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Alexander Gaut received a substantial portion of his father's
property upon distribution of the John Gaut estate in 1791. He
apparently removed shortly thereafter to the neighboring township
of Whitingham. This small town lies to the immediate west of
Halifax, and is even deeper in the Green Mountains. It was first
settled in 1771, and is known primarily as the birthplace and
boyhood home of Brigham Young, leader of the Mormons.
On January 22, 1796, Nathan Whiting
of Hartford, Connecticut, deeded to Alexander Gault of Whitingham,
100 acres at Whitingham. Alexander Gault. He bought and sold
more land in Whitingham and lived there for 18 years. Most of
his children were born in Whitingham. He and his family probably
knew the family of Bezaleel Waste, which included a number of
children who grew up, married and had children of their own.
In 1814, the Alexander Gaut family
left Whitingham and headed west. The parents and their eight
children, with all their possessions, traveled in a wagon pulled
by oxen. Their progress was slow. They were compelled to stop
by the illness of their youngest child, Lucy. She died, and was
buried by the roadside. With saddened hearts, the family went
on, anxious to reach their destination. Sometime in 1814, they
reached the wilderness now known as Linesville, Crawford County,
Pennsylvania.
"They build a log cabin and
go to work bravely meeting all the hardships of a new country.
Toiling through the day until eventide, when they fall to sleep
upon their beds of straw, to be soon awakened by hungry wolves
howling just outside their door."
"Sleep has fled away, weariness
forgotten, and they knowing their lives to be in danger resort
to means to frighten the savage intruder from their door."
"Thus the night is ended and
day dawns with toil and privation starring them in the face from
every source."
"They fell the forest trees,
make the roads and take their pleasure rides on a trough dug
out of a log. They clear off their farms and make for themselves
a home, toiling on ceaselessly until the death angel comes and
claims them for his own."
Alexander Gaut appears in the 1820
federal census for Conneaut Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.
In the 1830 census, Alexander Gaut is again found at Pierpont.
His age is shown as being between 60 and 70, his wife being between
50 and 60. The family, which had several sons, now only had two
females under five, and one female between 15 and 20. These three
females are probably Alexander's widowed daughter, Betsy Hall,
and her two children.
The Alexander Gaut farm was in Pierpont,
directly on the Pennsylvania-Ohio state line. The farm of Alexander's
son, John Gaut, was immediately to the west. It appears that
Alexander Gaut was living on land actually owned by John Gaut,
deeded to the latter by his father-in-law, Elijah Morse, in 1823.
Alexander Gaut died without a will
and on June 15, 1841 the administration was granted to "John
Gault." On September 27, 1841, the inventory and appraisal
was submitted and approved as follows: nine sheep, two yearling
heifers, two two-year-old steers, two cows, four four-year-old
mares, three calves, one brown mare, two three-year-old colets,
one old mare, one sleigh, one old saddle, one lop horn cow, one
three-year-old cow, one piece rye in the ground, one sow and
pigs, one sled, one clock, two fleeces wool, and one sugar kettle;
total value, $290.25. Also (not appraised) were 13 bushels of
oats valued at $2.60 total.
The following items of property were
set aside on September 27, 1841 for the widow's support for one
year: three barrels of wheat, one barrel of pork, four bushels
of potatoes, 15 bushels of ears of corn, 2/3 of a barrel of salt;
valued at $27.25 total.
The final account of the estate was
filed December 4, 1845. It was approved in June 1846.
BURIAL: The tombstone inscription
of Alexander Gaut in the Hall Cemetery reads: "Alexander
Gaut / Died April 5th 1841 / Aged 70 Years."
Alexander Gault's
family
Father: John Gaut, b: 21 SEP 1746
in probably Londonderry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Mother: Mary Betty Morse, born: 1742/1743
Marriage 1 Elizabeth Mixer, b: 1774
in probably Peterboro, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
* Married: Abt 1792 in probably Colrain,
Franklin County, Massachusetts 13
Children
Betsy Ann Gaut, born about 1793 in
probably Halifax, Windham County, Vermont
Lucinda Gaut, born about 1795 in probably Halifax, Windham County,
Vermont
Sally Gaut, born about 1797 in Whitingham, Windham County, Vermont
John Gaut, born May 30, 1799 in Whitingham, Windham County, Vermont
James Gaut, born between 1802 and 1804 in Whitingham, Windham
County, Vermont
Sophronia Gaut, born about 1810 in Whitingham, Windham County,
Vermont
Silvia Gaut, born between 1801 and 1810 in Whitingham, Windham
County, Vermont
Lucy Gaut, born between 1801 and 1810 in Whitingham, Windham
County, Vermont |
