1892 Biography - G. Gayden

G. Gayden, Esq., is a prominent planter of East Feliciana parish, La., but is a native of Amite county, Miss., where he was born in January, 1825, a son of Agrippa and Margaret (Lee) Gayden, the former born in South Carolina and the latter in Tennessee. Agrippa Gayden came west with his parents in 1801 and settled in Amite county, Miss., ten miles south of Liberty, several other families coming thither at the same time. They went overland to the muscle shoals of the Tennessee river, there built a flatboat and floated down the rivers to Natchez, when they came across country to Amite county, Miss. Agrippa Gayden was born in 1779, a son of George Gayden, a native of South Carolina and a soldier of the Revolutionary war. Of the children bon to the latter, Agrippa was the second eldest son and the third child in a family of three daughters and four sons, all of whom lived and died in Mississippi. Margaret (Lee) Gayden was born in Tennessee in 1800, while her parents were on their way from Virginia to Mississippi. She was the daughter of David and Nancy (Clay) Lee, the latter being a relative of Henry Clay. In 1802 they settled near the Gaydens in Amite county, and here their daughter met and married Mr. Gayden, who became a well-to-do planter, and was a soldier in the War of 1812 and a participant in the battle of New Orleans under General Jackson. He was an active whig in politics and died in 1845, his wife following him to the grave the same year, his death occurring in January and hers in October. She was a member of the Presbyterian church and a worthy Christian in every respect. Of the seven children she bore her husband, five lived to be grown, but I. G. Gayden, the subject of this sketch, is the only one now living. George Gayden, a son, died leaving a family, but all are now deceased; Mary became the wife of Dr. Joseph Redhead, both now deceased; Elvira married Albert Cage and is now dead; Franklin died leaving a family, some of whom are yet living; Minerva died at the age of six years and William when one year old. I. G. Gayden was the second child and was reared in Amite county, Miss., where he remained until 1848, receiving his education in the common schools until he was twelve years of age, then entering Oakland college, from which he graduated six years later. He then returned home and managed his father's plantation until 1846, when he joined the Mexican army on the first call for troops, becoming a member of the Firm Mississippi regiment commanded by Col. Jeff. Davis. He was in the battles of Monteray and Buena Vista. He enjoyed perfect health during his entire service, and the year after his return to Mississippi was actively employed in planting. In 1848 he came to Louisiana and became a resident of East Feliciana parish. His plantation is one of the oldest in the parish and is admirably tilled, all the buildings about the place being kept in good repair and the land in an excellent agricultural condition. He was married to Miss Ellen Scott, the daughter of Thomas W. and Elizabeth (Kirkland) Scott, natives of South Carolina, the former's birth occurring in 1789. He came to Louisiana about 1804, with his father, John Scott, who was one of the oldest settlers of the parish. Thomas W. Scott first settled on what is now known as the R. E. Thompson place, but in 1834 or 1835 settled on the plantation on which the subject of this sketch is now residing, the present residence being built soon after. It is a large two-story frame building and is one of the best preserved of the old houses in the section. Mrs. Gayden was the second of a family of six children, was born in the parish in 1823, was reared here and died in 1864, an earnest member of the Presbyterian church at the time of her death. She became the mother of seven children, three of whom are now deceased, but those living are: Agrippa, a graduate of Centenary college and now assistant physician and surgeon at the Asylum of Jackson, La.; Milerva, wife of K. N. Perkins, residing near Norwood; Ellen, wife of Duncan Norwood, residing near Norwood station; and Mary, wife of Henry S. Perkins, also residing near Norwood. Those deceased were: Margaret, who died at the age of five years; Thomas Scott, who died when three years old, and Martha, who died at the age of one year. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Gayden was married to Martha J. Thompson, a daughter of 0. M. Thompson, now deceased. She was the third of eight children, seven of whom were sons. She was reared in sight of where she is now residing, and received her education in Jackson, La. She has borne Mr. Gayden eight children: Julia, wife of Dr. S. J. Perkins, of Norwood; George; Ivy May; William Percy; Octavia; Joseph R.; Iveson G. Jr., and Margaret, who is four years of age. During the Civil war Mr. Gayden served in Maj. Ed Scott's command in the battle of Baton Rouge and at Jackson, La. He has always been industrious and pushing and on his fine plantation about sixty hands are employed the year rounds Gayden station is in the center of his plantation, and here Mr. Gayden is employed in conducting a general supply store and in ginning and milling. He is a democrat in politics, was made postmaster of Gayden in 1885, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, although he was reared a Presbyterian.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892, volume 1, pages 441-442.