Gantt/O'Gantt Family
THE GANTT FAMILY
Biography.
About fifty miles north of Liverpool, located in what has been said to be the most beautiful area of all England is Lancaster. Extending eastward from Lancaster is the wild moorland sweeps of the Pennine Range of mountains at the foot of which is the boundary between Lancaster and Yorkshire.
John O’Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster lived in the John O’Gaunt Castle which has to this day a portion of its most important feature still intact and is used by Law Courts. It has a very wide gate leading into the castle grounds and was called John O’Gaunt’s Castle Gateway.
Near the castle is St. Mary’s Church which possesses remarkable 14th Century Oak Stalls said to be the finest example of English woodwork of that period.
John O’Gaunt (1310—1399) was the fourth son of Edward III and father of Henry IV. Thomas Gaunt, Edward Gaunt, and Richard Gaunt of England were descendants of Henry IV.
Thomas Gaunt Jr., son of Thomas Gaunt Sr., landed at White Landing, Prince George County Maryland in 1654. He was followed by his father in 1660. Other relatives came to America also about this time.
Different spellings of the same original surname are a common occurence. On arriving in America the name Gaunt was changed to Gantt, Gant, Gauntt or Gantte.
Reverend Edward Gantt, a descendant of Thomas, married Ann Sloss and moved to Louisville, Kentucky. His son Dr. Edward Sloss Gantt married Sarah Smith and moved to Molten, Alabama where his son, Dr. John Clement Gantt, was born. Dr. John Clement Gantt married Jennie Hardin at Jackson, Arkansas and practiced medicine at Arkadelphia, Arkansas for a while before moving to Texas near the town of Kaufman, a few miles southeast of Dallas.
Dr. John C. Gantt had ten children. Of these, three moved to Collin County. They were Laura Jennie Gantt, Susan Gantt and Mort Couts Gantt. Frank Wheeler, a Methodist minister and a son of Sally Gantt, married Thirza Lovell from Farmersville, Texas who is now ninety years old and living in Blanton Gardens, Dallas, Texas.
Laura Jennie Gantt and Susan Gantt, daughters of Dr. J. C. (John) Gantt met and married two brothers from Collin County, Henry and Elmer Wallis who lived northeast of McKinney. They settled on adjoining farms and lived there until their death. The area is known as Wallis Chapel, located between Melissa and Stiff Chapel.
Laura Jennie Gantt Wallis and Henry Orman Wallis had five children. They were Oma, Mortie, Effie, Willie and Alta Wallis. Two surviving daughters are: Effie Wallis Roberts and Alta Wallis Estes who still live in the Wallis Chapel community.
Susan Gantt married Elmer Wallis. At the death of her mother Susan took her young brother, Mort Couts Gantt, to live with her. Her father, Dr. J. C. Gantt, also spent part of his last years with her. Mort Couts was about five years of age when his mother died and nine when his father died. Susan and Elmer were always looked on as grand parents by Mort Couts’ children. Susan Gantt Wallis was an excellent cook. Elmer usually raised ten to fifteen hogs a year to slaughter. He always had an orchard and an excellent garden. It was always fun to visit them as Elmer was a great talker, constantly joking and full of life.
Elmer and Susan Wallis had two children, Ora and Randolph. Randolph fell in love with a cousin, Jennie Gantt, who died suddenly. Randolph was never interested in anyone else. He died a bachelor in 1965. Ora Wallis married Laurence Martin and they had one daughter, Ora Anise, who married Millard Lacy and moved to Lubbock, Texas. She died in 1972 leaving two daughters.
While Mort Couts was living with Susan and Elmer Wallis, he met and married Lillie Florence Wilson who lived with her brother, Thomas M. Wilson. She was teaching school with her brother Thomas at that time just a mile or so south of Wallis Chapel at Wilson or Big Viney School.
When one thinks of the Gantts of Collin County, you cannot get away from the Wilson family. Henry and Elmer Wallis’ mother was a Wilson the sister of Uncle Gus Wilson the well known eccentric bachelor of Collin County, who gave away many cars etc. He offered to send Couts Gantt through school but he married Lillie Wilson instead. Lillie Wilson Gantt’s father was Adam Teel Wilson. Adam Teel lived in Murphysboro, Illinois. He was married three times. In the first marriage there were three children; only one, Thomas M. Wilson, survived. He was the father of Paul K. Wilson who lives in McKinney, Texas..
In his second marriage there were three children and only one survived, John Wilson. His daughter, Leona Waters, and step-daughter, Pearl Furr, presently live in McKinney, Texas.
In the third marriage there were three children and again only one child survived, Lillie Florence Wilson, who married Mort Couts Gantt.
Thomas N. Wilson, who had graduated from Prairie View Normal School near Cairo, Illinois; Charlie Thompson (first editor of McKinney Examiner) and a Mr. Pierce who settled at Pilot Point, Texas, walked to Texas to seek their fortune. One evening they came to a farmhouse about six miles northeast of McKinney, and after knocking asked a lady at the door if three tramps could ask for food and shelter for the night. “No, I have no room for tramps, but three nice young men can find a wash basin, water, soap, and towel behind the house on a shelf. Wash up, and be ready. Supper’s almost ready to put on the table.” This they gladly did and eight years later Thomas M. Wilson came back to the community and married her daughter, Jennie Wilson who was only nine years old when he had stopped there originally.
After Tom and Jenny were settled, his brother, John, some cousins, Walter B and Alfred Wilson, came to Texas. Another cousin, Matilda (Cousin Mattie), sister of Walter B and Alfred, and husband Webb Bagwell also came to Collin County.
After Adam Teel Wilson’s third wife was buried he brought his young daughter to join his sons, Thomas and John. He started a restaurant and hotel business on the southeast corner of the square in McKinney, Texas.
Lille Wilson lived with her brother, Tom, and wife, Jennie, until she met and married the quiet dignified well-read young, Couts Gantt. Tom and Jennie were also looked upon as grandparents by Couts and Lillie Gantt’s children.
Couts and Lille Gantt bought a small farm north of Princeton, Texas, after their marriage where they reared a family of ten. He raised mostly cotton and corn but he also had a sorghum mill. People for miles around brought their cane to be run through the mill and have the juice made into sorghum syrup. The cane was stripped of leaves while still standing in the field. It was cut down and headed then brought to the mill.
Making syrup was hard work. One person had to keep the mule going to turn the wheels that ground the juice from cane stalks. One had to feed the cane to the mill, one carried what was left of the stalks away. Someone had to take the juice to the vat to be cooked. Another had to carry wood and keep the fire going under the vat. The vat had lanes to fit the ladle which was used to skim the foam from the cooking syrup. This was a very hot job. When the syrup was done, you could tell by the looks or by taste, it was emptied into gallon buckets. Then came the clean up job. The mill was located near a pool and a deep well so that there was plenty of water available.
When syrup making season was over, the Gantts always gave a Taffy Candy Party. Everyone at the party helped make and pull the taffy.
The Couts Gantt home had two upstairs, one at the front, the boys bedroom, and one at the back used for storage especially of syrup, gallons upon gallons. Lille found many ways to use the syrup. Although Lillie and Couts had ten children who lived to be grown they were never hungry.
One of the favorite syrup recipes was EGG MARMALADE. It is delicious if cooked right. You might want to try it.
Biography.
About fifty miles north of Liverpool, located in what has been said to be the most beautiful area of all England is Lancaster. Extending eastward from Lancaster is the wild moorland sweeps of the Pennine Range of mountains at the foot of which is the boundary between Lancaster and Yorkshire.
John O’Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster lived in the John O’Gaunt Castle which has to this day a portion of its most important feature still intact and is used by Law Courts. It has a very wide gate leading into the castle grounds and was called John O’Gaunt’s Castle Gateway.
Near the castle is St. Mary’s Church which possesses remarkable 14th Century Oak Stalls said to be the finest example of English woodwork of that period.
John O’Gaunt (1310—1399) was the fourth son of Edward III and father of Henry IV. Thomas Gaunt, Edward Gaunt, and Richard Gaunt of England were descendants of Henry IV.
Thomas Gaunt Jr., son of Thomas Gaunt Sr., landed at White Landing, Prince George County Maryland in 1654. He was followed by his father in 1660. Other relatives came to America also about this time.
Different spellings of the same original surname are a common occurence. On arriving in America the name Gaunt was changed to Gantt, Gant, Gauntt or Gantte.
Reverend Edward Gantt, a descendant of Thomas, married Ann Sloss and moved to Louisville, Kentucky. His son Dr. Edward Sloss Gantt married Sarah Smith and moved to Molten, Alabama where his son, Dr. John Clement Gantt, was born. Dr. John Clement Gantt married Jennie Hardin at Jackson, Arkansas and practiced medicine at Arkadelphia, Arkansas for a while before moving to Texas near the town of Kaufman, a few miles southeast of Dallas.
Dr. John C. Gantt had ten children. Of these, three moved to Collin County. They were Laura Jennie Gantt, Susan Gantt and Mort Couts Gantt. Frank Wheeler, a Methodist minister and a son of Sally Gantt, married Thirza Lovell from Farmersville, Texas who is now ninety years old and living in Blanton Gardens, Dallas, Texas.
Laura Jennie Gantt and Susan Gantt, daughters of Dr. J. C. (John) Gantt met and married two brothers from Collin County, Henry and Elmer Wallis who lived northeast of McKinney. They settled on adjoining farms and lived there until their death. The area is known as Wallis Chapel, located between Melissa and Stiff Chapel.
Laura Jennie Gantt Wallis and Henry Orman Wallis had five children. They were Oma, Mortie, Effie, Willie and Alta Wallis. Two surviving daughters are: Effie Wallis Roberts and Alta Wallis Estes who still live in the Wallis Chapel community.
Susan Gantt married Elmer Wallis. At the death of her mother Susan took her young brother, Mort Couts Gantt, to live with her. Her father, Dr. J. C. Gantt, also spent part of his last years with her. Mort Couts was about five years of age when his mother died and nine when his father died. Susan and Elmer were always looked on as grand parents by Mort Couts’ children. Susan Gantt Wallis was an excellent cook. Elmer usually raised ten to fifteen hogs a year to slaughter. He always had an orchard and an excellent garden. It was always fun to visit them as Elmer was a great talker, constantly joking and full of life.
Elmer and Susan Wallis had two children, Ora and Randolph. Randolph fell in love with a cousin, Jennie Gantt, who died suddenly. Randolph was never interested in anyone else. He died a bachelor in 1965. Ora Wallis married Laurence Martin and they had one daughter, Ora Anise, who married Millard Lacy and moved to Lubbock, Texas. She died in 1972 leaving two daughters.
While Mort Couts was living with Susan and Elmer Wallis, he met and married Lillie Florence Wilson who lived with her brother, Thomas M. Wilson. She was teaching school with her brother Thomas at that time just a mile or so south of Wallis Chapel at Wilson or Big Viney School.
When one thinks of the Gantts of Collin County, you cannot get away from the Wilson family. Henry and Elmer Wallis’ mother was a Wilson the sister of Uncle Gus Wilson the well known eccentric bachelor of Collin County, who gave away many cars etc. He offered to send Couts Gantt through school but he married Lillie Wilson instead. Lillie Wilson Gantt’s father was Adam Teel Wilson. Adam Teel lived in Murphysboro, Illinois. He was married three times. In the first marriage there were three children; only one, Thomas M. Wilson, survived. He was the father of Paul K. Wilson who lives in McKinney, Texas..
In his second marriage there were three children and only one survived, John Wilson. His daughter, Leona Waters, and step-daughter, Pearl Furr, presently live in McKinney, Texas.
In the third marriage there were three children and again only one child survived, Lillie Florence Wilson, who married Mort Couts Gantt.
Thomas N. Wilson, who had graduated from Prairie View Normal School near Cairo, Illinois; Charlie Thompson (first editor of McKinney Examiner) and a Mr. Pierce who settled at Pilot Point, Texas, walked to Texas to seek their fortune. One evening they came to a farmhouse about six miles northeast of McKinney, and after knocking asked a lady at the door if three tramps could ask for food and shelter for the night. “No, I have no room for tramps, but three nice young men can find a wash basin, water, soap, and towel behind the house on a shelf. Wash up, and be ready. Supper’s almost ready to put on the table.” This they gladly did and eight years later Thomas M. Wilson came back to the community and married her daughter, Jennie Wilson who was only nine years old when he had stopped there originally.
After Tom and Jenny were settled, his brother, John, some cousins, Walter B and Alfred Wilson, came to Texas. Another cousin, Matilda (Cousin Mattie), sister of Walter B and Alfred, and husband Webb Bagwell also came to Collin County.
After Adam Teel Wilson’s third wife was buried he brought his young daughter to join his sons, Thomas and John. He started a restaurant and hotel business on the southeast corner of the square in McKinney, Texas.
Lille Wilson lived with her brother, Tom, and wife, Jennie, until she met and married the quiet dignified well-read young, Couts Gantt. Tom and Jennie were also looked upon as grandparents by Couts and Lillie Gantt’s children.
Couts and Lille Gantt bought a small farm north of Princeton, Texas, after their marriage where they reared a family of ten. He raised mostly cotton and corn but he also had a sorghum mill. People for miles around brought their cane to be run through the mill and have the juice made into sorghum syrup. The cane was stripped of leaves while still standing in the field. It was cut down and headed then brought to the mill.
Making syrup was hard work. One person had to keep the mule going to turn the wheels that ground the juice from cane stalks. One had to feed the cane to the mill, one carried what was left of the stalks away. Someone had to take the juice to the vat to be cooked. Another had to carry wood and keep the fire going under the vat. The vat had lanes to fit the ladle which was used to skim the foam from the cooking syrup. This was a very hot job. When the syrup was done, you could tell by the looks or by taste, it was emptied into gallon buckets. Then came the clean up job. The mill was located near a pool and a deep well so that there was plenty of water available.
When syrup making season was over, the Gantts always gave a Taffy Candy Party. Everyone at the party helped make and pull the taffy.
The Couts Gantt home had two upstairs, one at the front, the boys bedroom, and one at the back used for storage especially of syrup, gallons upon gallons. Lille found many ways to use the syrup. Although Lillie and Couts had ten children who lived to be grown they were never hungry.
One of the favorite syrup recipes was EGG MARMALADE. It is delicious if cooked right. You might want to try it.
