Paul Jefferson "Jeff" and Elijah Franklin "Frank", identical twins of Rev. Joseph Aaron Gaskill Sr. (1814-1869) and Tabitha Canada (1813-1854) were born and reared in Clinton, Clinton County, Illinois.  They both arrived in Grayson County, Texas on October 29, 1859, coming to Texas as surveyors under contract with the Butterfield Overland Stage Co. and laid out a trail for the stage from Arkansas to West Texas.   The stagecoach service operated from 1858 to 1861, carrying passengers and U.S. mail to San Francisco, California.  Jeff fell in love with the area known as Dripping Springs in Grayson County and decided to make it his home, where he cultivated his farm of 180 acres.

Jeff married -
November 22, 1860 Grayson Co. to Lucy Ann Gooch, daughter of L.Y. Gooch of North Carolina: b. North Carolina;
d. 13 September 1865 Grayson Co., Texas. They had a son, Joseph Y. Gaskill.
February 18, 1866 Grayson Co. to Mary E. Tatum, daughter of John H. Tatum:  b. 1838; d. 22 February 1911.
They had 9 children: John F., Tabitha C., William H., Walter F., Virginia E., Thomas C. Louisa J., Oscar A., and Benjamin C.

Jeff was a member of the Farmer's Alliance and with his wife, were members of the Missionary Baptist Church, Grayson Co., Texas. 

When the Civil War broke out, Frank went back to Illinois to join the Union Army, Illinois Infantry, 87th Regiment during the Civil War, while Jeff enlisted March 13, 1862 in the 34th Texas Calvary under Col. Almerine M. Alexander for the Confederate Army.  He served west of the Mississippi River.  The Confederate Army failed to prevent the Union Army from crossing Atchafalaya River at Simmesport, Louisiana on May 18, 1864.  Jeff was captured and imprisoned in Parish Prison at New Orleans.  The old parish jail was used by the Union forces from 1863 to 1865 and ranked in the top 10 worst prisons in the United States.  ("Orleans Parish Prison."  Wikipedia. Viewed February 16, 2021)   The prison held a maximum of 1,900 men. He was sent for exchange at the Red River Landing on July 22, 1864. He entered the Confederate Army again and served until the end of the war.

In the late summer of 1877 the author of "Dripping Springs News" reported that  "Messrs. Thomas Headrick, P.J. Gaskill and Sherley had about 60 acres of watermelons..." that weighed 60-100 pounds.  ("Dripping Springs News," The Daily News, July 22, 1877, pg. 5)

Jeff Gaskill began his teaching career in the public schools of Denison in the fall of 1887.  (The Daily Register, Saturday, October 29, 1887)   In October 1889 J.M. Gaskill, teacher at White Mound, presented to the Grayson County Teachers' Institute the subject of geography along with Miss Sallie Watson and Prof. N. Somerville.   ("Teachers Institute.From the Courier. The Sunday Gazetteer, November 3, 1889, pg. 1)

Jeff and Frank did not see each other again until Frank traveled to visit his brother in 1900.  A few years later Frank died in 1904 in Illinois and is buried in Zion Grove Cemetery at Kell, Marion County, Illinois.

Jeff died in 1919 and is buried at Dripping Springs Cemetery, Sherman, Grayson Co., Texas.