Biographical Sketch of Elisha GATCHELL (1881); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Candace Roth . Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* From THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, by Futhey and Cope (1881); ppg. 561/2 GATCHELL, Elisha, of East Nottingham, was a prominent and active citizen in his day, and had settled in that township prior to 1716. He died at an advanced age in the winter of 1753.4, and his widow, Rachel, about 1760. They became Friends after their arrival in this country. Their children were Sarah, m. to Andrew Job, 9,24,1726; Elizabeth, m. 9,24,1726, to Thomas Hughes, and again, to Edward Mitchell; Abigail, m. 10,24,1747, to Enoch Job, and again, to John Price; Elisha, m. 8,3,1733, to Mary, daughter of Henry Worley; Hannah, m. to Joshua Brown; Esther, m. to Jeremiah Brown; and Anne, m. to Timothy Kirk. The children of Elisha and Mary Gatchell were Jeremiah, b. 9,2,1734, m. 7,3,1753, to Hannah Brown; Nathan, b. 4,29,1737, died young; Lydia, b. 7,26,1741, d. 12,6,1765; Joseph, b. 11,7,1743, m. 1,10,1765, Hannah Churchman; Elisha, b. 12,22,1746, d. 3,25,1758; Samuel, b. 3,18,1749; David, b. 6,25,1751. Samuel, son of Jeremiah and Hannah, of Lancaster County, m. 3,29,1787, Phebe Allen, of East Marlborough. Their son Elisha, born 10,20,1789, married Martha, daughter of George Martin, 11,28,1816, and resided in Newlin township. Dr. Elisha Gatchell was born in Newlin township, Chester Co., April 18,1828. His parents were Elisha and Martha Gatchell. They were members of the Society of Friends, of which society the doctor was also a member. He was educated at Phillips' Academy, Andover, Mass.; at Kimball Union Academy, New Hampshire; and at Brown University, Rhode island. He graduated M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1855. In that year he located at Kennet Square, Chester Co., and entered upon the practice of his profession. He soon found himself engaged in a large and lucrative practice, which he was obliged partly to decline on account of his feeble health, when he became principal of the Eaton Academy in that place. In the summer of 1857 he left home with the purpose of seeking a residence in Kansas, hoping to be benefited by the change of locality. He became indisposed, however, on his way, in Philadelphia, and died Oct. 5, 1857. Dr. Gatchell was distinguished for a diligent and thorough investigation of every subject to which his attention was directed. He was a good classical scholar, and had a slight acquaintance with some of the modern European languages, and considerable familiarity, for one of his age, with English literature. He gave high promise of future success, not only as a physician, but as a general scholar. He was ardent in that pursuit of his undertakings, and a man of probity and integrity, and was highly esteemed in the community in which his lot was cast.