TAYLOR COUNTY, GA - BIOS GASSETT, WILLIAM ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Alton Blevins Vab78230@aol.com William H. Gassett 1. William H. Gassett was born about 1846 in Talbot County, Georgia. He died sometime during 1910-1920 and was buried in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery in Taylor County. There was only one juvenile named William Gassett in any census taken in west central Georgia in 1850 and that was a four year old William H. Gassett in the household of Charles M. Gassett and Elizabeth A. Bland in Marion County. Charles was the son of William H. and Jane Gassett. There are mysteries about this William H. Gassett. Indeed, there may have been more than one William H. Gassett of about his age in Taylor County in the early 1860's. It is said in "They Tarried In Taylor" that two marriage licenses were issued to that name only a few months apart, one for William H. Gassett and Ann McDaniel in May 1862 and one for William H. Gassett and Lucinda Moultren (or Mathews) in January 1863. To complicate matters, William H. Bowen's family Bible states that Wm. H. Gassett married Cassandra E. M. Hill in Taylor County in May 1863. If there really were two or three William H. Gassetts of about the same age in Taylor during that twelve months then one was the son of Charles M. Gassett and the other one (or two) the son (or sons) of one (or both) of Charles' unknown older brothers. However, as we will see, the census record documents only one such man in west central Georgia. There is only one William Gassett in the 1870 Taylor County census who was born in the 1840's and his wife's name was Margaret. Relatives of the Ann McDaniel mentioned above say that her name was Margaret Ann McDaniel so it seems that this William was the one who married Ann McDaniel in 1862. Based on children's names and ages, this same William was enumerated in the 1880 Taylor County census, but [Margaret] Ann McDaniel was not. William married his sister-in-law, Mrs. Mary McKenney in 1883 and William and Mary Gassett are in the Taylor County census in 1900 and 1910. (See the notes for Mary E. McDaniel for proof that she married the subject William and not his son named William.) Samuel Gassett lived with this family in 1900 and was identified as William's uncle. Samuel was also the son of William H. and Jane Gassett and his presence is all but iron-clad proof that the subject was the four year old in the household of Charles Gassett in 1850. There are no records of William H. Gassett and Lucinda Moultren (or Mathews) in Taylor county other than the aforementioned marriage license. There are no records of William H. Gassett and Cassandra E. M. Hill in Taylor County other than the Bowen Bible -- with one possible exception. There was a deed executed in Suwannee County, Florida on June 15, 1884 by which W. H. Gassett and his wife, C. E. M. Gassett, sold the fourth part of Lot 131 (Land District not specified) in Taylor County to Rutha A. Wainright -- who was the daughter of Charles M. Gassett and, presumably, William's sister. The question is who was C. E. M. Gassett? Was she Cassandra E. M. Gassett? Or was she C. E. Mary Gassett? Or did William have two families? The mystery about this William H. Gassett does not end with his marriage. There is also a mystery about when William was born. His age in the census record equates to his having been born sometime during 1835-1846. His service record is reported to state that he was born in Talbot County on June 14, 1841. His date of birth is given as October 1842 in his 1900 census record. The Bowen Bible gives his birthday as November 18, 1845. His mother's obituary states that his parents were married in about 1846. In any case, he probably was born in Talbot County because the Gassett family did not move to Marion County until 1846. There is also a mystery about his Civil War service record. There is an archive in the GaGenWeb site for Talbot County which states that William H. Gassett enlisted as a private in D Company, 6th Regiment, Georgia State Troops on October 18, 1861; re-enlisted as a private in B Company, 32nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry when his initial six month term of service ended on April 18, 1862; transferred to C Company, 1st Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters on July 30, 1862; and was surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina on April 26, 1865. There is also an identical record for William B. Garrett. Could the names Gassett and Garrett (which look almost identical in script) have been confused? William's headstone is reported to say that he was a member of Company B of the 32nd Georgia Infantry, but makes no mention of the Georgia State Troops nor the Georgia Sharpshooters. There was also a William H. Gassett and a Charles M. Gassett in the roster of D Company, 28th Battalion, Georgia Siege Artillery. The following three paragraphs were adapted from the history of the Antioch Baptist Church: "As day dawned on May 25, 1861, the young men in every family prepared to go to Butler...to 'go to war' -- the war that would not last long and would soon be over. Beginning at the Flint River, the Mitchells, the Caldwells, the Fullers, the Millers, the Rileys, the Grays, the Jarrells, the Gassetts, the McCants, the Sheridans, the Colberts and others were called to hear the farewell speech by Col A. H. Riley and to join the ranks of the Taylor County Rifles." "...mothers were busy with spinning wheels and looms making cloth for clothing for our boys -- in all states below the Mason and Dixon line. Fathers were engaged in farming, making food for widows and orphans, for the army and slaves, indeed for the whole people of the South. Sorrow prevailed for four long years..." "...few of our boys from Antioch survived. Among those returning was the dauntless sharp-shooter, W.H. Gassett, than whom no braver soldier ever donned uniform or shouldered a gun fighting the four bitter years without once returning home. Later after his return home, this W. H. Gassett was given another post of trust and made a deacon of the church. After his death it was recorded that he bore aloft the banner of his stewardship as loyally, as conscientiously and fearlessly as he did the flag of the Southern Confederacy and now that the muffled drum's sad roll has beat this soldier's last tattoo, he lies sleeping in the churchyard and the place which knew him once shall know him no more forever. Soldier of God and Lee, we salute thee." [William must have returned home fairly often - he had three children born during the war.] The records of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church show that Brother Wm. H. Gassett reported his own case for fighting on December 15, 1866 and that the Church forgave him. The records also show that he was elected Deacon on January 20, 1872. He was awarded the Southern Cross of Honor. Finally, there is also a mystery about William's death. His headstone in the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church cemetery reportedly has no dates. The Bowen Bible states that he died in Madison County, Florida on March 17 1905 and was buried there. The census record shows that he still lived in Taylor County in 1910 and that his family still lived there in 1920. William married (1) Margaret Ann McDaniel on May 4 1862 in Taylor County, Georgia. Margaret was born about 1840 in Talbot County, Georgia. She died in 1878/1880 in Taylor County, Georgia. William's bride was Ann McDaniel. His wife's name was Margaret in the 1870 Taylor County census. Presumably, she was Margaret Ann McDaniel, daughter of Harris and Lucinda Gresham McDaniel. She was not listed in the 1880 Taylor County census, and it is assumed that she died sometime between the birth of their last child in 1878 and the 1880 census day. William and Margaret had the following children: 2 F i. Elizabeth Gassett "Loula" was born about 1862 in Taylor County, Georgia. She died on Jan 22 1882 in Taylor County, Georgia. Elizabeth appeared in the 1870 and 1880 Taylor County census with her parents. She may have been the Sarah Elizabeth Gassett who married Robert S. Bowen in Madison County, Florida on February 24, 1890. 3 M ii. William Gassett was born about 1864 in Taylor County, Georgia. William appears in the 1870 and 1880 Taylor County census with his parents. 4 M iii. John Harris Gassett was born on Apr 11 1865 in Taylor County, Georgia. He died on Feb 27 1919 in Taylor County and was buried in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. John appeared in the 1870 and 1880 census with his parents. He married Adeline F. Hamilton in Taylor County on January 15 1891. Addie was the daughter of Elder James Black Hamilton and Anna Jane Coursey. She was born in Taylor County on July 24 1871. She died in Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia on December 4,1954 and was buried near John in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. Addie's obituary appeared in the December 9, 1954 issue of the Butler Herald: "Mrs. Addie Gassett, 82 years of age, died at Columbus early Saturday after a brief illness. Mrs. Gassett was a native of Taylor county. She was the widow of the late Mr. John H. Gassett of this county who preceded her in death about 30 years ago. For the past five years she had made her home in Columbus with her daughter Mrs. Marie Grandin. Funeral services were conducted for Mrs. Gassett at Antioch Baptist church Sunday at 3:00 P.M. She was one of the oldest members of Antioch church. Rev. J. H. Stanford, pastor of the church officiated. Interment was in Antioch cemetery. Grandsons of the deceased acted as pall bearers. She is survived by three daughters: Mrs. Grandin of Columbus; Mrs. Edgar Gaultney and Mrs. George Booth of Butler." 5 M iv. James M. Gassett was born on Dec 17 1870 in Taylor County, Georgia. He died on Mar 6 1929 in Taylor County, Georgia and was buried in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. James appeared in the 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1910 Taylor County census with his parents. He is listed as a widower in the 1910 census. He married Misouri Nettie Wilson on February 15, 1914 and they had two daughters by 1920. 6 F v. Dora Gassett was born on Apr 15 1874 in Taylor County, Georgia. She died on Jun 17 1940 in Taylor County, Georgia and was buried in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. Dora appeared in the 1880, 1900, and 1910 Taylor County census with her parents, and in the 1920 Taylor County census with her brother Samuel. 7 M vi. George Gassett was born in Feb 1878 in Taylor County, Georgia. He died in 1916 and was buried in Hendricks Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Upson County, Georgia. George appeared in the 1880 and 1900 Taylor County census with his parents. He married Avis Starling. They had three sons, William, Edward, and Francis. William also married (2) Mary E. McDaniel on Jan 24 1883 in Taylor County, Georgia. Mary was born in Sep 1857 in Georgia. She died after 1920. In 1880 Mary was a widow with a young daughter named Martha. She was William H. Gassett's sister-in-law and she and Martha lived with William and his children. Mrs. Mary McKenney married William Gassett in 1883. The question is did she marry her brother-in-law who was about fifteen years her elder or his son William who was about seven years her junior. In the 1900 census Mary reported that she was 42 years old and had been the wife of 57 year old William Gassett for nineteen years. This indicates she married her brother-in-law and not his son. She also reported that she had three children and that all three were still living. In the 1910 census Mary reported that she was 51 years old and had been the wife of 68 year old William Gassett for twenty-seven years. She also reported that she had four children and that all four were still living, but who the forth child was, if there was one, is not known. The widow Marry Gassett lived with her son Samuel in 1920. William and Mary had the following children: 8 M vii. Samuel H. Gassett was born about 1884 in Taylor County, Georgia. Sam married Claudia B. Spinks in about 1909. They has one daughter by 1920. 9 M viii. Frank Gassett was born in Jul 1888 in Taylor County, Georgia. Frank appeared in the 1900 and 1910 Taylor County census with his parents. Here are my census records for William for 1880, 1900, and 1910 -- 1880 Taylor County, Carsonville, page 77 12 44 44 GASSET, William w m 44 farmer 13 Loula w f 18 dau 14 William w m 16 son 15 John w m 14 son 16 James w m 11 son 17 Dora w f 8 dau 18 George w m 3 son 19 McKINNEY, Mary w f 25 Boarder widow 20 Martha w f 4 Boarder neice All were born in GA Mary McKinney was Mary E. McDaniel, widow of James F. McKenney, and sister of William's recently departed wife Margaret McDaniel. 1900 Taylor County census Gassett, William 57 Mary 42 James 29 Dora 26 Sam 23 George 22 Frank 12 Samuel 80 uncle Peck, Charlie 67 Maryland son-in-law peddler Mattie 23 Ida M. 1 1910 Taylor, Carsonville, page 187a 63 167 GASSETT, Sam H m w 26 64 Claudia B wife f w 26 m1 1 0 65 168 GASSETT, William H m w 65 (born 1845) 66 Mary E wife f w 51 m27 4 4 67 James M son m w 39 wid 68 Dora dau f w 37 s 69 Frank son m w 23 s 70 PECK, Ida M g-dau f w 10 s 71 GASSETT, Grady nephew m w 20 s All born in GA, all fathers born in GA, all mothers born in GA Alton Blevins