GOUGH: Of Reedy. Thomas Gough, first of the name here, came to Reedy about the year 1835, guessing from the age of his eldest child. He was of French Huguenot descent and from his intrepid disposition must have come from the eastern shores in response to a high spirit of adventure, for he was neither merchant nor soldier at that time. About the year 1836 he married Miss Alitha Catherine Flesher, daughter of George A. and Sallie (Conley) Flesher, of Left Reedy. They obtained a farm out of the Flesher lands and made their lifetime home there. He was loyal to Virginia in the Civil War, and its armies’ trusted scout; chased and fired on so much by Union soldiers of garrisons at Spencer or patrols, and escaped unhit, that it was common remark, “he has a charmed life.” For years after the war when anyone picked up a musket ball on Left Reedy his unfailing remark was “There’s another bullet that the Yankees fired at Tom Gough.” To Thomas and Alitha Goff, his wife, were born the following named children: Albert, Marshall, Jane, Mary, Pery, Monroe, Jackson, Thomas Jefferson and Florence. Albert G. Gough, son of Thomas and Alitha C. (Flesher) Gough, married Nancy C. Board, January 5, 1859. She was a daughter of William K. Board, of below Reedy. To them were born the following Sons and daughters: Charles F., Alitha Catherine, Sarah Margaret, Cora Ellen, Anna Letticia, Mahala and Mary Alice. All these married and made homes in and about Reedy at first, later have scattered to other counties and states, except Charles F. Charles F. Gough, son of Albert and Nancy C. (Board), his wife, married Susan C. Blosser, of Reedy, September 1, 1882; she a daughter of Robert Blosser, killed in the mill explosion in 1866. Charles F. had learned the carpenter trade, moved to Spencer about 1898 and here became a building contractor and followed that for some ten years. To Charles F. and Susan C. (Blosser) were born and by them reared to citizenship in Spencer, the following named children: Peter Frederick; Ella Jane, married John Newlon of Spencer, January 29, 1911, age 24; Samuel R.; Pearl, who married Orel Riley; Skoval K. married Hazel Gilpin, 1919; Ray Albert, married Ruth Runnion (Widow Lamb), June 1, 1926, and is now a young business man of Spencer, W. Va.; Herman Hugh, and Robert Eugene, this last died in first bloom of young manhood. Further oI the children of Thomas Gough, pioneer: Jane married Jerrard Cline. Mary Louise was twice married, to the first husband, William Harrison, Hildreth, April 25, 1873; the other husband being Henry Horton. Pery, married Sevillia Stewart; Monroe married, 1881, S. E. Cheuveront; Florence married Louis R. Davis, 1868
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 534-535
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@aol.com
November 28, 1999
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