Asa Gage Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880) Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. For the current email address, please go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130 Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************ Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Surname: GAGE Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 259-260 GAGE, ASA. Asa Gage was from Haverhill, Mass., and his name is found on the town records as early as 1777. Where he first located is unknown; but the last of his residence in town was in the Valley, on what is called at the present time the Abraham Nichols place. He was a farmer and carpenter by occupation, and was the father of the largest number of children of any man that ever lived in town, there being twenty-one in all; fourteen of whom were born in town, and seven after he moved to St. Johnsbury, Vt., which was early in the present century It is said his daughters were very gay and attractive. Ch. I. William, b. 1779; m. Sarah, only dau. of Capt. Levi Hooper. He never had any children that survived. He was familiarly known as Captain Gage, and was, in his middle life, a very good looking, social, and neighborly person. For many years before he died he was totally blind, and, to gain a livelihood, he manufactured and sold a kind of cathartic pills, which at one time were quite famous. In his last days he was an object for commiseration, as be was dying daily from the effects of a cancer in his neck, which finally terminated his existence, May 13, 1849. He owned the house where Rev. N. G. Allen now resides. II. Hannah, b. Oct. 21, 1778; m. John Burt, of Rockingham, Vt. III. Sally, b. Mar. 19, 1781: m. a man by the name of Damon, who was a harness-maker in town. IV. John, b. Dec. 8, 1782; m. Betsey Merriam, Aug. 1, 1803. Ch. 1st, John Taylor, b. Nov. 14, 1803. 2d, Laura, b. July 22, 1805. 3d, William, b. Feb. 12, 1807. 4th, Maria, b. May 18, 1809; m. John Kilburn, son of Elijah, of this town, and is now living at Fall River, Mass. V. Fanny, b. April 15, 1784; m. Henry Fitch, of Rockingham, Vt., Nov. 16, 1800. She was the grandmother of the children of Levi H. Foster. VI. Josiah, b. Dec. 15, 1785; moved to the state of Vermont. VII. Samuel, b. Oct. 24, 1787. The foregoing children were born of his wife Dolly, who d. Aug. 25, 1788, aged 36 years. VIII. Royal, the first child of his second wife, Elizabeth, was born Feb. 15, 1791. He lived in Westminster, Vt., and was a preacher of the Methodist denomination, though probably never licensed as such. In his last years he manufactured and sold a preparation called "Canker Balsam," a kind of cure-all for all human maladies. He wrote and published a pamphlet, about 1845, on the principles of non-resistance, and took the conduct of strange cows in approaching each other to illustrate it. He said, in substance, that two strange cows were often seen approaching each other, when one would be seen to drop her head and brace herself in a belligerent attitude, with eyes flashing vengeance, while the other would seemingly approach with indifference, and manifest no resistance; when, in a few minutes, the belligerent cow would gradually raise her head, and both would commence grazing peaceably. "Now," he said, "if human beings would only take lessons from the cow, we should have no more quarrels and wars between nations." IX. Betsey, b. Jan. 13, 1793. X. Burah alias Becca, b. March 20, 1795. XI. Polly, birth not known ; m. John Jennison, in 1794. XII. Dolly, bap. May 3, 1778; m. William Hews, in 1795. XIII. Sophy, bap. May 20, 1799. XIV. Olive, bap. Sept. 24, 1801. The descendants of Asa Gage are numerous, and are scattered all over New England and the far West, many of whom are highly respected citizens.