Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 234 - 235 

JOHN W. GOSNEY. This solid old pioneer and his excellent wife are numbered among the most substantial residents of Garden Plain Township, to which they came during the early settlement of Southern Kansas. They have a good farm with comfortable buildings, a choice assortment of live-stock, modern machinery, and all the appliances of the desirable country homestead. To the people of this section they are widely and favorably known, and number among their friends the solid element of Sedgwick County.

      The subject of our sketch was born in Campbell County, Ky., Dec. 8, 1844, and is the son of Benjamin C. and Nancy M. (Bryan) Gosney, who were also natives of Kentucky, and descended from an old Virginia family. The first representatives of the name in this country crossed the Atlantic from Holland in the early Colonial days, but so long ago that their distinct origin has been lost track of. Benjamin C. Gosney, the father of our subject, was born in Campbell County, Ky., Aug. 15, 1821, and is still living on the old homestead where he commenced farming during his early manhood. The parents were married Oct. 21, 1841, and their family included ten children.

      Charles M. Gosney, the eldest brother of our subject, was born Nov. 26, 1842, and died at Camp Morton, Ind., on the 7th of May, 1864; John W. of our sketch was the second child; Benjamin F. was born Oct. 14, 1847, and died Nov. 28, 1853; Isabella M., now Mrs. William A. Harrison, was born Oct. 6, 1849, and is a resident of Garden Plain Township, this county; Mary C., who was born March 24, 1852, became the wife of Thomas H. Harrison, and resides in Augusta, this State; Missouri R., born Jan. 16, 1854, is the wife of Philip Kelley, and they live in Campbell County, Ky., Amelia T. was born Feb. 18, 1856, became the wife of William H. Wright, and died while a young woman, leaving two children; Columbus H., born Jan. 13, 1859, continues in Kentucky; George E. was born April 15, 1861, and died in infancy; Samuel W., born Nov. 14, 1866, is engaged in farming in Campbell County, Ky.

      The boyhood and youth of John W. Gosney were spent on his father's farm in Campbell County, Ky., where he became familiar with agriculture as it is carried on in the Blue Grass regions. He received a good common-school education, and commenced for himself upon reaching his majority. On the 22d of November, 1870, he was united in marriage with a maiden of his own State, Miss Sarah L. Griffing, daughter of Aaron K. and Maria L. (Yelton) Griffing, who were also natives of Kentucky. Her father was born in Kenton County, Feb. 7, 1819, and continued in his native State until quite late in life. Thence he removed to Johnson County, Tex., where his death occurred soon after, on the 11th of December, 1885. Mrs. Griffing was born in Pendleton County, Ky., Jan. 12, 1823, and is still living in Texas.

      The wife of our subject was born in Kenton County, Ky., Nov. 28, 1848. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gosney removed to Johnson County, Tex., where our subject purchased a tract of land, upon which he operated until the spring of 1875. Then coming to this county, he pre-empted 160 acres of land, and subsequently purchased another eighty acres, all of which is included in the present homestead. The household circle was completed by the birth of nine children, all of whom, with the exception of the three eldest, were born in this State: Noah was born Oct. 14, 1871, within the limits of Choctaw Nation; Charles M. was born Nov. 5, 1873, in Johnson County, Tex.; Carrie B. was born Oct. 10, 1875, also in Texas; Maggie M., the first of the children born in Kansas, came into the household on the 27th of December, 1877; Zue E. was born Aug. 9, 1879; Wade Hampton, April 1, 1881; Maria L., March 6, 1883; Florence, April 23, 1885; Benjamin Ross, July 23, 1887.

      Our subject, having been rocked in a Democratic cradle, still clings to the principles of the old party in which he was born and bred. He is a member of the Baptist Church at Garden Plain, and his estimable wife, who was reared in the doctrines of the Christian Church, on account of there being no organization of this kind in their township, also consented to unite with the church of her husband's choice. They have labored with the common purpose in view of building up a comfortable home for themselves and their children, giving to the latter especially the advantages which will constitute them useful and worthy members of society. They know all about the trials and hardships of pioneer life, and although at times the sky looked dark, financially, they managed to pull through without ever having a mortgage placed upon their home. This was only effected by the exercise of the strictest economy and the most incessant industry.

      The paternal grandparents of our subject were John and Isabelle Gosney, who united their lives and fortunes on the 14th of December, 1815. Grandfather Gosney was born in Kentucky, July 2, 1794, and carried a gun in the War of 1812. His wife, Isabelle, was the daughter of Charles and Amelia Yelton, of Kentucky, and was born July 23, 1784. The great-grandparents were Benjamin and Sarah Gosney. The mother of our subject was the daughter of Hampton and Margaret Bryan, the former of whom was born May 13, 1795, and was the son of Samuel Bryan, who was born May 6, 1756. The latter was the son of William and Mary (Boone) Bryan. Mary Boone was the daughter of Squire and Sarah Boone, who were near of kin to the old Kentucky pioneer, Daniel Boone, whose exploits of bravery and daring are closely identified with the early history of the Blue Grass State. She was born Nov. 3, 1730, and died on the 6th of July, 1819. The great-great-grandfather, William Bryan, her husband, was born March 10, 1734 and died in May, 1780. He was the son of Morgan and Martha Bryan, the maternal great-great-great-grandparents of our subject. It thus appears that John W. Gosney is a lineal descendant of the Boones, Bryans and Gosneys, and that his wife is of the Griffing and Yelton blood. All these families were prominent among the pioneer settlers of Kentucky, well-to-do and substantial people, who carried on agriculture extensively, and had great influence in the Blue Grass State. Mr. Gosney belongs to Caddo Grove Lodge No. 320, A. F. & A. M.

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