Sunday, October 10, 2021

JOSE GORSLINE (1767-1838) - by Bob Gorsline

This is information about Jose Gorsline, sent to me 9 Oct 2021 in an email sent from Bob Gorsline. It relates to Jose Gosline (1767-1838), son of Samuel Gorsline (1723-1782), son of Josse Gorsline (1701-1772), who was the son of immigrant Jacob Gosselin (1658-1722):

One other little narrative I have concerns Jose Gorsline born 1767 died 1838, (my #34 on page 5, Lyle's #18). It's only two pages long but I find it quite interesting. In Lyle, under #18 Joseph (Jose), on page 26, he quotes from a letter he received concerning Jose and a quote from the 'History of Lycoming County'. Lyle (or Lyndon?), dismisses this narrative and concludes that some of the information "is likely incorrect as primary sources indicate otherwise". But, unfortunately he offers no proof of this assertion. It would certainly have been helpful to have seen these primary sources he refers to, and I had no idea of the truth of the matter until, by chance, I came across a book by the Vermont Archaelogical Society published in 1992 and was able to untangle the story. Previously, having seen no primary sources on the truth of Jose Gorsline, I had come across Tom Leverich's "Individual Narrative of Martha Leverich [23] - wife of Samuel Gorsline". Their ninth child was Jose Gorsline of whom Tom Leverich says "mentioned in father's will, no further record."  He goes on to say that "Jose Gorsline is identified as the husband of Mary, 'Peddie' Gilbert". He then proceeds to quote from the 'History of Lycoming County' to disprove this assertion. However, thanks to coming across the publication by the Vermont Archaeological Society I was able to unravel the truth and discovered that Jose Gorsline did in fact marry Pedda Gilbert (her name was never Mary), and he was the son-in-law of Job Gilbert, and that the story in 'The History of Lycoming County', published 1892, was actually a completely garbled account of the life of Jose's father-in-law Job. Whoever had written the History of Lycoming County had completely mixed up the two men. Sometimes it takes a bit of both work and luck to untangle these old families.

Below is the Document he attached to that email.

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