Genealogy Data Page 3 (Notes Pages)

Note: Note: 1817 Robert Kerr d 13 June 1817 - in his will recorded (Bk C page343 Chambersburg, Franklin Co, PA) provided for "my father-in-law James Elder" and mentions his wife, Agnes and their children

(11 Children)

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Gass, John (b. ABT 1700, d. 31 DEC 1734)

Note: copied from www.kinshiparchivist.com

"confirmation: CONC esteemable title of, Genealogist-In-Chief, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, Hager Hill, Kentucky. The children names followed by * are those mentioned in John Well's family research and are not confirmed by my own substantiating data. These individuals did exist..., I just don't have the documentation at this point to determine if they were, in-fact, the children of John and Margaret Gass. Isabella, John, and David, are the only "documented" children I have for them at this time. Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Will Book A, Volume 1, page 19 Benjamin Gass was named exec. in 1734. In his will the elder John Gass directed that his remains "be decently buried in the church yard of Donigall" and that "ye plantation (be left) to my sons." *Donegal Church is located in the present day town of Hershey, Dauphin Co.., Pa. At the time of John's death this area was located in Lancaster Co., Pa. No "Gass" is shown as having been a member of Donegal Church. Those I did find with similar spelling are: Joseph and Mary Guess ... Joseph Guest ... The following all have surname Gest: Ann, Benj., Daniel, Deborah, Deborough, Elizabeth, Hannah, Henry, John, Joseph, Margaret, Mary, and Ruth. *** The John Gass Will I am sick in body but sound in memory and judgment blessed be almighty God for it I make this my last will and testament revoking all other wills and testaments made by me. I bequeath my sole to the great God who gave it to me and my body to be decently buried in the church yard of Donegal as my exs. some site allow. I leave my dear wife two child's parts of the whole after my just and lawful debts is paid: also if she marries in eight to ten years she is to leave the plantation to my sons: also my children are not to receive their part for four years after due. Also I leave my dear wife and Benjamin Gass executors and William Brayns and Sam Smith or Peter Rod tutors to my whole family. Signed Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of Use: and dated this 28 day of June 1734. Memorandum before signing that it is only the three oldest of my children that are to want their part for four years after it is due. Archibald Woods, William Wallace, Sa(m) Smith, William Bryan Jon. Gass (Seal) I wish to thank, Mary Cole of California, for her continued kindness and great efforts in researching the Gass family ... and sharing w/us this wonderful token of family history ... The Jon. Gass Will. *** The Origin of the Family name: In the 13th century the massive land holdings of the powerful Murray clan of Tullibardine included Trinity of Gask, located near Edinburgh in the Parish of Perathshire. Our ancestors trace to this period. They represented the ancient Murray family, and more than likely were men-at-arms from Gask and rated as " bonnet lairds'--meaning they held land by the feudal method of bearing arms for their superiors. In the 14th century some of Murrays of Gask moved south to Dumfriesshire. There our Perathshire forebears "of Gask" also settled and became cross connected at least by legal implication, to three powerful Border clans--the Murrays, Carruthers, and Irvings. In 1438 the name Andrew of Gask appears as Rector of Rampatrick, embracing the present Parishes of Dornock, Gretna, and Kirkpatrick Fleming. His signature exists as witness to a transcript of a Murray Cockpool Chater. The Merkland Cross stands today in memory of the eldest son of Lord Maxwell who was sworded by Matthew Gask in 1484 in revenge for the hanging of a cousin. William and David Gask witnessed a land grant on July 3, 1532 involving the Currathers and later, Gask the Elder, signed a document dated June 23, 1541. Scores of legal Gask signatures survive these early times and all have documented. Sometime before the 16th century, the Dumfriesshire Gask agreed to " lowlandize" the name to GASS. John Gass and others in Tordock are recorded in the Commissariat of Dumfries in 1626. The Dornock Parish tombstones reveal

"James Cunningham was one of the pioneers who settled near the Donegal meeting-house in 1723. He took up several hundred acres of land adjoining the glebe land on the north. On the 10th day of March, 1730, he sold to John Gass, whose executors, in 1736, sold to William McClelland and Michael McCleery, who, in 1739, sold to James Kerr, who sold to Andrew Kerr, William Willson, and William Kerr. This land was held in common between them until 1766, when they divided the land equally. Andrew Kerr (shoemaker) removed to Hanover township, and sold his share of the land to William Willson. In 1783 he sold to Daniel Stauffer, of Codorus, York Co., Pa. John Hoover owns part of this land, and the State hatching-house occupied a part. General Simon Cameron also owns a part of the tract, which he purchased from Samuel Garber. Hugh Willson, brother of William Willson, owned the farm immediately east of the Garber tract. His son, Hugh Wilison, married a daughter of Rev. Colin McFarquahr."

History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men
Chapter XLVII. East Donegal Township.<1<[1 By Samuel Evans, Esq.]

Source: (Name)
Title: GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Note: ABBR GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Data:
Text: 4 DEC 2002

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Simpson, Thomas (b. 1683, d. ?)

Emigration: Date: 1727
Place: Paxtang, (Conestoga, Chester township) Dauphin, Pennsylvania

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