My Genealogy Hound

William Gatchet, a native of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, was born in 1839. He was the sixth child in the family of nine born to Jacob and Anna Mary Gatchet, natives of Switzerland, who immigrated to America soon after the year 1820, and settled on a farm in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where they lived until 1854. In the latter year they removed to a farm three-quarters of a mile from Jamestown, Moniteau Co., Mo. In the following spring the father returned to Ohio to settle up his affairs, and on his return to Missouri he was taken with the cholera at St. Louis, where he died in the fifty-fifth year of his age. He was married twice. His first wife died when our subject was young. Of the children of the first marriage six are still living, viz.: Margaret (Early), Jacob, John, Frederic, William and Henry. Those deceased are Samuel, Henry, and Mary, wife of Herman Keiser, who left eight children. William Gatchet went to Missouri with his parents in 1854, and when about fifteen years of age he commenced for himself, working on a farm, which he continued until the outbreak of the war. He first enlisted in Company F, Fifth Missouri State Militia, and afterward in Company I, Twelfth Missouri Cavalry, serving in all four years, one month and nine days. He participated in the battles fought at Nashville, Tenn., Abbyville, Selma, Ala., Franklin, Tenn., and was in the raid under Gen. Wilson that relieved the prisoners at Andersonville, and also in a number of minor engagements. In 1865 he went to the plains to fight the Indians, and was discharged at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., April 9, 1866. After the war Mr. Gatchet returned to his home in Moniteau County, Mo., where he has since lived engaged in farming, locating on his present place in Linn Township in 1872. April 15, 1866, he married Susan B. Bearing, daughter of William Dearing. She was born June 4, 1842, and died March 2, 1869, leaving two children: Mary Ann (now the wife of F. Kurz) and Margaret A. (wife of A. Walker). November 19, 1871, Mr. Gatchet married Mary Geminden, who was born in Missouri September 23, 1850, being a daughter of William and Elizabeth Geminden, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Missouri, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Geminden had three children: Martha (now the wife of M. Opitz), Elizabeth (the wife of John Joplin) and Mary (wife of our subject). Mr. and Mrs. Gatchet are the parents of ten children; those now living are Martin L., Michael W., Dora E., Albert A., Biddy Y., Sophia L., Charles J. and Thomas. Those deceased are Laura A. and Martha E. Mr. and Mrs. Gatchet are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the former has held the office of steward. He has also served as school director, and in politics is a Republican.