William Gause, Jr. (1745-1801) was among the first of the name to move from Prince George Parish, South Carolina, to Brunswick County, North Carolina. He made his home at Gause's Landing adjacent to the present day Ocean Isle Beach. He was wounded while in service during the Revolutionary War which resulted in the loss of a leg, and in 1778 was elected a member of the House of Commons from Brunswick County, N. C.
From the minutes of the Safety Committee at Wilmington, Saturday, January 20, 1776, is the following:lO "On application of William Gause and others in behalf of themselves and the inhabitants of Shallotte and Lockwoods Folly, setting forth their apprehension of danger from the people of Waggamaw and requesting of this committee /The Committee of Safetz/ a small supply of powder, to enable them to act in their own-defense in case they should be attacked, ordered that 20 lbs. gunpowder be supplied to William Gause from the stock of this Committee for the use of the inhabitatlts of Lockwoods Folly and Shal- lotte when the said Gause applies for them."
In his diary, Bishop Francis Asbury tells of his visits with this William Gause: "Friday, December 23, 1791 - We passed Locke·ts Folly and Shallot-River, and came up to Father Gauses ..• and held meeting on Christmas day, it being the sabbath. South Carolina, Monday 26. We came to Little River, and thence to Kingston. • • . Thursday 9 /year not indicated but contained in v. 2, 1786-1800/ Came to father William Gause's. I paid a visit to the sea and saw the breakers;--awfully tremendous sight and sound!-- but how curious to see the seagull take the clams out of the sand and bear them up in the air, and drop them down to break them, and then eat the flesh! This I saw demon- strated; and if they fail once in breaking the shell, they will take it up again, and bear it higher, and cast it down upon a hard spot of ground, until they effect their purpose. We are now in Bladen circuit, Brunswick County, North Carolina. Sunday 10.-- We attended at Shallot Church." 1982
The Independent Republic Quarterly
Page 7
From v. 3 (1800 to 1815): "North Carolina. Thursday, January 14, 1802--After preaching, we rode on to the house of my once dear friend William Gause, Senior; but death had stolen a march upon me; the body of my friend was in the dust, his soul is, I hope and trust, with God." (Note: William Gause, Jr., was designated as William Gause, Sr., at the time of his death because he had a son of the same name.)
On his Southern Tour, President George Washington recorded in his diary: "Tue. 26th. April (1791) Having sent my carriage across the day before, I left Wilmington about 6 o'clock accompanied by most of the gentlemen of the town and breakfasted at Mr. Ben Smith's; lodged at one Russ 25 miles from Wilmington--an indifferent house /-"indifferent" seems to refer to the facilities and accommodations of the place and not to-the attitude of the hosts/; Wednesday, April 27, 1791--Breakfasted at Willm. Gause's a little out of the direct -;oad 14 miles--crossed the bou~dary line between No. & South Carolina abt. half after 12 o'clock which is 10 miles from Gauses--dined at a private house (one Coch- ran's) about 2 miles farther--and lodged at Mr. Vareen's 14 miles more and 2 miles short of 'the long bay.•.." (Note: Washington did not mean that Gause's place was 14 miles out of his direct route--the 14 miles refers to the distance from his last stop. Those familiar with the "Old King's Highway" which Washington was following can note that Gause's Landing is only two or three miles out of the way from that route.)
William Gause is believed to be buried at the old Gause cemetery which is located some one hundred yards southwest of the junction of N. C. Highway no. 904 with the high- way that leads from Sunset Beach to Ocean Isle Beach. There are several bricked over graves in this cemetery but no tombstones. He was twice married, first to Mary, whose last name is not known. One daughter is know.n of this marriage:
a Sarah Gause m. Samuel Frink. No issue.
William Gause is believed to be buried at the old Gause cemetery which is located about one hundred yards southwest of the junction of N. C. Highway no. 904 with the high- way that leads from Sunset Beach to Ocean Isle Beach. There are several bricked over graves in this cemetery but no tombstones. On a visit there in the 1960s this writer with Mrs. Ida B. Kellam of Wilmington and some other members of the Brunswick County Historical Society observed that a firebreak disc had apparently ploughed right through the cemetery area and disturbed many of the bricks. William Gause was twice married, first to Mary, whose last name is not known. Issue: a Sarah Gause m. Samuel Frink (no issue) b Needham Gause m. Elizabeth Hankins, dau. of Dennis Hankins. No issue. 12 c Samuel Gause
d Mary Gause m. Daniel Bellune. Their issue included Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Michael Bellune. M. m. John Collier Baker and their issue included Sarah Ann Baker who married Robert M. McRackan.
William
and had: Gause m. 2 Elizabeth Bacot, widow of John Smith of Santee, South Carolina,
13 e Rev. William Gause
f Elizabeth Bacot Gause who married her first cousin, John Julius Gause. (See
No. 8)
13A g Martha Gause (1781-1844) m. 1 in 1797 Alexander John Wilson; m. 2 Joseph Tilley.
h Peter Gause m. Sarah Frink =====================:===
Benjamin Gause, Sr. ( 1762-1825) married four times. 11 Married first in 1782
6. Woodberry who died in 1794. Their children:
to Mary
14
a Nancy Gause
b Martha Gau.se, b. 1784, m. John Durant of Horry County in 1802. No issue. c Ma~garet Gause