John Gassaway
(b. 1707 - d. 1762)
MSA SC 5496-51579
Property Owner, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Biography:
Captain John Gassaway was born on September 16, 17071 to Thomas Gassaway (b. February 20, 1683)2 and Susana Hanslap3 (b. February 8, 1682).4 He had three brothers: Henry (b. August 5, 1723),5 Thomas Gassaway (b. December 25, 1709),6 and Nicholas.7 He had one sister, Elizabeth (baptized in 1712),8 who married John Howard on September 17, 1732.9 Thomas Gassaway Jr. married Sarah Geist on June 22, 1732.10
Captain John Gassaway married Sarah Cotter (b. February 28, 1701)11 on December 5, 1727.12 They had at least seven children: Ann (b. February 28, 1728),13 Thomas (b. February 5, 1730),14 John (b. November 30, 1732),15 William (b. August 6, 1736),16 Nicholas (b. June 25, 1738),17 Henry (b. August 19, 1740),18 and Isaac (b. November 1, 1742).19
Captain Gassaway was a member of the South River Club, a gentleman’s social club believed to be one of the oldest, continuously meeting social clubs in the country.20 According to the roster of members taken in 1742, Captain Gassaway was elected a member prior to 1742,21 but it is not known precisely when he became a member because the early records were destroyed in a fire in 1740 or ’41.22
Captain Gassaway was for a number of years in the "Commission of Peace."23 He was sheriff for three years and a representative of Anne Arundel County for eight years.24
Captain Gassaway sold half an acre of land that was a part a larger tract called "Betty's Park" to Robert Saunders in 1740. The South River Clubhouse was located on that piece of land.25
In 1740, Captain Gassaway and his brother Nicholas bought part of a tract of land called "Gassaways Ridge" in Baltimore County from Thomas Gassaway of Baltimore County.26 It is likely that Thomas Gassaway was their brother as he inherited land in Baltimore County from their father in 1739.27
Captain Gassaway bought "The Triangle" from Thomas Stockett in 1742.28 In the same year, he bought part of "Laws Chance" from James Cadle.29 Two years later, in 1746, Gassaway bought two pieces of land, "Howell"30 and "Linthicum Lott,"31 from Thomas Rutland.
In 1750, Captain Gassaway bought cattle and horses from Ann Richardson. He also purchased four slaves: Priss, Sarah, Will, and Tom, a five year old boy.32
Two years later, he sold part of "Hesters Habitation" to James Disney.33 In the same year, he also purchased part of "Halls Inheritance" from John Howard.34
Captain Gassaway bought parts of a tract called "Bessenton" (or Bessenden or Bessengton) from John Howard in 1752,35 Henry Purdy in 1754,36 and John and Hannah Bibbs and Benjamin and Elizabeth Barry in 1755.37
In 1757, he bought all the lands held by Thomas Gassaway, either his brother or his son.38 He then sold Thomas Gassaway part of "Suttons Addition" in 1758.39
In 1761, he and his cousin, John Beale Howard, sold Thomas Rutland a lot in Annapolis.40
In the later 1750s and early 1760s, Captain John Gassaway's brother, Henry, had some major financial troubles. It is known that the Henry Gassaway appearing in the records was his brother because John Gassaway's son, Henry, died at age 15 in 1756.41 Henry Gassaway was in hundreds of pounds of debt to men such as James Dick and Lancelot Jacques. Henry Gassaway had penal bills taken out against him. All of his property was to be seized unless he paid his debt with the proper interest by certain dates.42 It seems that all of his lands eventually went to Horatio Sharpe,43 with the exception of a part of "Addition" which John Gassaway bought back in 1762.44
Captain John Gassaway owned around sixty-three slaves (to see a complete list, click here).45 He bought two of the slaves, Priss and Will, from Lewis Welsh of Calvert County in 1741/2.46 He bought Priss and Sarah from John Jacobs in 1748.47 As mentioned above, he purchased four slaves, Priss, Sarah, Will, and Tom, from Ann Richardson in 1750.48
One of Captain John Gassaway's slaves, Guy, ran away in May 1750 near the South River Ferry.49 He does not appear listed in Gassaway's inventory taken in 1762, so it is not known exactly what happened to him.50
John Gassaway died on June 10, 1762 at age 55.51 His death notice appeared in the June 17, 1762 edition of the Maryland Gazette. He was described as "exemplary in his several Relations of Husband, Parent, Master, Friend and Neighbour, and has left behind him the Character of an honest upright Man."52
His inventory was valued at 2541 pounds, and 8 pence.53 He left his wife Sarah their dwelling plantation. His son, Thomas, was to inherit it after Sarah Gassaway's death. If Thomas Gassaway died without heirs then Nicholas would inherit the dwelling plantation. Nicholas Gassaway inherited two other tracts of land and his father's silver spurs. Thomas was bequeathed four slaves (Old Bacon, Priss, Sue, and Tolla) and his father's "Silver Hilted Sword."54
His daughter, Ann Chapman, received several slaves, Young Bacon, Sagoucore (or Sagg), Lucy and her children, except her son Suddy. Suddy was given to his grandson, William Chapman. Ann Chapman also received Little Ester and all her children, except Cassey who was given to his granddaughter Ann Chapman.55
He also bequeathed to his granddaughter Sarah Johns a mulatto girl named Spinnage, a girl named Bess, a boy named Jack, a boy named Dick, his "Stone Studds set in Gold," two heifers, four ewe lambs, and two breeding sows. He also wanted Sarah Johns to be "Cloathed Maintained and Supported" at the expense of his estate. He desired that 25 pounds be paid out of estate toward her education.56
Captain Gassaway left his son-in-law ten shillings. He left his daughter-in-law Mary Gassaway ten shillings as well. He also gave his wife, Sarah, his silver watch. The rest of his land was to be sold at "publick venue."57
After all of his debts were paid out of his estate, then the rest was to be divided equally between his wife, Sarah, and his two sons, Thomas and Nicholas.58
In John Gassaway's will there is no mention of his sons, John, William and Isaac. It is not known exactly why they were not included. There is a possibility that they died before their father, or perhaps they were estranged from him.
Sarah Gassaway was not content with his will as she wrote in July of 1762: "This is to Inform you that my Deceased Husband has left his last Will and Testament in such a manner that I cannot abide by it And Do therefore Insist for my third of his Estate and I do hereby release all my Right to the Administration on the said Estate unto my Son Thomas Gassaway as it does not Suit me to be any ways Concerned."59
It is not known what exactly she objected to as it seems that she was to inherit a third of the estate in his will. There is also no follow up to this short entry to detail what happened.
Endnotes:
1. F. Edward Wright, Anne Arundel County Church Records of the 17th and 18th Centuries, (Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications), 26.
2. Ibid., 50.
3. Robert Barnes, Maryland Marriages, 1634-1777, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1987), 67.
4. Wright, 50.
5. Ibid., 37.
6. Ibid., 28.
7. PREROGATIVE COURT (Wills) Thomas Gassaway, 1739, Liber 22, folio 97, MSA S538-33, MdHR 1300.
8. Wright, 31.
9. Ibid., 46.
10. Barnes, 67.
11. Wright, 50.
12. Barnes, 67.
13. Wright, 50.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. Historical Committee of the Club, The Ancient South River Club: A Brief History (Menasha, WI: George Banta Publishing Company, 1952), 8.
22. Historical Committee of the Club, 10.
23. "Last Thursday Died," Maryland Gazette, June 17, 1762.
24. Ibid.
27. PREROGATIVE COURT (Wills) Thomas Gassaway, 1739, Liber 22, folio 97, MSA S538-33, MdHR 1300.
35. Ibid.
41. Wright, 55.
45. PREROGATIVE COURT (Inventories) John Gassaway, 1762, Liber 80, folio 475, MSA S534-81, MdHR 1187.
48. ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY COURT (Land Records) John Gassaway, 1750, Liber RB 3, folio 286, MSA C97-21, MdHR 4787-1.
49. "Run away," Maryland Gazette, June 6, 1750.
"Runaway," Maryland Gazette, June 13, 1750.
50. PREROGATIVE COURT (Inventories) John Gassaway, 1762, Liber 80, folio 475, MSA S534-81, MdHR 1187.
51. "Last Thursday Died," Maryland Gazette, June 17, 1762.
52. Ibid.
53. PREROGATIVE COURT (Wills) John Gassaway, 1762, Liber 31, folio 684, MSA S538-47, MdHR 1311.
54. Ibid.
55. Ibid.
56. Ibid.
57. Ibid.
58. Ibid.
59. PREROGATIVE COURT (Wills) John Gassaway, 1762, Liber 31, folio 740, MSA S538-47, MdHR 1311.
Researched and written by Sarah Hartge, 2012.
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