Welcome to My Genealogy Homepage:Information about John Gass
John Gass (b. March 25, 1758, d. June 14, 1846)
Notes for John Gass:Burial: Cross Anchor Cemetery, Greene County, Tennessee 3
Event: Political 1799 Tennessee State Representative Military Service: DAR 543569 - Revolutio nary War PROP: Tennessee land grant #345 near Ottway in Greene County, Tennessee
Event: Political 2 BET. 1801 - 1820 Tennessee State Senator
Event: Comment 1 Charter member of Greeneville, Tennessee Masonic Lodge Note:
Gass, John (1758-1840)HOUSE, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd General Assemblies, 1796-1801; representin g Greene county; SENATE, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 13th, and 16th General Assemblies; 1801-07, 181 5-17, 1819-21, 1825-27; representing Greene County in all assemblies except the 16th in whic h he represented Greene and Jefferson counties; no party affiliation shown. Born in County Do wn, Ireland, on March 25, 1758; names of parents unknown. He came to America with three or fo ur brothers and settled in Orange County, North Carolina. He was in the Revolutionary War an d participated in the Battle of Kings Mountain. He removed to Greene County, (then North Car olina, now Tennessee) by 1783. By 1789 he had established a mill and a distillery in additio n to farming operations. The maiden name of his first wife, Margaret, is unknown; they had te n children--William, Alice Rankin, George, Jane, Mary Young, Margaret, Nancy Anne, Martha A. , John, Jr., and Hezekiah Balch Goss. He was married (2nd) on August 26, 1830 to Elizabeth Ra nkin, daughter of David and Anne (Campbell) Rankin; no children by second marriage. Member o f Greene County Court, 1790; several times justice of the peace; commissioner of Greeneville , 1794, 1809. Said to have been "staunchly calvinistic"; member Masonic Order; helped establi sh Lodge #3 in Greenville. Appointed a charter trustee of East Tennessee College, 1807. Die d in Greene County on June 14, 1840; buried in the churchyard of Gass Meeting House in Green e County. Grandfather of William T. Gass, sometime member Tennessee General Assembly.Source s: University of Tennessee Record, I, 242; information supplied by Mrs. C. P. Kelley, Chattan ooga.*******************************************************************************[NOTE : This is a transcription word for word, original spelling and grammar as best can be deciphe red from the microfilmed copy of the copy transcribed from the original on file at Greene Cou nty, Tennessee courthouse. Items in square brackets [ ] have been added by the transcriber an d are not part of the original will.]212John Gass, Senr. Decd. (Proven 6 July 1840. Min . 19 p. 142.)"In the Name of God Amain"I John Gass of Green County and State of Tennesse e being old and well striken in years and calling to remembrance the unsurtenty of life and t he surtenty of death, do make ordain and -- this as my last will and testament in manner an d form folling that is to say - First - I will and bequeth unto my present wife Betsy durin g her natural life or widdohood all this plantation I now live on containing 270 acres with s everal small tracts of land surrounding it, and all the Stock, framing utenchials house and h ousal furneter, stills, mill, and every thing on this plantation during her natural life or w iddohood the negers also to be under hir command during hir natural life or widdohood - And i f my Executors herein - after named think it best for my wife to carry on the farm in the sam e way as we are doing at this time or hire out the negers and rent the place just as they thi nk is best - taking all things into one - they are at full liberty to do so - at the death o f my present wife I want all my negeres to be set free and all over twenty one years of age t o receive from my Estate one hundred Dollars to enable them and thyer famileys to move to som e free State there to live free forever -----.It is furthermore my desire and request my Exe cutors to give fifty dollars to ich and every one of my children familey lift behind them - e qually divided amoungest them that is to say - Agnes King family 50 $50. George Gass family f ifty 50 dollars, Jane Farnsworth family 50$, Poley Y. Balch famely $50. Margaret Ross famle y $50. Nancy Ann Doherty family $50 dollars - Martha Weemes family $50 dollars this with wha t I have give them is all they may expect - When they left me, I porchend them off as well a s my sercemstances would admit and some of them made a poore use of it - I furthermore reques t my Executors to see that all my just debts be truly paid - I don't know at this time tha t I owe a man one dollar except John Dickson and that was in consequence of my son John bad m anagement - . I have Dickson Obligation to take it in traid sisc months after my decese - I i njoine it on my Executors to be strick in seeing how this debt is paid seeing it is considere d by many that the greater part is unjust.My Executers must try to make the plantation where on my son John family lives on with the other things named in Dickson Bill of sale pay the de bt coming to Dickson, the children will have to suffer on the account of bad management of th eir father - I further request my Executors to let my grandson David Gass have the plantatio n known by the name of the Salt Petter Cave of 150 acres provided he stais 5 years from the d ate with me to manage and work for me beside giving him $100 in the Store to keep himself i n clothes - and I furthermore promis my Grandson David Gass that if he would become Religes a nd join some religes society and get himself babtised my Executors should let him have a hors e, Saddle and bridle worth between $80 & 100 dollars - I furthermore request that my Executor s after all the foregoing claims are satisfied that they put all that my wife and myself ha s in notes bonds and obligations of any kind or of stock in the Rail Rode Company or from th e sails of property or lands and the moneys arising from all to lay it out in purchasing som e safe Bank Stock and the interest year and yearely to be applied to the schooling of the chi ldren on the bounds of Gass School district forever. - And if my Executors should get old an d not able nor willing to attend to my business I want them to apoint the County Court ofssee r County to attend to the business where there will be no expense forever exccept for the cle rk in keeping an account on his docket - I furthermore will and bequeath unto my son H. B. Ga ss family 300 acres of Land the place whereon he died - not withstanding he don't desarve on e foot of land from seeing he has never complied with one word of his article which Wyly dra w between him and me - but charged me with every foot of plank and board for me when I haulle d the logs and his administrators had to charge me and I paid them equal as any other man wh o never gave him nor his children one foot of land - If Balchs wife should get mard and chang e her way of living I want the plantation and saw mill to be leased out for the benefit of th e children - I will and bequeath to my granson John Frances fifty acers which I understand Wm . A. Hawkins made a Deed to him for it - I furthermore will that my grandson John Harvey Ros s have one hundred acres of land some where in the big ridge near the blue spring -I further more will that my daughter Margaret Ross have the Maden Hale place for hir and hir children f orever containing something over 250 acres - I furthermore will that my Executors have me bu ried [?] like manner not having any publich parade with a well shaped coffin lined in the ins ide and the out side to be covered with black velvet tacked on with brass heads. I want my pr esent wife coffin to be made and fisced in the same way - all we want from our friends is her e named - and it would by my desire if it could be convenient if not I am not particular, - i f my grave could be between my two wives - I would rather, but for this you may use your ow n discretion - If we shall have the hapiness to be of the first resurection it will be well f or us for the words often says the dead in Christ shall rise first - . My grandson John Harve y Ross - I request of him to joine some religes socitey or denominations of Christians and ha ve himself babtised in like maner I hope my grandson John Frances will have himself babtise d and joine in with some religes society and become a christen profeser - I furthermore reque st that my grandson John son of my son John have one hundred dollars of my Estate - for I a m afraid he never will be an active man and I want to help him --. I furthermore inform it o n my Executors that if there is any Law Sutes in any of the Courts not seteled at my deces e - that they revive the sutes and try to gain them - for I verely beleve I never had a sut e in Court but I ought in justes to gain it - [?] injoine as my Executors that they indevor t o have Gass's graveyard fenced in with a good fence of post and nails giving one hundred doll ard to enable it to be well done, taking about one 4 of an acre more one the south side of th e old grave yard unto the bounds - I furthermore inform my Executors that it was my full desi re to have Gass meeting house orginized and occupied by the old Calvennestial Prisbetarens bu t of this I have been disepointed for there is two much Armeanism in that bounds of the Count ry - and the meeting house has heretofore been a free house for all denominations to worshi p in - be this as it may, I think the better way will be to let one denomination claim it o r else the house will go to reck without it is keep up - I therefore request that my Executor s give the command of it to the Cumbertiten Presbetariens for them to take command and keep i t in good order both for a school house and a prching house as they may think best. I further more request my Executors at the death of my present wife or widdohood that they may be whic h is the best way for them to sell this place I live on and all the stock & farming utential s housal furniter, mills, still, and everything hogs sheep and all living stock to one man fo r a long credit, drawing the interest and more security -- I think that the hole of this plac e with the before mentioned is well worth 12000$ but of this you can do the best you can taki ng all things into vue for we all know that time takes changes - I furthermore will that my g randson Wm Gass son of my son John have all my clothing of every description - grandson Balc h Gass my sadle and bridle and George Gass son of John to have a horse worth about $50. Pegg y to have $50. I give this besides the 50 Dollers to the family this is to help a little on t he account of the bad management of thyer father -- I enjoine it on the commissioners of Gas s school district to see that the geet their right share of my Estate as mentioned in this m y will for the instruction of thyer children forever.If my Executors should leese out this p lantation with all the stock tools farming utentiels and housal furniter for a number of year s or the lifetime of my wife they ought to compell the tenent to return everything in as goo d order as he geets them in --I furthermore request that my true and faithful friend hereaft er named shall see that this my last will be faithfully executed -- The names of my Executor s are Valentine Seveer, Alexander Williams, Betsy Gass my present wife and Wm. Ross my son i n law -Acknowledged in the presenceof the unersined, this first day Jn. Gass {SEAL}of Mar ch, in the years ofOur Lord 1837Test.A.W. Stephenson[CODICIL]215. . . . my last will a nd testament in writing and therein and whereof appointed Valentine Sevier, Alexander William s, Betsy Gass and William Ross my Executors - And whereas on mature reflection I have deeme d it proper tht the said William Ross should be revieved from the burden and all trouble inci dent to the execution of my said will, I do therefore hereby revoke and annul so much of my s aid will as nominates or appoints the said William Ross as Executors of thereof and declare a ll the rest and residue of my said will to be by true last will and testament and the said Al exander Williams, Betsy Gass & Valentine Sevier to be the sole and only Executors of the sam e and I do hereby declare this instrument to be supplement to and part of my said last will a nd testaments - In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 11th day of Ma y 1840.Signes, sealed, published anddeclared by the above named Jn Gass {SEAL}John Gass , as part of and supplement to, his last will &Testament, in our presence this11th day o f May 1840.Robert Sample Jr.David Gass__________________________________________________ ________________________Will: JOHN GASS SENR. 4 September 1845 $10,000To Wife, Betsey, 27 0 acres where we now live, furniture, stills, mills during her widowhood. At Betsey's death n egroes under her command to be set free and given $100, and moved to a Free State to free for ever.Children: Agnes King, George, Jain Farnsworth, Poly Y. Balch, Margaret Ross, Nancy An n Doherty, Martha Weems, John - stock in railroad company, bank stock etc. to educate childre n on the bounds of Gass School District forever. When my children left I prochened them off . Some made poor use of it. Son John bad manager. To grandson, David Gass, if he gets religio n and is baptized to get horse worth $80 to $100. To son, H. B. Gass, 300 acres. Grandsons: W illiam A. Hankins and John Harvey Ross, land near Blue Spring. My grave between my 2 wives. H ave Gass Graveyard fenced - Gass Meeting House reorganized by old Calvinistic Presbyterians a nd give it to Cumberland Presbyterians. To grandson, William, son of John, to have my clothin g. To George Gass, son of John, a horse worth $50.00. Executors: Valentine Sevier, Alexande r Williams, Betsey Gass my present wife, William Ross my son-in-law. Will Dated: 1 March 1837 . Witnesses: A. W. Stephens, James Brown, George Jones.Signed: John GassMr. Gass thought h is place worth $12,000 - It was a rather large estate - 270 acres with several smaller tracts , a store, still houses etc. This Will was challenged by son-in-law, William Ross, and result ed in much litigation. G.F.B.JOHN GASS SENR. Judgment of Will 3 November 1845 William Ros s et al vs. Valentine Sevier and Alexander Williams, Executors for John Gass decd. in Chancer y Court, 6 November 1845, Contesting Will - not codicil. Jury: Samuel Parman, William C. Hale , Moses Whittenburg, George Henderson, Jacob Bible, Jacob Hacker, Silas Dobson, Thomas Philli ps, Jacob Keicher, William Rader Senr., William Rader Esq. and Thomas Russell of David. Thoma s Campbell, Clerk of Supreme Court of Tennessee - Knoxville. Will to stand as John Gass wille d, but not the codicil. Will to be recorded in Greene County, Tennessee.Buried in Greene Co unty, Tennessee. May also be called Cross Anchor Cemetery. Served from Washington County Virg inia in revolution. Was At Battle of Kings Mountain. Pensioned in Greene County, Tennessee i n 1833 at age 72(?) 2nd source (*) says served from Orange County North Carolina First settle d in Orange County North Carolina By 1783 moved to Greene County. It was still in North Carol ina then. Built a stone house that still stands (Have pictures)Cemetery also called Gass' Sh ed for shed John erected for meetings (*)* See "HISTORIC GREENE COUNTY Tennessee & ITS PEOPL E" Arkansas Historical Commission.Member of Greene County, Court, 1790. JP several times. C ommissioner of Greeneville, 1794, 1809.Served in 1st, 2nd and 3rd General Assemblies, 1796-1 801 and as a senator many times.Was a Mason, helped establish Lodge #3 in Greeneville.(Univ ersity of Tennessee Record, I, 242)Gass, John, of the militia of Washington County North Ca rolina, was a Sargent, under Sevier. He was pensioned in Greene County, Tennessee, 1833 whe n 72 years old. (See "The Kings Mountain Men" by White)"Soldiers of the Rev. Buried in Tenn essee" by Marsh states: Served as Pvt. under Col. Moore against Cherokee Indians 1772 for 3 m os. Served as Pvt. and Sgt. Major under Capt. Griffy, altogether c2 years in North Carolina L ine. Was at battle of Stones and Charleston."Genealogy Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pensi on Files" by Virgil D. White: W7492, BLW #12575-160-55, North Carolina line, soldier lived i n Orange County at enlistment.......died Greene County, Tennessee 14 Jun 1840 where he had li ved more than 50 years._____________________________________________________________________ ______Wednesday 17 November 1830William A. CookJOHN GASS vs. ROBERT & HUGH MALONEYInjun ction to restrain HUGH MALONEY from proceeding further in his suit against complt. on a coven ant of warranty.Thursday 12 May 1831JOHN GASS vs. ROBERT & HUGH MALONEYInjunction grante d in Superior Court at Jones borough dissolved-Defendants to cross file.17 November 1831J OHN GASS vs. ROBERT MALONEYContinued17 May 1832JOHN GASS complt. vs. ROBERT & HUGH MALON EY respdts.Ejectment. Dismissed. Complainant appeals to higher Court in Jonesville.Februar y Term 1846Circuit Court of Greene County, TennesseeRobert M. Anderson, Presidingp. 73VA LENTINE SEVIER & ALEXANDER WILLIAMS & BETSY GASS, Executor of JOHN GASS, dec'd vs. WM. ROS S & wife MARGARETT & others Heirs at law of JOHN GASS, dec'd. Continued for two months to al low AMOS HAWKINS & other school commissioners to answer.GASS Exrs. vs. CLARY & OthersBETSE Y GASS, ALEXANDER WILLIAMS & VALENTINE SEVIER plaintiffs. ZACKI CLARY, PHILIP H. CLARY, GEORG E FRY & DAVID CAMPBELL Defendants. JAMES BRITTON also plaintiff.$500 bond - Defendants are E xs. of JOHN GASS, dec'd. $150 damage by broken covenant 2 October 1845. On 8 January 1839-def endants borrowed $60 from JOHN GASS-did not pay in 12 months. February 1846-jury awarded $77. 80 + costs. Defendants did not appear.BETSEY GASS Ex., VALENTINE SEVIER & ALEXANDER Exs. vs . THOMAS HERVEY, WILLIAM BROWN, WILLIAM A. HANKINS & GEORGE W. GASS Adm. of JOHN M. GASS dec' d.Covenant broken - $750. February 1849 defendants borrowed of JOHN GASS $361 in silver an d balance of $326 in current bank notes, but will not pay. Defendants say they have kept thei r obligation and paid. February Term 1850 - came jury (above) - Defendants to go home and rec over costs from plaintiffs.7 May 1850p. 37BETSEY GASS surviving Ex. of JOHN GASS dec'd v s. WM. ROSS SR. & wife et. al. DECREECATHARINE D. WILLIAMS wants $700 for her dec'd husban d ALEXANDER WILLIAMS' part as ex. of JOHN GASS dec'd. $600 to pay off note plus interest. Cha ncellor orders and adjudges $700 to paid.15 May 1851VALENTINE SEVIER & ALEXANDER WILLIAM S & BETSY GASS, Adms. of John Gass dec'd, vs. WM. ROSS & wife MARGARETT & others Heirs at la w of JOHN GASS, dec'd. Depositions and other papers were taken by Robert M. Barton, Esq. An d were burned in the fire that destroyed the office in January 1851 - Deposition to be retake n and another answer given by WILLIAM ROSSExecutors of ROBERT MALONEY dec'd. vs. Executor s of JOHN GASS dec'd. WILLIAM DICKSONJOHN GASS SR. to be held to answer ROBERT MALONEY o f a plea of trespass with force and arms to his damage 14 July 1830. R.M. WOODS, Sheriff serv ed papers. MALONEY complains by attorney.: On 21 February 1822 with force and arms broke an d entered a certain messuage? and tract or parcel of land situated in the county of Green adj oining JOHN WAGGONER and ___HAMILTON, JACOB BOWMAN, 250 acres more or less and ejected, expel led, put out and move the said ROBERT MALONEY from his possession and occupation thereof, an d kept it so until 15 July 1830 and took all issues and profits of said tenement, with a year ly value of $100. MALONEY has spent large sums of money trying to recover tenements -- $500 d amages - he bring suit. Defendant says he is not guilty But Messuage was not the soil, clos e or freehold of the defendant but of the plaintiff, said defendant committed several trespas ses. Defendant say a MALONEY held title by deed of conveyance from defendant (JOHN GASS dec'd ) being proved and registered in said County of Greene and being so possessed under the autho rity and direction of this defendant. June Term 1850 - Jury: SAMUEL H. JONES, CHRISTIAN BIBLE , JACOB LINTZ, JOHN McMILLAN, ARCHIBALD BABB, WILLIAM CAVENER., WILLIAM TRANBARGER, ABRAHAM S HERFEY ANDREW PARK, MAJOR S. TEMPLE, PETER HARMON, and JOHN W.K. DOAK - decide in favor of Pl aintiff - $105 plus costs to be paid from funds in hands of administrators. Defendants move t he court to be not taxed - Laid over. Same case - Defendant (JOHN GASS dec'd.) vs. Plaintiff s (ROBERT MALONEY dec'd.) BETSEY GASS and others of JOHN GASS dec'd. 25 January 1840 MALONE Y delivered to JOHN GASS a certain covenant signed by THOMAS HERVEY and WILLIAM BROWN and WIL LIAM A. HANKINS with their seal - to pay to JOHN GASS $340.56 current bank notes for value re ceived (land) - they have wholly refused to pay JOHN GASS in his lifetime or since. GASS adm . And heirs sue for $700. Patton & Nelson Attys. For plaintiff. Defendants (MALONEY'S) say th ey are not guilty. October term 1849-Jury trial-give to plaintiffs (Gass) $554.15 plus costs . Plaintiffs agree to take current bank notes in discharge of judgement.p. 126VALENTINE SE VIER & ALEXANDER WILLIAMS Executors & BETSEY GASS, Execution of the Will of JOHN GASS dec'd . vs. WILLIAM ROSS & othersAnswers of JOHN C. HAWKINS & other commissioners of School Distri ct No. 12, the ancestors of WILLIAM & MARGARET ROSS in behalf of themselves. Chancellors say s JOHN GASS had a will - Chancellor decrees. BETSEY GASS has a life estate in all the rea l & personal property of the dec'd. but the Exs. have the power to rent out the plantatio n & hire the slaves & pay the money received to BETSEY GASS & she is not accountable to anyon e. All articles owned by JOHN GASS are vested in BETSEY GASS during her life or widowhood. A t the death of BETSEY GASS or termination of her widowhood it is declared by the will, the Ex s. are required to put all the estate, real & personal, except the negroes of the testor, t o be put in a safe condition & converted into money which is to be invest in safe Bank Stoc k - the annual interest to be applied to the education of the children in the Gass School Dis trict if the court hereafter declares there is such a district & said bequeath in valid. Al l slaves to be emancipated at BETSEY'S death. All slaves who want to get to a free state to r eceive $100.00 to enable them to remove with their families. The $50.00 legacies mentioned i n the will to be paid to families means to survivor take $50.00 & where there are more than o ne the $50.00 is to be divided that is MARGARET JONES $50.00, three children of GEORGE GASS $ 50.00, 5 children of JANE FARNSWORTH $50.00, children of POLLY Y. BALCH $50.00 MARTHA adm . & daughter of NANCY ANN DOUGHTERTY $50.00, 2 children of MARTHA WEEMS $50.00. DAVID GASS, n amed in will is entitled to the plantation containing 150 acres, known as Salt Petro Cave an d $100.00. The Master shall determine the 100 acres mentioned as near the Blue Spring to hav e been conveyed by the Testator in his lifetime.
More About John Gass:
Record Change: December 03, 2003
Children of John Gass and Margaret Wagner are:
- +Agnes Gass, b. 1781, Greene County, Tennessee, d. October 1810, Greene County, Tennessee.