John Gause, Sr. married Susannah Frink about 1761. They had six children - Charles, Nedham (Needham), Elizabeth, Benjamin, Charlotte and John Julius.

John Gause, Sr. was also a Revolutionary War patriot.

Revolutionary Pay Voucher of Brunswick County, NC - 7/18/1814 "Agreeably to the Report of the Auditors appointed to settle and just the Military and other Claims for services performed and supplies furnished in July and August...approved and filed with me - John Gause, Captain of company of Brunswick County - is entiled to receive out of the Public Treasury the sum of eight dollars for the payment of which this shall be a Warrant - William Hankins."

John Gause - Will - Signed: 6/12/1783, Proven: 9/16/1783

In the name of God, Amen! I, John Gause, of Brunswich county, being very weak and low in body, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to Almighty God for it, and considering the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men to die, under these considerations do think proper to make and ordain this, my last will and testament, as follows:

Item - I comment my soul to the hands of Almightly God that gave it, hoping for eternal redemption by the blood of Christ, and my body to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors, then I give and bequeath to my loving wife, during her life, the use of my Seashore planttion, after her decease to be divided between my sons Benjamin Gause and Charles Gause, Randall Branch to be the dividing line between them; my son Benjamin to have the part clear of the building and said son Charles the other part with the building.s

Item - I then give and bequeath to my loving wife, the use of five negroes, Yancea, Jack, Sharp, Lucy and Jim. I then give and bequeath to my loving wife all my household furniture and one horse called "Noble" with saddle and bridle and an equal part of all my stock of meat cattle with my children, all of my stock of hogs.

Item - I then give and bequeath to my dutiful daughter Charlotte Gause, to be delivered to her when she comes of age or enters inmarriage, one negro wench Jennie, with the increase she may have after my decease, and one horse called "Project" and an equal part of my stock of meat cattle.

Item - I then give and bequeath to my dutiful son, John Gause, that piece or tract of lan I purchased of Steven Daniel, know by name of "Skipper's Neck", also one negro girl called Rou, to be delivered to him with her increse when he comes of age, also one negro wench Yancea to be his property after the decease of my loving wife, Susana Gause. I then give and bequeath to my dutiful son John Gause, one horse called "Boston" one mare with an equal part of my stock and meat cattle.

Item - I then give and bequeath to my dutiful son Benjamin Gause, to be delivere to him with her increase, when he comes of age, one negro girl Mealyea, with an equal share of all my meat cattle and 1/4 part of my wood horse kine.

Item - I then give and bequeath to my son Charles to be delivered to him after the decease of my said wife, one negro boy Jack, and an equal part of all my meat cattle and 1/4 part of all my wood horse kine.

Item - I then give and bequeath to my son Nedham Gause, after the decease of my said loving wife, one negro boy Sharp, and an equal part of all my stock of meat cattle and 1/4 part of all my wood horse kine,
also one piece or tract of land known by name of "Swamp House", and lastly, I do hereby constitute, ordain and appoint my loving wife, Susana Gause, my loving brother Charles Gause and my son John Gause,executors of this, my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 12th day of June, 1783.

Signed John Gause

Signed and acknowleded in the presence of Dennis Hankins and Martha Frink, Brunswick Co., Sept. Term, 1783

Proven in open court 9/16/1783, by Dennis Hankins, Esq. one of the subscribers, witness that this to be and was ordered to be registered by order of Wm. Goodman, C.C.

Will in Brunswick Co. Wills, Unbound, NC State Archives


The son of John Gause, Sr., John Julius Gause, directed that a sum of money be reserved from his estate sufficient enough to build a family tomb for the interment of his remains and that of his family named in his will.

John Julius died in 1836 and the tomb was built according to his will. Whether they or John Julius' father were ever buried in the tomb has not been verified.

He requested his executors to place his own remains therein, those of his two deceased wives, his father, Mr. and Mrs. Bruard (his second wife's parents) and his children that were already interred in the old burying ground.

Photographs of the Gause tomb can be seen at the John Julius Gause memorial # 86282634.