Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 9.djvu/85

 The

���RANITE neWTHLY.

��A NEW HAMPSHIRE MAGAZINE. Uevoted to Literature, 'Biography, History, and State Progress.

��Vol. IX.

��MARCH AND APRIL, 1886.

��Nos. III., IV.

��HON. JESSE G-AULT.

��BY COLONEL J. EASTAL^N PECKER.

��Hon. Jesse Gault was. born in Hook- sett, N. H., September 20, 1823, and is a direct descendant, in the fifth gen- eration, of Samuel Gault, who was born in Scotland and emigrated to the north- ern part of Chester, now included in Hooksett, and settled on the '*' Suncook Grant, " so called. Matthew Gault, who was born in 1755 on the old Gault homestead in Chester, and who married Elizabeth Bunton, was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. They had twelve children, nine living to be married, of whom Jesse, the second son, who was born October 22, 1790, while the family was temporarily resid- ing in Springfield, N. H., and who died in Hooksett September 25, 1855, aged sixty-five, was the father of Hon. Jesse Gault. He was a successful farmer and a man of property, his homestead was one of the finest in his town or county. He married Dolly Clement, who was born in Pembroke April 21, 1794, and died March 30, 1873, her father being Joshua Clement, who was born in Go- shen June 12, 1764, and died in Con- cord December 26, 1840. Mr. Clem- ent was a clothier, and was many years in business in what is now Suncook, where he was a large owner of real es- tate, including considerable water power.

��He married Abbie Head, daughter of General Nathaniel Head, of Pembroke, September 26, 1790, and on the ma- ternal side was of English descent.

Jesse Gault, Sr., had four children, two sons and two daughters. Matthew, the elder son, was born September 23, 181 7, and died December 2, 1846. Of the daughters, Almira C, born Decem- ber 2, 18 19, and died February 20, 1853, married Harlon P. Gerrish, of Boscawen. She left a son, John C. Gerrish, now living in Missouri. The remaining sister, Martha H., was born July 3, 1828, and died April 23, 1853.

Hon. Jesse Gault was brought up on his father's farm, and his opportunities for obtaining an education were the public school and Pembroke Academy. At the age of sixteen he began teach- ing in his own district, where he taught the winter school for four consecutive years, working on the farm in summer. Subsequently he was an instructor in Suncook and Hooksett village. On reaching twenty-two he left home to commence life's work for himself and went to Baltimore, Md., where he en- gaged as book-keeper and surveyor for Messrs. Abbott & Jones, ship lumber merchants. His health becoming im- paired, he was forced in less than a

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