JAMES CALDWELL GAITHER

 

 

SURNAMES: GAITHER, CALDWELL, YOUNG, THOMAS, ROBERTSON, TOWNSEND, ROBINSON, ANNA,

DE GRAFFENRIED, HATCH, DAFFIN, HARWELL, ELLIS, MCCRARY, WRIGHT, TURNER, COLEMAN, DARROW, TOMLINSON, SWANN.

 

     James Caldwell Gaither, b April 12, 1826 in North Carolina, d after 1892, was a son of Forrest Gaither, b 1800 in Iredell County, North Carolina, d 1876 in Lee County, Texas, and wife, Lamira (Caldwell) Gaither, b ca 1805 in North Carolina, d 1880 in Falls County, Texas. Forrest and Lamira Gaither moved to Alabama in 1836 - ten years after their marriage in 1825 in North Carolina, but removed from there to Fayette County, Texas where they resided prior to 1840. Forrest and Lamira (Caldwell) Gaither had five children:

     James Caldwell Gaither, b April 12, 1826 in North Carolina; Sarah Gaither, b ca 1828 in North Carolina - married Levi Young; Carlos S. Gaither, b ca 1830, died in the Mexican War of 1846-1848; Jane Gaither, b ca 1832 in North Carolina - married D. C. Thomas and moved to Utah; and Andrew B. Gaither, b December 12, 1838 in Alabama, d September 22, 1900 in Falls County, Texas - married Mary Ann Robertson, b August 24, 1845, d April 24, 1886, and they were the parents of William, Burgess, M. W., and Anne Gaither- the latter b July 27, 1864, d January 23, 1900, unmarried.

     James Caldwell Gaither fought in the Mexican War of 1846-1848, and he married in 1848 in Fayette County, Texas to Florida Townsend, b ca 1830 in Florida - a daughter of Stephen and Sabrina (Robinson) Townsend. Stephen was a son of the Governor of Florida, and Sabrina was a sister of Joel W. Robinson- famed in Texas for his participation in the Battle of San Jacinto and the capture of General Santa Anna. Joel W. Robinson received a grant for a league of land in Falls County in 1835. Florida's two sisters, Augusta Townsend and Adrienne Townsend, married Fleming Taylor de Graffenried, M.D., and Thomas Tscharner de Graffenried, M.D., respectively. The Gaither and de Graffenried families came to Falls County about the same time, settling in the area of present-day Chilton.

     James Caldwell Gaither bought his first land in Falls County in October 1873. He was a school trustee at Landrum (1874-1875), and later at Chilton. He served two terms in the 16th and 17th Legislatures of Texas (1878-1882). James Caldwell and Florida (Townsend) Gaither had five children:

     James Caldwell Gaither, Jr., married September 3,1874 in Falls County, Texas to Mary O. Hatch, and had a son, William Gaither Hatch, who married Jane Daffin.

     Thomas Gaither, married November 26, 1875 in Falls County, Texas to Sarah O. Harwell- daughter of Mark Harwell and his second wife, Mary Willie de Graffenried (who was b January 25, 1868 and was a daughter of Dr. Thomas Tscharner and Adrienne (Townsend) de Graffenried). They were the parents of Mark Gaither, who married January 20,1904 in Falls County to Lauretta Ellis; and Ethel Gaither, who married W. W. McCrary.

     Forrest Gaither, II, married December 30, 1877 to Anna D. Wright, b September 1, 1861, d April 17, 1912, and they were the parents of Florida Gaither, b April 26, 1879, d November 26, 1880; Forrest Gaither, III; Roy Gaither, reported to have moved to Oklahoma; Frances Gaither - who married a Mr. Turner; Anna Gaither - who married a Mr. Coleman; Thomas A. Gaither, b ca 1900; Marian A. Gaither, b ca 1902; and Beulah E. Gaither, b ca 1904.

     Gordon Gaither, married Florence M. Darrow, and they were the parents of Clyde E. Gaither - who married January 1, 1918 to Ruth Tomlinson; and Gordon Gaither, Jr.

     Beulah B. Gaither, married April 1, 1901 in Falls County, Texas to Julian J. Swann, b May 7,1851 in White Plains, Georgia.

 

 

 

 Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 167 column 2 page 168 column 2.  
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.