Milton's Son John: Was He My John L. Gossett? By Joe Baker (Milton's gggrandson) This has been the question I have been asking myself, and becoming more convinced of, ever since a third cousin and I talked about our same great-great-grandfather: John L. Gossett (see below). She recently wrote me a letter to express her belief that our gggf was the son of Milton Gossett, son of John and Honor Gossett of New Market, Highland County, Ohio, not the son of John and Mahala Gossett as everyone in the family had previously believed. Her conclusions were sensible and had some basis in documentation. Here are some excerpts from my cousins letter (printed here with her permission): "I have been kind of reluctant to accept that John's father is Milton because Milton does not fit the description of the father described on John L's death certificate. But it is uncanny how much our John L looks like the John in the "eight Gossett boys" photo...." "I am, at this point, discounting the info on John L.'s death certificate. The information is only as good as the informant's memory even though it can be a good starting point. Since I have exhaustively tried to trace John L through parents named John Gossett and V. McHenley of Indiana, and have had no luck, it is reasonable to conclude that Mrs. Sexton was wrong in the information she gave on his death certificate..." |
John L. Gossett |
"Further information about Milton in the Chronicles of the Gossett Family put him in Highland County at the correct point in time. It states his son Elmer was born in Highland County in 1860, near the time John L enlisted in the army from Highland County.
I also wonder if there was some falling out among John L and the rest of the family. According to pension records, John L was back in Ohio as early as 1880, but the rest of the family (at least where noted) was married and died in Indiana. This could explain why Mrs. Sexton gave wrong info on his death certificate. Did John L claim that his grandfather John was his father rather than Milton? It is still unexplained why John L listed his mother's birthplace as Scotland in the census records. This too, could be describing a grandparent. Also, Mrs. Wright , who gave the names of Milton and Naomi's children, did not have any information about John L other than his year of birth. Another indication that John L may have broken off ties with his family..."
After reading my cousin's ideas and conclusions, I had to agree with her, especially after I had also hit a dead-end trying to research a John and Mahala Gossett from the time-frame for John L Gossetts parents.
So, then I began my search for the connection between our John L Gossett and Milton and Naomi Gossett of Indiana.
Here is some of the information we have accumulated that lead us to conclude that John L Gossett is the son of Milton/Naomi Gossett:
1. CENSUS DATA for Milton Gossett
1910 Ohio Census Highland County, Fairfield Township, Village
of Leesburg, Page 296, S. Fairfield St., Dwell -112
2. PUBLISHED DATA for Milton Gossett
From Chronicles of The Gossett Family by Grace Jerkins,
p. 207:
"(IV.) Milton Gossett, born 2 May 1808 in Highland County, Ohio; died 12 July 1889 in Grant County, Indiana; son of John Gossett and Honor Morgan of Ohio; married ae 1841 in Ohio to Naomi Pettyjohn, born 26 Jan. 1825 in Ohio; died 25 Apr. 1898. She was the daughter of James Pettyjohn and Frances Wistey. Milton and Naomi are buried in Backcreek Cemetery, Fairmount, Ind. (V.) Children of Milton and Naomi Pettyjohn: John; b. ae 1843; d. ___________; m. ________________ Stephene; b. ae 1845; d. ___________; m. ________________ Angelina ; b. ae 1848; d. ___________; m. ________________ Isaac N. ; b. __ Sept 1852; d. ___________; m. (1) Sept. 1872 , Jennie Winslow; m. (2) 6 Aug. 1882 Martha Lytle. Adney P. (sometimes written Addison): b. 7 Sept. 1856; d. ________, Ind.; m. Lucy Lytle Orin (Oren) : b. 26 June 1858; d. ____________; m. ________________ Zephaniah: b. ___________; d. ____________, Grant Co., Ind.; m. 21 Feb. 1875, Martha Wilson. They are buried in the Park Cemetery at Fairmount. Elmer E.: b. 6 Apr. 1860, Ohio; d. _________1921, Ind.; m. 16 Oct 1881, Adelphia Smith. Orlando: b. ________; d. __________; m. __________ to Olivia French. William: b. ________; d. __________; m. __________ Nin. He shot his wife to death and went to prison. I (Grace Jerkins) have not checked his record). In the marriage records of Grant Co., Ind., these 2 marriages are found: Wm. Gossett, m. 18 Oct 1889, Ella Nose (Book 8, page 536) and 18 July 1891, Wm Gossett married Ella Gossett (Book 9, page 261). This sounds like the same people and denotes marital problems. Josephine: b. _________; d. ____________; m. _______________ Henry: b. _________; d. ____________; m. _______________ Note: Mrs. Wright got the names of Miltons children from Jessie Gossett Simmons, age 96, at Marion, Ind., The Making of a Township, by Edgar Baldwin; also, Ind. Quaker Records. Listed in marriage records of Marion, Ind. we find: Isaac N. Gossett married 15 Sept. 1872 to Jennie Winslow (Book 4, page 540). |
From The Family of Gossett by Evangeline Gossett
Newcomer:
p. 99 - Very little information is found in the Ohio records concerning Lindsey, Presley (or Preston), Milton, and Wilson (Miles Wilson), sons of John Gossett. Some of their names occur under Bonds Of Guardianship and in old letters.... Bonds of Guardianship filed in the Probate Court of Highland County follow: ...Case no. 1612 - John S. Spargur, Guardian Case no. 1620 - William Purdy, Guardian The only information given is that they are the children of Milton Gossett, who was not deceased at the time, since he was one of the sureties on the bond of the guardian. |
From Records of the Recorders Office of Highland County,
Ohio 1805-1850:
p. 141 - 9 Feb 1830 - ... Deed states decedent in his will devised to his six youngest children, Lindsay, Abigail, Hanah, Milton, Presley and Miles Wilson Gossett, his home farm containing 150 A, to be divided among them after the death of their mother, Honor.... p. 400 - 23 June 1846 - Sam Peele to Milton Gossett, land in Lynchburg. p. 406 - 25 June 1846 - Milton Gossett and Naomi of Brown Co. to Sam Peale mortgage on land in Lynchburg. |
From the Civil War enlistment/discharge papers/certificate
of John L. Gossett:
From The Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio, The War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 Volume III Twenty-Seventh Regiment, Company H : Gossett, John L pvt 20 Aug 13, 1861 3 yrs [NOTE: Fulton is not in Madison County, Indiana. It is in Fulton County. However, Fairmount, Indiana is just across the county line from Madison County, and is in Grant County. Grant County is where Milton and Naomi are buried] |
Notes from the Civil War papers in the National Archives:
The following are notes I took on scrap pieces of paper at the
National Archives when I was there visiting in Washington D.C.
These notes relate to his attendance and pay which was recorded
by his superiors every 2 months:
From the death certificate of John L. Gossett:
2. FULL NAME: John L. Gossett Did deceased serve in U.S. Navy or Army: YES 6. DATE OF BIRTH: 2-11-1839 [Incorrect Year] 9. BIRTHPLACE: (city or town): Sardinia (State or country): Ohio 10. NAME OF FATHER: John Gossett [Incorrect] 11. BIRTHPLACE OF FATHER: Ind. [Incorrect] 12. MAIDEN NAME OF MOTHER: V. McHenley [Incorrect] 13. BIRTHPLACE OF MOTHER: Ind. [Incorrect] 14. INFORMANT: Mrs. Chas. Sexton, Leesburg, O 16. DATE OF DEATH: 1-25-1930 19. PLACE of Burial, cremation, or removal: Leesburg Ohio DATE OF BURIAL: 1-28-1930 |
OBITUARY of John L. Gossett from Leesburg, O. Citizen, 1-30-1930:
Also from the same paper above, same date - an article about
John L.'s death:
DROPS FROM RANKS - ANSWERS LAST CALL Saturday evening, at 8:15 o'clock, news was spread of the death of another Civil War veteran, when John L. Gossett, 89 years old, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Sexton. If Mr. Gossett had lived until the 11th of February he would have passed the 90th milestone of his life. He died of infirmities of old age. He served in the Civil War, being a member of Company H of the 27th Regiment. Mr. Gossett had lived in Leesburg the greater part of his life, and has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Sexton, the past 13 years. He is survived by Mrs. Sexton, Charles Gossett, of this place, and Homer Gossett, of Piqua. Funeral services were held from the Friends Church Tuesday afternoon in charge of Rev. Cloud and Rev. Fremont Milner. Burial was made in the Leesburg cemetery." |
From the Regimental Histories, p. 1509, from
Vol. 3 of Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, by Frederick
H. Dryer:
27th Regiment Infantry Organized at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, July 15-August 18, 1861. Left State for St. Louis, Mo., August 20, thence moved to Mexico, Mo., and duty on the St. Joseph Railroad till September 12. March to relief of Col. Mulligan at Lexington, Mo., September 12-20. Attached to the Army of the West and Dept. of Missouri to February 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of Mississippi, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 8th Division, Left Wing, Army Corps (old) Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 8th Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. 4th Brigade, District of Corinth, Miss., 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 3rd Brigade, District of Memphis, Tenn.., 5th Division, 16th Army Corps, to November, 1863. Fullers 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 16th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to July, 1865. SERVICE - Fremonts advance on Springfield, Mo., October 15 - November 2, 1861. March to Seldalia, Mo., November 9-17. Duty there and at Syracuse till February, 1862. Expedition to Milford December 15-19, 1861. Blackwater, Mo., December 18. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., February 2, 1862, thence to Commerce, Mo. Siege operations against New Madrid, Mo., March 3-14. Picket affair March 12. Siege and capture of Island No. 10, Mississippi River, and pursuit to Tiptonville March 15 - April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 18-22. Action at Monterey April 29. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29 - May 30. Reconnaissance toward Corinth, May 8. Occupation of Corinth and pursuit to Booneville, May 30 - June 12. Duty at Corinth till August. Battle of Iuka September 19. Reconnaissance from Rienzi to Hatchi River September 30. Battle of Corinth October 3-4. Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12. Grants Central Mississippi Campaign November 2, 1862, to January 12, 1863. Expedition to Jackson December 18, 1862. Action at Parkers Cross Roads December 30. Red Mount or Parkers Cross Roads December 31. Duty at Corinth till April 1863. Dodges expedition to Northern Alabama April 15 - May 8. Rock Cut, near Tuscumbia, April 22. Tuscumbia April 23. Town Creek April 28. Duty at Memphis, Tenn., till October and at Prospect, Tenn., till February, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 - September 8. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Sugar Valley, near Resaca, May 9. Near Resaca May 13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25 - June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10 - July 2. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Ruffs Mills July 3-4. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22 - August 25. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31- September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Duty at Marietta till October. Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 3-26. March to the Sea November 10. Montieth Swamp December 9. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Reconnaissance to Salkehatchie River, S.C., January 20. Salkehatchie Swamp February 3-5. Rivers Bridge, Salkehatchie River, February 3. Binnakers Bridge February 9. Orangeburg February 11-13. Columbia February 16-17. Juniper Creek, near Cheraw, March 3. Battle of Bentonville, N.C., March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro and Raleigh. Bennets House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29 -May 20. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June, and duty there till July. Mustered out July 11, 1865. Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 80 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 6 Officers and 122 Enlisted men by disease. Total 214. |
CONCLUSIONS
So here are the facts and some of the questions that lead us
to the conclusion that our John L Gossett is the eldest son of
Milton Gossett, son of John and Honor Gossett of Ohio: