Betsey Gates (Ayer)

Betsey married John Gates on February 13, 1826 in St. Johnsbury, VT. After Betsey died, John remarried. Related information is in the Bio for John’s second wife, Eliza (Fisher) Gates, and in the Bio for her fourth son, Horace.

John and Betsey Gates lived near Betsey’s father, James Ayer, and near her brother, Royal Ayer, as can be seen from the close proximity of family listings in the 1830 and 1840 Census from St. Johnsbury, Vermont. In the case of the 1830 Census, Royal Ayer is listed next to his father, James, and John Gates is listed next to his father, Thomas. The group of gravestones photo by "Anne" shows that Betsey is buried along side her parents and brother, Royal.

Betsey was part of a large Ayer family group that lived in the St. Johnsbury area in the early 1800s. Two of Betsey’s sons have Ayer-side family related names. The name of her second son, James Carlton Gates, follows the first name of Betsey’s father and the maiden name of her grandmother, Mary (Carlton) Ayer. The name of her fourth son Horace Goss Gates, is in memory of her 1st cousin Horace Goss, who died in the St. Johnsbury area from an 1840 accident. The latter Horace Goss was the son of Alpheus Goss and Betsey’s Aunt Mary (Ayer).