Elizabeth Goss

Betsy Richards is the commonly applied name as the spouse of Frederick Gass b 1701. But, proof is lacking. The 1928 Booklet privately published by Mr. & Mrs. C.L. Goss and Mattie Hodges, entitled: Goss Genealogy - 1700 - 1928. It was dedicated to the memory of Ephraim and Ann Workman Goss and their descendants. (This Ephraim was a grandchild of Frederick I, b 1701 and the first Goss family to move to Indiana Territory in 1810), much is made of the fact that great grand children of Ephraim and Anne were still alive. Apparently they identified Betsy Richards as the spouse of the first Frederick Gass/Goss in America. I take this as an indication of an "oral tradition" that Betsy Richards was Frederick Gass spouse. However, further anaylsis of the details in this booklet shows a number of errors seeming to conflate Frederick Gass I with Frederick Gass II. It is now rather well documented that Frederick Gass II married Isabelle Rickard which leaves Betsy Richards as the probable wife for Frederick Gass, Sr. or I b 1701. So far I have found no creditable documentation on the birth or marriage of Betsy Richards. What has been found are multiple contemporary or near contemporary, notebooks, journals or scraps listing deaths of participants in Ephrata community headed by Conrad Beissel. Taken together these are known as the Ephrata Death Register. The best compilation and translation of these was published by a local Ephrata, PA historical society in the 1990s. An entries for 1754 show Frederick Gas helpmate died and she is identified as Elisabeth Gass. Since Betsy was a common nickname for Elisabeth, I see this as supporting the "Betsy Richards" tradition. Other support is circumstantial: 1) 1754 is consistent with the known ages of her children; 2) the prevalence of Elisabeth as a name in subsequent generations of Goss children (admittedly it is widely popular name). After 1754, Gass offspring start moving to NC and Frederick Gass, Sr. appears to have financial reverses indicated in some legal documents in 1755-56.

Where did she come from? When did she marry?

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