Preston County WV Archives Biographies.....Guseman, John Wesley June 25, 1828 - unkn ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Connie Burkett MarionWVusgwArch@gmail.com January 13, 2011, 2:52 am Source: A History of Preston County West Virginia, The Journal Publishing Company, Kingwood W.Va. 1914 Author: by J. R. Cole Pages 579-582, Colonel John Wesley Guseman (b. 1828) COLONEL JOHN WESLEY GUSEMAN The name Guseman is associated with much that is pioneer in the history of Preston county. Abraham Guseman, the original emigrant, came from Germany to America a short time before the Revolutionary War, and died here in 1821. He was born in 1753, learned the gun and silversmith trade, and settled first at Old Baltimore. He enlisted as a soldier from Frederick county, Maryland, was wounded by a bullet shot in the leg during the first year of his service, and in the sixth year of the war was wounded in the head by a stroke from a saber, which incapacitated him for further duty in the field. He was then put in the Armory at Harper's Ferry, where he1 applied his trade as a gunsmith until the close of the war. From 1789 until 1798, Mr. Guseman lived in Martinsburg, Virginia, and then moved to Monongalia county, Virginia, where he built a mill on Decker's Creek, and where he was killed) by accident on the day the mill was completed. Jacob J. Guseman, of Morgantown, has an eight day clock that was made by his grandfather that is over one hundred years old. It keeps the time of day, and the age of the month as exactly as it did when first made. Abraham Guseman was married three times. His first wife only lived nine days. The children by his second wife, Mrs. Catherine Bernard, were: (1) Abraham, who settled in Taylor; (2) Joseph, who settled in Harrison county; (3) Isaac, a preacher who settled in Marion; (4) John and Sophia, who settled in Monongalia county; (5) Jacob, who settled in Monongalia, now Preston. His third wife was Elizabeth Ralphsnyder, and by her he had nine children: Mary, who married Jacob Newman; Catherine, who married Harmon Watts; Elizabeth, who married James Reed, from whom Reedsville was named; Sarah, who married Joseph Meeks; Ann, who married a Mr. Patton; Rebecca, who married Samuel Ryne; William D., who married a Miss Drabelle of Morgantown; and Henry, now ninety-seven years of age, living at Washington, Iowa. Jacob Guseman was born February 14, 1786, and died March 15, 1878. When in his fourteenth year he came with his parents to Monongalia county, and soon after that went to sea and was gone three years. He visited Liverpool and all the West India Islands. He settled first at Albright, where he ran a carding mill, then located on Muddy Creek, Pleasant township, Preston county, where he spent a very active and useful life until his death, which took place at the age of ninety-two years, one month and one day. Mr. Guseman was a very large man with a strong frame, and he was a hard worker. He owned and operated a large farm, ran a tannery, a fulling mill, an oil mill, a grist mill, a saw mill, had a big store, and as a merchant and manufacturer did a big business. When merchandise was hauled from Baltimore, his teams would be started off and about one week afterwards he would mount a horse, overtake his wagons on the way, and by the time they would reach their destination the stock of goods would be purchased and ready for their return. In 1813, Mr. Guseman married Miss Christina Susan Wolfe. She was born September 12, 1795, and died September 12, 1880. Their children were (1) Mary G., born October 8, 1817, died March 16, 1909, aged 91 years; (2)Susan, born October 7, 1819, died August 27, 1902; (3) Sophia G., born April 1, 1882, died February 27, 1888; (4) John A.; (5) Abraham, born July 31, 1824, died June 6, 1825; (6) Isaac, born May 16, 1826; (7) John W., born June 25, 1828; (8) Joseph, born November 14, 1830; (9) John Abraham, who died in infancy; (10) Jacob J., born August 8, 1835; (11) Amos, born December 26, 1839. Colonel John Wesley Guseman, now eighty-four years old, but with the vigor of a man half that many years, is a Prestonian of the old school, and an aristocrat of "ye olden times." His stately mansion on the broad acres of rich glade lands around Reedsville is situated well up on a plateau and is a sign post of peace and plenty, and of sociability and hospitality. The house was built by the Colonel in 1874, one year after the farm was purchased. It was in the parlor room of this house that the charter members of the Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad Company first met for consultation about that great enterprise; and to Colonel Guseman, who made the first survey for the road and became one of its chief promoters is due the thanks of a grateful public for the success of that undertaking as much as to any ocher one man connected with it. Colonel Guseman's early life was a busy one. In the mills, on the farm and about the store, incessant activities were kept up and a sturdy growth of character was evolved, honesty and industry being the proud attainments of the Guseman family. In 1849, Mr. Guseman went to Monongalia county to take charge of his grandfather's property, and in 1873 he became the owner of the mills at Dellslow. For fifty-five years he has followed surveying, having done much work of that kind in Preston, Monongalia, Taylor, Randolph and Barbour counties. He seems to be a natural born surveyor, with an eye for original landmarks and a knowledge of variations not often equaled by men of that profession. Colonel Guseman was married February 28, 1850, to Elanorah Drabelle of Monongalia county. She was born March 5, 1837 and by her he had three daughters, all living, and married as follows: Josephine, wife of William A. Wolfe of Cuzzart; Jennie, wife of Elijah Livengood of Morgan's Glade; and Frances E., wife of E. M. Watson, near Reedsville. Mrs. Guseman, the Colonel's first wife, died March 12, 1857; then he married Caroline Malinda Snyder, daughter of John E. Snyder. The fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of this notable couple was fittingly observed on Tuesday, March 12, 1907, at their home near Reedsville. It was a pleasant and interesting occasion, with the presence of many people, and many gifts were made to them. Among those present were eight children, twenty-two grandchildren (there were thirty-four in all), and two great-grandchildren, out of four in all. Thirteen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Guseman, of whom nine are living, six boys and two girls, all married. There are four dead—Jacob, Ozola, May and James. Of those living, Samuel R. Guseman of Bretz is the oldest; Christine, wife of A. F. McMillen of Masontown, comes next; then William A., of Reedsville; Ella, wife of Elmer A. Ashburn, near Reedsville; Robert of Williamstown, Mo.; Amos, of Reedsville; Mrs. Ida Smith of Reedsville, Pryor, of North Dakota, and Stanley, of Reedsville. Colonel Guseman is an active Democrat and has been the nominee of his party for the State Senate, House of Delegates, County Surveyor, member of County Court, and, in fact, almost every office in the county, time and again and always ran ahead of his ticket. He has always been known for his work as a surveyor, and has done more of it than any man in the county. His title of Colonel comes from his service in the militia before the War of the Rebellion. He was commissioned a lieutenant when but eighteen years of age by Governor Wise. He has been known as a Mason since 1851. His charming helpmate is a gracious woman of gentle ways, and with her wise counsels in household affairs has done much for her husband, her family, and for those about her. Both Mr. and Mrs. Guseman are crowned with silver hair, but are still lovers at seventy-five and eighty-four. A reunion of the family occurred on Thanksgiving Day, 1910. Out of twelve children livijig, eleven of the children, five boys and six girls, visited the old homestead during the time of their father's sickness. Jacob J. Guseman of Morgantown, born August 8, 1835, married Lavina Conner October 23, 1856. She died July 6, 1873. Their children were John W., died August 10, 1903; Cyrus L.; Clara Phelicia, wife of Ezra A. Feather, died March 27, 1896; Theodore J., who married Catherine Feather; Mary Florence, wife of Willey M. Forman, died May 2, 1907; James A., who married Marcella McVicker. The present wife of Mr. Guseman, Eliza M. Arnold, was born March 19, 1840. They were married June 4, 1874. Mr. J. J. Guseman was Sergeant of Company E. 6th W. Va., Vol. Cavalry, 1861-1865. In Libby prison ninety-six days; Supervisor of Roads seven years; Overseer of the Poor five years; President Board of Education three years and Mayor of Kingwood 1898-99, 1901. Additional Comments: - - - - - 1870 Census, Monongalia County WV Morgan Twp, PO: Morgantown, Page No. 17-18 Lines 39-40 & 1-8, Enum-Dwelling #113, Enum-Family #113 GUSEMAN, John, 41, Farmer, $5000/$4000, WVa ", Carrie M., 33, Keeping house, WVa children: Sarah J 16, Samuel 12, Christiana 11, Wm 9, Laura E 7, Joseph 6, Ida 4, Amos E 8/12 1880 Census, Preston County WV Valley Dist, ED:62, Page No. 4 Lines 13-32, Enum-Dwelling #29, Enum-Family #31 GUSEMAN, John W, 53, Farmer, WV-WV-WV ", C. M., 45, wife, WV-WV-WV children: Samuel 22, C.A. 20, Wm A 19, Ellen L 16, Jas Lee 15, Ida 13, Amos 12, Z.I. 10, Jas W 8, Prior 7, J.S. 4, Staley 3 1900 Census, Preston County WV Valley District, ED:113, Sheet 4B Lines 65-68, Enum-Dwelling #74, Enum-Family #76 GUSEMAN, John (head), Jun-1828, 71, M-43yrs, WV-WV-Va, Farmer ", Cary (wife), Mar-1837, 63, M-43yrs, 15-children/12-living, WV-WV-WV ", Amos E (son), Oct-1869, 30, WV-WV-WV, Gardener ", Stanley (son), Jul-1876, 23, WV-WV-WV, Farm labor 1910 Census, Preston County WV Valley District, Reedsville Town, ED:114, Sheet 8A Lines 36-41, Kingwood & Morgantown Pike GUSEMAN, John W (head), 81, m2-52yrs, WV-WV-WV, Farmer ", Carry M (wife) 73, m1-52yrs, 16-children/12-living, WV-WV-WV ", Stanley M (son) 33, M1-3yrs, WV-WV-WV, Farm Labor ", Cora (dau-il) 32, 2-children/2-living, WV-WV-WV ", Jama (gr-son) 2, WV-WV-WV ", Chester (gr-son) 1, WV-WV-WV File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/preston/bios/guseman132nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/wvfiles/ File size: 10.5 Kb