living in the western states.

John Gaston was made a freeman of Voluntown at the organization of
its town government in 1736-7. He was a prominent member of the
Separatists Church in that town, the meeting for the settlement of
Reverend Alexander Miller, their pastor, being held at his house.
He was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. His
three children were born in America: Margaret, born 1737, died
1810; Alexander, born 1739, was a commissioned officer in the
French and Indian War; John, born 1750, died 1805.

John Gaston married Ruth Miller, daughter of Reverend Alexander
Miller. Their children were Alexander, born in Voluntown, August 2,
1772; Margaret, born December 13, 1781. The latter died in early
childhood.

Alexander Gaston married Olive Dunlap, a daughter of Joshua Dunlap,
of Plainfield, Connecticut, who was born 1769, died in Killingly,
September 7, 1814. He married for his second wife in Killingly, in
April, 1816, Kezia Arnold, daughter of Aaron Arnold, born in
Burrillville, Rhode Island, November, 1779, died in Roxbury,
Massachusetts, January 30, 1856. His death occurred in Roxbury,
February 11, 1856. The children of first marriage: Esther, born
1804, died 1860; John, born 1806, died 1824. William Gaston, of
whom this sketch is written, was the sole issue of the second
marriage. He was born at Killingly October 3, 1820. With his
parents he moved to Roxbury in the summer of 1838. On December 27,
1830, was born at Boston, Louisa A. Beecher to whom Mr. Gaston was
married May 27, 1852. Mrs. Gaston is a daughter of Laban S. and
Frances A. (Lines) Beecher, both of whom were natives of New Haven,
Connecticut, and were direct descendants of the very first settlers
of Connecticut in 1638. The children of Governor and Mrs. Gaston
were: Sarah Howard, William Alexander, and Theodore Beecher. The
latter was born February 8, 1861; died July 16, 1869.

The death of Theodore was a severe blow to his family. He was a
beautiful and promising boy. This sad calamity seemed like the
withdrawal of sunlight from the household, causing his loving
parents the keenest anguish.

Of this branch of the family there are but very few relatives of
Governor Gaston. His son William is the only male representative of
his generation. I