LUKE GAUNTT, son of Jacob and Rachel Gauntt, was born ca. 1800 in Newberry County, South Carolina. His grandfather was Israel Gauntt, American Revolutionary Patriot and a Quaker who came to the Carolinas in the 1750's. In 1800, Israel willed Jacob some land on the Palmetto branch of the Bush River, and in 1826, Jacob deeded 62 1/2 acres of this land to Luke Gauntt. In 1829 Luke sold this land to Thomas John on 16 Sept for $ 200. By this time Luke was married to Sally (Sibby) Elizabeth ( Moor?) who signed the dower rights to the deed. (Moor or Moore is believed to be her name because in family history written by J B Gauntt, he states she was "of the Moor generation."
By 1830 they were in Walton County, Georgia and also on the 1840 census there. Luke's father Jacob died in 1835,and in 1836, the family headed by Sophia Neel ( Luke's sister and her husband, Robert,sued Mary Gauntt, Jacob's second wife, Mark Gauntt,(Luke's brother) Luke Gauntt and two minor children, Karen Heppock and Nebo Gauntt by Mary, for settlement of the estate. In an affadavit by Thomas H. Pope, it was stated that " he had been informed and believed that Mark Gauntt and Luke Gauntt resided beyond the Limits of the state." This was dated 29 Jan. 1836. The settlement gave each child $225. $125.00 was deducted from Luke's for his share of the land.
By 1850 they were in Gordon County, Georgia. The ages given on that census were Luke 50, Sibby 48, John W. 20, Jacob 18, Adeline 16, Jane 14, Dorothy 12, Angelina 10, Emeline 8, William 6, Polly Anna 4. ( There is some discrepancy in ages given on the 1860 census) This census was taken in Nov. of 1850 ,and by December they were in Randolph County, Alabama where they joined the wagon trains headed west with Samuel Tine Owen, Kindred Karter Knight and some twenty odd other families. Legend states they arrived in Henderson County, Texas and were turned back by the floods of the Trinity River to settle in the eastern part of the county near Baxter and New York which reminded them of home. This was probably in the spring of 1851.Luke and family, according to Bass Gauntt, first settled in Fincastle and then moved to a site northeast of LaRue just at the foot of Myrtle Springs Mountain. Satisfying the pre- emption requirements, Luke Gauntt obtained 320 acres originally granted to J.C. Dunn. He built a large log house on a high knoll. The family raised tobacco, cattle , cotton, corn and grain. The land is valued in 1854 on the Henderson County tax records at $640. Luke died between 1860 and 1870 as Sibby is listed on the 1870 census as living with a Walker family. Sibby died in 1879. Both she and Luke are buried in the Jim Hogg Reynolds Cemetery near LaRue. In May of 1985, family members placed a 0monument on their grave. It had been marked only with a rock.From this progenitor came the line of Gauntts in Henderson County, Texas who quietly lived their lives by farming the land, establishing businesses, and serving county, communities and country in many ways. Some still live on the same land, and in 1976, it was named in the Texas Family Heritage Registry.
Children and marriages:
i. John Washington born 29 December 1829 Newberry County, S.C.; married Martha Maranza Owen 11 January 1855;died 18 January 1912 ; bur. Myrtle Springs Cemetery, Henderson County, Tx.
ii. Jacob Middleton b. ca 1831 Walton County, Ga. ; married Elizabeth M. Knight, dau. of K. K. Knight, Sr. born 28 Aug.1835 Al.; died in Benton Co, Ark in Civil War. Eliz. remarried W.R. Kyle and died 30 Dec. 1887.
iii. Adeline b. ca. 1834 Walton co. Ga. m. Barry Fain; went to Fannin Co, Tx. ca. 1880.
iv. Jane Angeline b. ca. 1840 m. (1) Martin Blackwell; 3 Jan. 1861. (2) John O'Neal 31 Oct. 1869.
v. James Calvin ( Jim) b. 1 Dec. 1836 Ga.; married Mildred A. Champion b. Al; 6 Aug. 1857. He d. 13 Oct. 1905; bur. in New York, Tx. Cemetery.
vi. Dorothy Catherine b. 1838 m. James (Jimmy) Allen Knight, son of K. K. Knight, Sr.; d. 1893 in Okla.
vii. Mary Emeline born 1842 married (1) Melvin M. Bradley 3 June 1861. (2) D. M. (Dempsey) Moss. by B.C. Holland, J.P 3 Dec 1866. They were on Kaufman County, Tx. 1880 census.
viii. William Jefferson b. 28 May 1844 Gordon county, married Mary Catharine ( Puss) Price 1866; went to Ardmore, Okla ca. 1880 d. Sept. 1932. Descendants still live near there.
ix. Polly Anna b. ca. 1846 ? m. Dick Moss and was also o the 1880 Kaufman County, Tx. census.
The four sons served in the Civil War. The pension record of at least three state they were with the 20th Texas Calvary, One, Jacob, died or was killed in Benton County, Ark.
