Patrick McLene Gass (abt. 1771 - 1870)

Born about 12 Jun 1771 in Falling Springs, Chambersburg, Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1870 at about age 98 in Wellsburg, Brooke, West Virginia

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Patrick Gass was involved in the westward expansion of the USA. Westward Ho! Join: Lewis and Clark Expedition Project Discuss: lewis_and_clark

Biography

Patrick Gass is Notable.

Patrick McLene Gass was born on Jun. 12, 1771 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to Benjamin Gass and Mary McLene.

He joined the expedition as a private from Jan. 1, 1804 to Oct. 10, 1806, but was promoted to sergeant following the death of Charles Floyd on Aug. 20, 1804.

Described as being 5 feet, 7 inches; dark hair, dark complexion with gray eyes, Patrick Gass was a skilled carpenter, boat builder and woodsman, supervising the construction of canoes and the Forts Mandan and Clatsop.

After their return, Patrick lived in Wellsburg, West Virginia and was the first member of the expedition to publish his journal in 1807.

Patrick enlisted again on Aug. 25, 1812 and served in the War of 1812 until Jun. 19, 1815. In September 1813 at Fort Independence in Missouri, Gass lost his left eye in an accident while felling a tree.

After the war, he returned to Wellsburg, West Virginia where, at the age of 60, Patrick married for the first time on Mar. 21, 1831 to 18 yr. old Maria Hamilton. Their children were; Elizabeth, Benjamin F., William, Sarah Ann, Annie Jane, James Waugh and Rachel Maria. Patrick's wife, Maria, died of measles in 1846.

Patrick Gass died on Apr. 2, 1870 in Wellsburg, Brooke, West Virginia shortly before his 99th birthday. He was the last surviving member of the Corps of Discovery.

Sources

• The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 <http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu>.

• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYM-JRC : 19 May 2020), Patrick Gass, Virginia, United States; citing p. 222, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M419-R73 : 11 November 2020), Patrick Gass, 1860.

See Also:

• Wikipedia: Patrick Gass

• Wikidata: Item Q2057607, en:Wikipedia

• Find A Grave: Memorial #3821

• Case File of Patrick Gass -- Pvt Capt Symmes 1 US Inf -- US Army https://catalog.archives.gov/id/186450245

• Staff. “The People - Corps of Discovery.” Corps of Discovery - United States Army, U.S. Army Center of Military History, 12 Jan. 2019, https://history.army.mil/LC/the_people.htm.

• Biography of Sergeant Patrick Gass

• Lewis and Clark Trail