The first four pages of this document are copies of an article presented by East Tennssee Historical Society in the 1960's. The fifth item shown is the actual article itself printed in the Knoxville Journal & Tribune 27 August 1900. Research done on these surnames reveal the Gaston's to be descended from Joseph Gaston the son of Hugh of Peapac, N.J. The Galbraith's mentioned are descended from Alexander and Agnes (Miller) Galbraith. The Galbraith's still have descendents in the McMinn County & East Tennessee region. This branch of Gaston's have not been located in this area...although there are possibilities.
Here is the original wording in the article
WRITTEN A CENTURY AGO The Knoxville Herald-Journal August 20, 1900.
Extracts from letters sent a Knoxville Man by an Ohio Relative.
Mr. Russell Scott, who holds a responsible position with the Knoxville
Electric Light Company, was yesterday in receipt of a letter from a
relative living in Collinsville, Ohio, making inquiry as to kins-people residing
in
this section of Tennessee. At the the close of the letter brief extracts
from letters written before 1800 and the early years of the nineteenth century,
are given, in which the Galbraith, Gaston, Dinwiddie and other family
names familiar in this section are mentioned.
Miss Anna Lee Scott, the sender of the letter, is quite desirious of
obtaining information concerning these people. The synopses of letter
given are quite interesting in their details. It is mentioned among other
things that ten days are required to make the trip from Greeneville, Tennessee
to
Cincinnati, Ohio. In the year 1817. The prices of wheat and corn are
also mentioned in one of the letters. The letter as received by Ms. Scott gave
the personal matters mentioned, is as follows, and will prove quite
interesting to many East Tennessee families:
Our family has recently been talking about our ancestors on our mothers
side and we find from old letters that some of them and many of our relatives
lived in Eastern Tennessee during the first quarter of the century just
coming to a close. Mother's name was Jane Cummins Gaston; her fathers
name was John R. Gaston, his mother's name was Galbraith. James Galbraith,
whose letter I quote first, was my grandfather. Gaston's mother's brother.
Alexander Gaston, was my grandfathers brother. Elizabeth Gaston Wilson,
whose husband was Thomas Wilson, was my grandfather's sister--another
sister, Nancy, married Valentine Sevier. They had, I believe ten
children, so probably some of their descendents are living about Greenville yet.
I have been looking over some old letters written by James Galbraith and
Alexander Gaston, to my grandfather, John R. Gaston, of Mount Pleasant,
Hamilton County, Ohio, near Cincinnati, and I will send you a few extracts
from these letters. May I ask if you know, or can find out anything about
these people, or rather their descendants, or could put me in
communication with any of them to whom I might apply for information? Anything
that you
would find it convenient to do for me in this line would be gratefully and
highly appreciated.
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS
Written to John R. Gaston, son of Joseph Gaston, born in North Hampton
County, Mount Bethel township, Pennsylvania, august 5, 1770. Married
Mary Beaty, December 28 1797. Died Mary 15, 1880 at Mount Pleasant, a suburb
of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Letter from James Galbraith to John R. Gaston, Dated august 20, 1800. The
writer had not heard from his correspondent and nephew for five years. He
tells that the latter's father and mother came from Virginia to
Greenville, Tenn, in the winter of 1799, and are living with said James
Galbraith. He
also states that JR Gaston's sister, Elizabeth, was married to Thomas
Wilson in 1799, and that Wilson's first wife was Annie Dinwiddie. The Wilson's
had a son born in July 1800. He also writes that Alexander Gaston, Jr
Gaston's brother, lives twelve miles from Knoxville, Tenn and has two daughters.
Samuel Galbraith, he writes, has sold his land in Virginia and bought in
Knox County. James Galbraith tells of having built a large frame house
and barn in 1799, which cost a large sum of money--amount no stated.. he
further says that he has had four children, three girls and one boy, names
not given: the eldest, a daughter, and youngest, a son are dead. He
speaks of there being a post from Lexington, KY, near Cincinnati, to Greenville,
Tenn and winds up his letter with this flourish, "Excuse haste and
inaccuracy, I am, dear sir, with sentiments of the highest esteem, yours
cordially. James Galbraith.
A second letter from the same, is dated March 15 1802. In
this he says
that Elizabeth and Thomas Wilson came from Virginia previous to the
holidays of 1801 and settled near Greenville, Samuel Galbraith came at the same
time. Thomas Wilson's land adjoins Alexander Gaston, which is twelve miles from
Knoxville.
Sister Fields has been a widow for eight years, her husband was killed at
the raising of his own barn. Of the Fields girls Mary married Samuel
Caldwell, Rachel (m) James Shannon and Isabel a stranger from the
Carolinas.
He speaks of brothers Thomas, Alexander and John.
Next come letters from Alexander Gaston to his brother, John
R. Gaston,
thefirst dated September 7, 1802, the place twelve miles from Knoxville,
Tenn.He states that of the three Wilson Children but one is living and is one
year old: he, Alexander, has two children. In company with Elinor, his
wife, whom he calls Nelly, he visited their sister, Nancy, wife of
Valentine Sevier, where their parents were living then.
Another from the same, written August 15, 1813. In this he tells of a
trip taken by himself and Nelly to Pennsylvania for the benefit of the latter's
health and to see Gaston's relatives. He speaks of seeing James Gaston,
but not Hugh, who now lives in Ohio. They started home December 2, reaching
there the first of January. He further says that James Gaston died May
10, 1813. "He went off comfortable, but left a helpless family." His address
is now Clinton, Anderson County.
The next letter is dated August 22, 1817. Joseph Galbraith's wife died
June 15, leaving a pair of twins and a baby who are living with the writer. He
gives prices of corn and wheat , the former, selling at 50 cents and the
latter at 1.25 per bushel.
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