Henrietta Fawcett Gauss - Interview

    Her Father was Joseph Fawcett - He the son of Benjamin Fawcett - & Delilah Rigna
The Father of Benj Fawcett - was born in France, and moved to England - after a short residence there (see notes given by Aunt Lucretia) he came to America - (How old he was is not known) x when Benj F. Was born not known - His wife D. Rigna - was born in England & came over when young (probably not grown) & was adopted & raised by a Quaker Minister & wife who brought her over -
    Joseph F- was born in Berkely Co Va Sept 15th 1779 - died - Sept 11th 1844 - Benjamin F. was engaged in manufactur of iron - at Jordans Forge - either in Rockbridge or Rockingham Co. Va - after this he was engaged in raising cattle in Bath Co.  He died in Lexington Va. while away from home to buy Cattle - see obituary note in Lexington paper - His wife died in Bath Co - where 2nd page who lived a widow a long time - children of Benj & D. F. were Joseph Charles & Benjamin - also Annie - who married a Mr Bright - Mollie who married a Mr Harrison - Kitty & Drusilla - who married twice - Her 2nd husband named Odell - another was Betsy Kinkaid - who came to Mo about 1841 - & moved to Soline Co - she had lived in Ky - Hanah(?) also married a Kinkaid - in Va
The youngest daughter was named Abby - married & moved away -
Chas F lived in Bath Co. as a farmer His wife died rather early & he lived there with his children - one of whom was named Benj - another was Albert
Mother says that Nat Reid's brother who came from Va. - told about - Benj. F. (son of Chas) being troubled for fear that his son or nephew (she cant say which) would loose his money on a race horse - Mother says that since they have come to the farm - she saw 3rd page 2
a note in the Country Gentleman of the sale of a horse - she thinks Flora Temple - owned by a Mr Fawcett -
Benjamin F. lived in Hardy Co Va & afterwards he moved [Fohiv ?] and at that time had two little girls - one named Henrietta - Mother says she has been told that there are a great many Fawcetts living near Bellefontain Ohio -
Joseph Fawcett - Mothers Father - was employed by his father at the iron works for a while - Superintended making charcoal.  He afterwards was sheriff of Rockingham Co. - later had a store - Harrisonburg - where he made a good deal of money but went security for the sheriff & lost his property paying for the shortage of the sherif - He then went to Staunton & kept tavern 3 years then went to Callaghans  - Allegheny Co Va where he kept tavern 2 - years & came to Mo in 1834 - and went 4th page Mothers father Joseph F. married Lucretia Keyes - who was the daughter of Humphry Keyes & Phoebe Stryder (or Strider) Phoebe S. was a Presbyterian -
Mother says - that the father of Humphrey Keyes was English - she thinks possibly he was born in England
The Striders came from Saxony Originally - How far back Mother can't say - They lived on the Potomac River where they had a flour mill.  Grandmother Fawcett - told Mother that she visited her Grandmother Strider at the place where the Mill was - Mother thinks it was in Frederick Co.
Phoebe Keyes - a sister of Lucretia Keyes married a Bywater in Va After his death she went to Tex with several children - One of them was a Methodist preacher who died - another Son was probly the father of a Man living below San Antonio on the J & G N RR[?].  He was a J.P. in 91 5th page Brown Miller went off to California - in 1849 - and was never heard from again.  Mother says that some time after the war - a young man Tom Miller came to the Lumber Yard - He had been drinking & Father refused to bring him to the house.  Offered to pay his bill at Hotel but he went off.  After this - When Aunt Gee was in Sedalia she saw an account of the suicide of a man named Tom Millier who killed himself in a RR Car - His sister a Miss Aurelia Miller came down & had his body cared for - she did not Aunt Gee did not tell me this at the time but told Mother afterward - 6th page see Century for a account of the "Ill fated Donner Expedition"  The Keyes family went with the Donners to California

Notes:  This is obviously fragmentary.  Perhaps I will be able to fill in the gaps later.  It is also obviously a preliminary interview and should be used as a source of clues and not as authoritative. By the handwriting it may have been written by Charles Henry Gauss.  Aunt Gee was Virginia Fawcett, sister of Henrietta. -- SDC

Source:  Handwritten original in the private collection of the Chambless family.  Transcribed to softcopy by Susan D. Chambless, May 22, 1999.