FROM THE SCRAPBOOK
July 1998
By Dr. Bill Randall
The Gass Family Reunion
Another family reunion! The time for the Gass Family. On August 1, Saturday, Allison and Pat Gass will be hosting a reunion of descendants of Marshall and Elizabeth Gass at their home on the Murray Road, once known as Gass Settlement.
It is expected that over a hundred people will turn out for the day’s festivities at the property where Allison Gass currently resides; on the lot first settled by Joseph Gass in 1851 when he arrived from Scotland. In 1852 Joseph’s brother Thomas arrived and settled on what is now the Woodrow Brown property. This property was later taken over by Nicholas Gass (Joseph and Thomas’ Father), following which Thomas moved to property located “down the Grieve road, past Brown’s”. Shortly after this Joseph and Thomas traded properties; since then Thomas and his descendants have occupied this land. Joseph Gass moved to Nebraska in the 1870’s.
The original house was built across the road from the existing home. The present house was built in 1881. The existing barn was built in 1911.
I will add some further information which comes from Jocelean Swan Hall’s computer which might help the reader to further understand the Gass roots.
I am grateful for the cooperation of Marilyn Currie who did much of the ground work For the history of the Gass reunion
From the 1851 Census: Joseph and his wife Isabella came to Canada in 1851, Joseph was a laborer, and they were living with Matthew Little when the Census was taken. Joseph and Isabella were both 24 years old, and born in Scotland.
Joseph and Isabella’s children were born in Harvey, and they moved to USA (maybe Nebraska) sometime after February 1870 (the date of Janet Johnston Gass birth).
He married Isabella. Born Approx 1827 in Scotland.
They had the following children:
| 13 | i. | Rachel Gass |
| 14 | ii. | James Gass |
| 15 | iii. | Jane Gass |
| 16 | iv. | Nicholas (I) Gass |
| 17 | v. | Mary Gass |
| 18 | vi. | Nicholas (II) Gass |
| 19 | vii. | Thomas Gass |
| 20 | viii. | Joseph Gass |
| 21 | ix. | Isabella Hannah Gass |
| 22 | x. | Janet Johnston Gass |
4. Jane Gass. Daughter of Nichol Gass & Jean Copeland. Born 1831 in Scotland. Died 1909 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Religion Brethren.
Jane came to NB in 1854.
She married Herbert Wilkin. Born 1825 in England. Died 1894 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Farmer. Religion Brethem.
Herbert Wilkin and Jane Gass were married in England or Scotland, and their oldest three children were born in England. It would appear that the family emigrated to N.B. sometime 1856 and 1858. In the 1861 Census, their religion was Church of England; occupation – fanner; owned or occupied 4 acres of improved land and 196 acres of unimproved land. They had 1 horse, 1 mulch cow, 1 working oxen, 1 other neat cattle, 2 sheep, 2 swine; slaughtered 140 lb. pork; produced 20 lb. butter, 10 lb. wool, 1 ton hay off 3 acres; 80 bu. oats off 2 acres; 46 bu. buckwheat off 1 acre; 1 bu. timothy, and 200 bu. potatoes.
Information from Census 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901; church records; gravestones in Harvey Cemetery; obituaries; and genealogy research for other families in the area, was used to compile the Wilkin family.
They had the following children:
| 23 | i. | Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Wilkin |
| 24 | ii. | Jane Agnes Wilkin |
| 25 | iii. | John Wilkin |
| 26 | iv. | Janet J. Wilkin |
| 27 | v. | Mary H. Wilkin |
| 28 | vi. | Nicholas Wilkin |
| 29 | vii. | Eleanor I. “Ellen” Wilkin |
| 30 | viii. | Margaret “Maggie” Wilkin |
| 31 | ix. | Katherine Reynolds Wilkin |
| 32 | x. | Beatrice Wilkin |
| 33 | xi. | James Herbert Wilkin |
5. Janet Gass. Daughter of Nichol Gass & Jean Copeland. Born 1836. Died 27 April 1863 in Harvey.
She married David Lister, son of Nicholas Lister & Margaret Heughan, 17 Oct 1854 in St. Paul’s Church, Fredericton. Born 1831 in Scot. Died 16 Feb 1919 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Farmer.
Copied from newspaper obituary – 1919: ” David Lister
Harvey Station, Feb 17 — David. Lister, the oldest resident of this parish, died at his home at Coburn yesterday after a short illness. He was in the ninetieth year of his age and was remarkable strong and well for one so old until a few days ago. He was stricken with a cold. He was a native of the south of Scotland, and came to Harvey with his parents and several brothers and sisters and other settlers about seventy-five years ago. Most of his long life was spend on his farm at Coburn and he was one of the early settlers who made a success of farming. He was twice married and is survived by a number of sons and daughters, among whom are N. D. Lister, of Woodstock; Fred Lister, collector of customs at McAdam; William Lister, merchant, of McAdam; Robert, of Manners Sutton; James and the Misses Mary and Lena Lister, residing at home. He was a man of high character and was universally esteemed. The funeral was held at his late residence at Coburn this afternoon, the service being conducted by Rev. J. F. McKay.”
According to the 1861 Census, David was a 31 years old farmer, and owned or occupied 40 acres improved land and 90 acres unimproved land. Cash value of farm was 100 pounds, value of implements and machinery, 1 pound. He had 2 horses, 2 mulch cows, 3 other neat cattle, 9 sheep, 2 swine and slaughtered 200 lb. pork. Produced 120 lb. butter, 201. cheese, 24 lb. wool, 5 tons hay, 60 bu. oats and 30 bu. timothy.
David had five children from first marriage and eleven children from second marriage.
They had the following children:
| 34 | i. | Margaret Lister |
| 35 | ii. | Jane “Janie” Lister |
| 36 | iii. | Agnes Lister |
| 37 | iv. | Nicholas D. “Nick” Lister |
| 38 | v. | William Lister |
- Daughter of Nichol Gass & Jean Copeland. Born 1843 in Scotland. Died 1917. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery.
Isabella Editha Gass.She married James Dunbar Kenna, 17 Jun 1859 in Harvey Presbyterian Church Records. Born 1832 in Scotland. Died 1901. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Carpenter, Wheelwright.
Third Generation
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- Janet Ann Gass. Daughter of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born Approx 1853 in Harvey.
- Jane Agnes Gass. Daughter of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born Approx 1855 in Harvey. Died 24 May 1904 in Harvey.
- Elizabeth Gass. Daughter of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born 9 May 1857 in Harvey. Christen in Harvey Presbyterian Church.
10. Frances “Fannie” Gass. Daughter of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born 29 Jan 1860 in Harvey. Christen in Harvey Presbyterian Church. Died 5 Jan 1929. Buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Magaguadavic.
She married Robert Hamilton, son of Ralph Hamilton & Margaret Blair. Born 1852 in Magaguadavic. Died 4 Jan 1941. Buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Magaguadavic.
From newspaper obituary:
Late Robert Hamilton
Oldest Resident of Upper Magaguadavic Died at Age of 89.
Upper Magaguadavic, Jan. 11 — The death of Robert Hamilton on January 4th removes the oldest and most highly respected resident of this place. He was in his 89th year and was the 1st surviving member of his family, being the youngest son of the late Ralph and Margaret (Blair) Hamilton. He had been in failing health a few months but was confined to his bed about a week before he died.
Mr. Hamilton was twice married. His first wife, Miss Frances Hood, predeceased him forty years ago; and his second wife, Miss Fannie Gass, predeceased him twelve years ago. He is survived by two sons, Levi and Earle of Ontario; four daughters, Mrs. Daniel Duffy, Boston; Mrs. U. Windrem, British Columbia; Mrs. Willard Bishop, at home, and Mrs. Charles Grieve, Harvey Station. Several grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from his late residence, service by Rev. Mr. Wagner of the United Church, of which Mr. Hamilton was a lifelong member. The hymns, Lead Kindly Light and Abide With Me were sung. Interment was in Pine Grove Cemetery. The pallbearers were George and Ross Hamilton, Willard and Gerald Bishop.
They had the following children: (There may be more children, but not in my computer/jh)
- i. Hazel Jeanette Hamilton
11. Nicholas Gass. Son of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born 26 May 1862 in Harvey. Christen in Harvey Presbyterian Church.
12. Thomas “Marshall” Gass. Son of Thomas Gass & Mary Marshall. Born 26 Apr 1865 in Harvey. Died 10 May 1947.
He married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Brown, daughter of George W. Brown & Alice Eleanor Messer, 26 Dec 1889 in Harvey. Born 6 Jan 1867 in Harvey. Died 6 Dec 1958.
Elizabeth’s first husband, Frederick Nichol died at an early age, and is buried at Pokiok Settlement. She had one daughter from first marriage, and nine children from second marriage. They had the following children:
| 40 | i. | Ernest Hazen Gass |
| 41 | ii. | Harry William Gass |
| 42 | iii. | Milford Thomas Gass |
| 43 | iv. | Norman George Gass |
| 44 | v. | Hazel Alice Gass |
| 45 | vi. | Ward Patterson Gass |
| 46 | vii. | Emma May Gass |
| 47 | viii. | Alden Brown Gass |
| 48 | ix. | Oswald Walter Gass |
It is hoped Emma aye 93 will attend.
Source: Rev. Bill Randall’s “From The Scrapbook Vol. One.”
