James Gatton (abt. 1738 - 1807)

Born about 1738 in Prince George's County, Province of Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Veatch — married 30 May 1759 in Frederick, Maryland

Died 1807 at about age 69 in Frederick County, Maryland, United States of America

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Biography

James was born about 1738 in Prince George's, Maryland to Thomas Gatton and Elizabeth Waters.

James was named in the 1772 will of his father, in which he was was to share the estate equally with his siblings, after the death of their mother.^[1]

The 1776 colonial census of Frederick, Maryland reported James Gatten 38 and Elisabeth Gatten 41 with:

John 15

Richard 14

Thomas 12

James 5

Zachariah 2

Susanna 16

Elisabeth 10

Anna 8

Virlinder 6

Hannah a Negroe 35; Moll 20; Cate 12--Swan 21; Michael 1.^[2]

The 1790 census of Montgomery, Maryland reported the James Gatton household as 3 white males 16 and over, 3 white females, and 5 enslaved people.^[3]

James Gatton of Montgomery, Maryland made a will on 7 Sep 1807:

"In the name of God, Amen, I James Gatton of Montgomery County and state of Maryland being sick and weak in body but disposing mind memory and understanding considering the certainty of Death and the uncertainly of the time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly estate and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence do therefore make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say –First and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named as Touching my Worldly Estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner -First of all my will is that all my Just Debts shall be paid and Secondly I give and bequeath to my son John Gatton all my wearing apparel. Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my daughter in law Mary Ann Gatton one white faced buffalo heifer and all the remaining part of my Estate both Real and personal, in whatsoever consisting or wheresoever to be found I give and bequeath unto my sons Thomas Gatton and James Gatton and to my Daughter Susanna Reid to be equally divided among them share and share alike to them the said Thomas and James Gatton and Susanna Reid their heirs and assigns forever and I do hereby constitute and appoint my Son James Gatton, executor of this my last Will and testament revoking and annulling all former Wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last Will and Testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Seven.

"Signed Sealed Published and Declared by James Gatton the above named Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto. Hezekiah Veach, Thos Veach, Richard Veach."

Proved in Court: 12 November 1807 by Thomas Veach and Richard Veach. On 1 December 1807, Hezekiah Veach, the other subscribing witness, came into court and attested to the will as well. No enslaved people appeared in his inventory (p. 141) nor his estate sale (p. 290).^[4]

Slaves

• Hannah
• Moll
• Cate
• Swan
• Michael
• 1790: 5 enslaved people

Sources

1. ↑ Thomas Gatton will: "Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999", digital image, FamilySearch (Online: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2010), [Original source: Prince George's County (Maryland), Orphans' Court, "Will Book 1770, Volume 1", pp. 38-39],<https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTYR-4GK
2. ↑ Maryland records : colonial, revolutionary, county and church from original sources; v. 01; Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus, 1862-1952, pp. 214-215. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/810128/?offset=2#page=233&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=
3. ↑ 1790 Census: "1790 United States Federal Census"
   The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC; First Census of the United States, 1790.; Year: 1790; Census Place: Montgomery, Maryland; Series: M637; Roll: 3; Page: 52; Family History Library Film: 0568143
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5058 #124436 (accessed 12 January 2023)
4. ↑ James Gatton probate case files:"Maryland, Montgomery County, probate case files"
   Catalog: Maryland, Montgomery County, probate case files Estate Record T3140/C1138-8, Book F, ca. 1807–ca. 1809, p. 185
   Film number: 104905785 > image 239 of 573
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSY2-YSCX-G (accessed 12 January 2023)