska, August 13, 1897: “My name is William D. Gossett, and I was born in 1839 in Rainsboro, Highland Co., Ohio. In 1849 my father removed to Clark Co., Illinois, when I was only 10 years of age, hence my knowledge and recollections of those of our relatives in Ohio are somewhat limited. We have met very few of the family since we came west. I lived in and near Terre Haute, Indiana, from 1856 to 1868, then came to Topeka, where we have resided ever since.
My family at present consists of wife, formerly Mary E. Hartsock of Terre Haute, and two sons, John D. aged 18 years and Joseph E. age 14 years.
My father’s name was John A. and my grandfather’s was Amariah Gossett. The Gossetts lived in Virginia before they came to Ohio. My father had three brothers, Ambrose, Levi, and William. Also four sisters, Mrs. Nancy Spargur, Mrs. Lydia Davis, Mrs. Sally Wiley, and Mrs. Eliza Chaney. These all lived in Highland Co., Ohio, near or at Hillsboro, New Market, or Rainsboro.
I have often heard my father speak of Abijah Gossett, your father, and also of Milton and Wilson Gossett. They were uncles of my father.
My father died in 1886 at the age of 76 years. My mother died last fall (1896) age 78 years. The only surviving members of my father’s family are Mrs. Emma Moffett and Mrs. May Steele,, both residing in Terre Haute, and myself.
I have been in the Land Department of the ‘Santa Fe’ for 19 years continuously. My recollections of all the old stock in Highland County are that many of them were quite musical and played upon many instruments.”
To William Decatur Gossett, Topeka, Kansas, from William Gossett, Falls City, Nebraska, dated August 9, 1897: “My father’s place of nativity was Highland County, Ohio. He came from there to Indiana I think somewhere in the [18]30s. He had two children at the time of his marriage to my mother—one son, John William and one daughter, Lucinda. My half sister married a man by the name of John Watkins, a merchant in La Gro, Wabash Co., Indiana. My half brother married at the same place. The last time I saw him was in 1863, when he visited with us a few days. He was then living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was employed in a wholesale house as head bookkeeper.
My father’s Christian name was Abijah. He was a natural musician. He died in La Gro in 1849. My sister, Mrs. Mary E. Ferguson, 6 years my senior, and I were the only children of my father’s second marriage. We were both born in La Gro, Indiana. She now lives in Humboldt, Kansas. She came west several years before I came to Nebraska in 1864.
We have my father’s Bible, which has family records telling that John Gossett was his father and came from Virginia to Ohio. Matthias was John’s father. The Gossett family go way back to France where they were of the nobility, but our ancestors came from England to Pennsylvania in the early days. My father had two brothers, Milton and Wilson, but there were others . . .”
In other letters, it is learned, William Gossett of Falls City had two daughters, Mrs. Grace Holt and Mrs. Myrtle Clegg, who lived in Kansas City, Missouri.
Rachel and the three oldest sons of John Gossett may have received from their parents gifts of money or property, perhaps when they were married; therefore, in his will John Gossett bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his six youngest children. |
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There is a deed showing that John and Honour Gossett gave Moses, their third child, a farm, January 11, 1821. (Deeds Vol. 8, p. 26, Recorder’s Records, Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio.) The deed reads, “For and in consideration of the natural love and affection which they, the said John Gossett and Honour, his wife, have and beareth to the said Moses Gossett, he being their son ... have given . . . that tract or parcel of land situated . . . on the Rocky Fork of Paint Creek bounded, etc.”
A record is filed, Case No. 243, Year
1831, Probate Court, Highland County: Alex. Buntain, Administrator
Moses Gossett, deceased
Milcha Gossett, spouse.
(no children named.)
His grave, no doubt, is the large one and Lavinah’s grave
is the small one in the old Sanders Cemetery near the grave of
John Gossett.
Another Case No. 4001, Year 1877:
Milcha Gossett, deceased,
Johathan Foust, Administrator. [January
1999: possibly Jonathan]
The only information here is a receipt to W. L. Gossett for nursing
and care.
Having died years later than her husband, Milcha (or Milcah) was buried in Harwood Cemetery situated four miles from Pricetown in Salem Township, which is in the western part of Highland County. Harwood Cemetery was originally an orchard on Jack Gossett’s farm, and it has a Gossett burial lot in the older section. Harwood is only a church at a crossroad and the cemetery lies nearby. Today there are two cemeteries at Pricetown, “Plainview” and “Ruble”, where Gossetts are buried.
Very little information is found in the Ohio records concerning Lindsey, Presley (or Preston), Milton, and Wilson (Miles Wilson), sons of John Gossett. Some of their names occur under Bonds of Guardianship and in old letters. Apparently, some of their descendants appear in the U. S. Census of 1850.
An old letter written in 1900 and containing family records reads: “Preston Gossett’s descendants nearly all live near Rainsboro, Greenfield, or Brainbridge [Jan. 1999: should be “Bainbridge”] in the northeastern part of Highland Co.”
Jack Gossett bequeathed in his will (1853) $25.00 to his nephew Lindsey. The only children of a Lindsey Gossett (John H. Gossett and his brother Presley) are living east of Hillsboro. They have no children.
Bonds of Guardianship filed in the Probate
Court of Highland County follow:
Case no 245-James Morrow, Guardian
Miles Gossett Wards
Presley Gossett
Year 1833
Case no. 1612-John S. W. Spargur, Guardian
Margaret Gossett
Mary A. Gossett Wards
Year 1850. (Children of Milton Gossett)
Case no. 1620-William Purdy, Guardian
Margaret J. Gossett
Mary A. Gossett Wards
Isaac C. Gossett
Zephaniah Gossett
Year 1854.
The only information given is that they are children of Milton
Gossett, who was not deceased at this time since he was one of
the sureties on the bond of the guardian.
Case no. 8104-J. H. Gossett, Guardian
Elmer L. Gossett
Myrtie Gossett Wards
Verda Gossett
Year 1894.
This guardianship was for the share of the wards in the estate
of their grandmother, Mary Roberts.
It is surprising so few Gossett families are found in the U. S. Census of 1850 of Highland County, Ohio. However, in 1850 the Westward movement had started, and many Gossetts had moved to distant places or they were in other Ohio counties. For instance, Gossett families are living north of Dayton, Ohio. They know their ancestors came from Highland County but they do not know who their ancestors were. Many people have little knowledge of their forebears beyond their grandparents.
The number of potters in the Gossett family is interesting. Ohio made a definite type of pottery about 1850-1865. Many pieces were crude, but very artistic in composition. The influence of the French background may have been present.
As this dissertation progresses one has an occasion to reflect upon the past history of this private family. To the present day, members of the Gossett family even though they are educated for the professions prefer to return to their farms. Deep within their minds is implanted a yearning for the dignity and freedom of the landowner. Generally the Gossetts are very religious. They are amiable, self-reliant, resourceful. Many are endowed with that innate, rare quality called “personality”, and they possess that appealing, magnetic expression of wistfulness. There is no doubt, this family illustrates the strong influence of inheritance.
SECTION 2 |
Wallace
Bryan, b. September 15, 1923. Graduated San Bernardino Valley
Junior College in California 1943; attended College of St. Thomas,
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1943-44; was graduated as Ensign, Columbia
University, N. Y., August 1944. Communications Officer S. S.
Carlisle A. P. A. 69, World War II. Promoted to Lieutenant (junior
grade), separated August 1946. Graduated from Ohio State University.
Is associated in business with his father in Gossett Company,
Greenfield, Ohio. Was married July 3, 1949, to Betty James. They
have two sons; James Walter Gossett, b. June 17, 1950, and Charles
Allen Gossett, b. July 24, 1951.