Berry Gazzaway - Elsberry and Susan Gazzaway

Jim's Great Grandfather Berry Gazzaway

Berry Gazzaway was a large man at 7 feet tall and weighing 350 pounds. He was a farmer in Redwine's Cove South of Dalton, Georgia near the little town of Carbondale which is located on Interstate 75 between Atlanta, Geogia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. He married Mary Stone in 1835. Of this union were born 3 sons and 2 daughters.

One of those daughters Mary O. (Gazzaway) Roberts, at the age of eighty-nine, recalled some information about her parents. Mary stone was visiting in the home of her brother, John Stone, who lived about thirty miles from her home. She met Berry Gazzaway at a dance and they were married in the home of her brother, John, with whom they lived until he died of typhoid. Berry and Mary then moved to Franklin County, Georgia and lived near her parents. They lived in Cass County before moving to the Odell Place in Whitfield County, Georgia. Berry died in 1886 and in his will bequethed $5.00 to his son John (there is no record of John) and devised property to "my other three children, David P., Mary Roberts and E.A. Gazzaway. (His daughter Rhonda died at age 4 of thyphoid fever). He is buried in Swamp Creek Cemetary at Carbondale, Georgia.

Jim's Grandfather Elsberry A. Gazzaway

Elsberry Gazzaway was born on February 2, 1849 near Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia and is buried at Thornton, Texas. He died on April 27, 1919. He married Susan Winifred Tolar in Georgia on July 23, 1871 and moved to Robertson County, Texas in 1884 where he was a circuit preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church South, a farmer and merchant. He moved to Merkel, Texas for a short while but returned to Thornton where he lived until he died.

He recorded the name and date of birth of each of his children in his "Book of Sermons." He was a comparatively small man along side his father, Berry, who stood 7 feet tall. Elsberry was about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches tall and weight around 160 pounds. He preceeded Susan Winifred in death by some 6 years.

During the years he lived in the Thornton area he continued to farm and preach. He was once the preacher for the First Methodist Church in Thornton.

He reared his children to love God and to always uphold right and treat their fellow man with honor and respect. He was an humble man, quiet, but yet in full control of his family and anything he attempted in life. He died 6 years before his youngest grandson James Kimbell Gazzaway was born on February 23, 1925. He would have enjoyed seeing his elder son's child of his old age.

Jim's Grandmother Susan Winifred (Tolar) Gazzaway

Susan Winifred Tolar was born in Georgia on June 15, 1853. We have no record of her family with the exception of Pvt. W.L. Tolar, Co. A 18th Georgia Infantry who is thought to be her father killed in the Civil War. (See Civil War Activities of Gazzaway, Jordan and Tolar Families on this Web Site) We are in search of information on Tolar or Towler surnames. If you have any information on the Tolar family please send E-Mail to Jim Gazzaway by clicking on the E-Mail Button on this page or writing to him at 825 Stardust Lane, Fairfield, TX 75840.

Susan married Elsberry Almarine Gazzaway in Georgia on July 23, 1871 and bore 8 children by him. � William Benjamin Bascom Gazzaway b. 3 Jun. 1872;d.5 Nov. 1872 � Luther Govan Gazzaway b. 26 Mar. 1874; d. 4 Mar. 1931 � George Rankin Gazzaway b. 28 May 1876 d. 26 Oct. 1969 � Orazebra Vasti Gazzaway b. 15 Mar. 1879 d. 6 Feb. 1919 � Henry Boyd Gazzaway b. 15 Feb. 1881 d, 2 Aug. 1958 � Lessie Lavada Gazzaway b. 16 Dec. 1888 m. Edgar Cauthen � Mary Etta Gazzaway b. 23 Oct. 1891 � Clara Britton Gazzaway b. 16 Feb. 1895 d. June 1992 Her youngest grandson James Kimbell Gazzaway was born one month and one day before Susan passed away on 24 March 1925

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