The Gass and Smith lines back to Scotland in the 1600's
The Gass and Smith lines back to Scotland in the 1600'sUpdated September 5, 2000 | |
Meryl Elaine Wieder 5663 Encina Road Apt. 201 Goleta,CA 93117-2337 | Patrick Gass, scout for the Lewis and Clark expedition, started out as the focus of this genealogy search.He is one of my ancestors, through his daughter, Annie Gass, who married James Simeon SmithBackwards in time my search led to John Gass who emigrated, most likely, from Annandale, Scotland (Strathearn, or valley of the river Earn) to Antrim, Ireland, where Patrick Gass was born.Then the Gass family moved to Pensylvania, America.The 1600's in Scotland were a time of great turmoil.Clans were expelling their own people.John Gass may have been a Presbyterian minister.The Irish did not like Protestants and were feeling overwhelmed by the influx of political refugees.Antrim, Ireland was a "clearing house" for emigrants to America. Emigrants crowded onto ships leaving for America as fast as they could for their own safety. At one point in his life, Patrick Gass lived in Wellsburg, West Virgina where, at the age of 66, he met and married Maria Hamilton, the 18-year old daughter of "Judge" Hamilton.They had 7 childen, one of whom died early on.Their daughter, Annie Gass, married James Simeon Smith.Several of their descendants migrated to Utah and Iowa.My grandfather, Walter Smith, migrated from Exria, Iowa to Pasadena, California with his wife, Maude Mary Barnes (daughter of John Barnes) Thus far, I have found and entered names of over 300 relatives. |