Nicholas Gassaway was my generation's 9th great grandfather. Here are two descriptions of him, taken from this source at Find a Grave:
NICHOLAS GASSAWAY, son of Thomas (1) and Anne (Collingwood), was baptized 11
March 1634 in St Margaret's, Westminster, London, and died between 10 and
27 Jan 1692 in Anne Arundel Co, MD. He came to MD probably as an indentured
servant 1649/50. He married 1st, (name unknown), and married 2nd, Anne Besson,
daughter of Capt. Thomas Besson (1616-1679), and his wife Hester who was the
widow of Henry Caplin. Anne was born c 1658 and d by 1692.
On 1 Aug 1664 be was granted 150 acres Poplar Ridge. On 14 Ang 1666 he and his wife Anne deeded the land to James Chilcot (AALR 1H81:172). On 14 Feb 1684 he conveyed 100 acres Edwards" Neck to Amhony Ruley, carrier. Nicholas' wife Anne relinquished her dower (AALR 1182:170). On 16 Dec 1678 Robert Love conveyed to Gasway 100 acres Wrighton, and 50 acres Love's Neck (AALR WH#4-300). On 16 Ang 1688 John Besson, carpenter, son of Thomas, conveyed to Nicholas Gassaway, 80 acres part of Bessendon (AALR WH4 237)
Nicholas rose rapidly from the status of indentured servant to that of planter and public official. He owned over 1,320 acres of land, and at various times held the posts of Justice of the Provincial Court (1691-1692), member of the Commitee of Twenty in the Assembly, 1690-1692, and Colonel in the Militia, 1690-1692.
Nicholas
Gansaway was the fsther of 7 children, the first two by his unidentified
first wife. His children were (A.9): NICHOLAS, died 10 March 1699, married Anne
Saunders; and ANNE, born 1670, died 1742, married 1st, John Watkins, 2nd, William
Burgess, and 3rd, Richard Jones; (hy Anne): JOHN, died 1697, married Elizabeth
Lawrence: HESTER. married 1st. Nicholas Gross, and 2nd, Stephen Warman;
JANE,
died 1736, married 1st, William Cotter, and 2nd, James Saunders; MARGARET, m 1st Thomas Larkin; 2nd. William Galloway,
and 3rd, James Durham; and THOMAS, born 20 Feb 1683, died 10 Sep 1739, married. Susanna,
daughter of Henry Hanslap.
Robert Barnes, British Roots of Maryland Families (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2010), 206. I have edited this entry to complete abbreviated words and to make it more readable.
* * * * *
Nicholas Gassaway was named as the son of Thomas Gassaway in the parish
register of St. Margaret's Church Westminister in London Town, now
London, England. The date of his christening was recorded as 11 March
1634. He stated 21 September 1663 that he came to the Province of
Maryland in the year 1650. He was transported by Richard Owen and was
one of more than a dozen person in 1663 who assigned to Thomas Bradley
his rights to land due to him for service performed within the Province.
The assignee of Richard Owen declared 26 August 1651 that "Richard Owen
hath transported himself and Nicholas Gassaway Anno 1649"
Reqardless of the exact date of his entrance into the Province of
Maryland, Nicholas Gassaway became one of the outstanding Marylanders of
his day. He settled in the South River Hundred of Anne Arundel County
among the Puritans who had come from Virginia as Quakers under Governor
Stone in 1649. He became one of the merchants of the area in addition to
being a large plantation owner.
Nicholas Gassaway quickly
assumed prominence in southern Maryland. He is credited with becoming
one of the wealthiest Marylanders of his day. He acquired large land
holding and surveys were made for him.
Capt. Nicholas
Gassaway was active in the militia, and he and Lt. Thomas Francis
directed a letter from the head of South River dated 13 September 1681
to the Council held at St. Mary's in which they reported the murder of
one man and the wounding of two others by the Indians. Gassaway deplored
the lack of ammunition in his company of nineteen men and in the
company of Col. Burgess, and stated "the head of the River will be
deserted if we leave them..we have noe orders but to Range and Defend
the Plantations, the which we shall doe to the best of our skill". By 22
July 1687 he had been commissioned a major for as Maj. Nicholas
Gassaway he was ordered to report on officers in his command.
In a letter dated 25 March 1689, Nicholas Gassaway, Henry Hanslap,
Edward Burgess, Richard Hill and Edward Dorsey signed a letter directed
to Col. William Diggs in which they expressed their concern of eminent
danger to the Protestant citizens. They wrote: "..wee have heard this
day That Maj. Ninian Beale is either engaged with the Piscattoway
Indians or every minute in expectation to put in operation their wicked
and malicious designe...wee remaine in a posture of defence for the
generall safety of all..."After the ensuing rebellion led by Capt.
Coode, Col. Nicholas Gassaway was appointed one of the Committee of
Twenty who governed Maryland until the arrival of a royal governor from
England.
Col Nicholas Gassaway died testate, actually in
January 1692 as his will was dated Old Style. His Will is dated 10
January 1691 and proved 27 January 1691.
(Information from "Genealogical History of the Gassaway Family by William & Anne Rutherford)
Gassaway's pedigree can be found at Frederic Z. Saunders' website.
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