T.L. Gash, a prominent citizen of this County, died at his home near Pisgah Forest last Saturday evening, at the age of 77. He had been in failing health for some time, but had not been confined to the house, and his death from heart failure came as a surprise to his many friends all over the county.
Funeral services were held at Davidson River Presbyterian church on Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. J.R. Hay, assisted by Rev. J.C. Seagle. Many persons from Brevard, Pisgah Forest and other communities attended this service, for Mr. Gash was well-known both in public and private life and had lived in this section for the most part since his young manhood. The old church on which services he had been a regular attendant for years was thronged at this last service over his body.
All the rites of this funeral were conducted with great simplicity, in accordance with the known wishes of the deceased. An escort of Confederate Veterans formed part of the funeral procession in honor of their old comrade, who had always been a devoted member of that organized band, whose ranks grow thinner year by year. Many Masons attended in honor of the man who had been a charter member of Dunn’s Rock lodge but there were no Masonic rites at the grave.
Interment was made in the old Davidson-Patton burying ground, better known as the Davidson River Cemetery. The pall bearers were J.C. Deaver, J.P. Deaver, J.A. Miller, W.D. Deaver, T.E. Patton Sr., and Overton Erwin.
Thomas Lenoir Gash, son of Leander S. and Margaret A. Gash, was born near Hendersonville, September 18, 1843. After his boyhood schooling, he attended Emory and Henry College. The Civil War came on before he was of age, but on his 19th birthday, September 18, 1862, he enlisted in the army of the Confederacy. He first joined Company E Sixth Battalion, commanded by Major John Spann. Later in the war, this company, made up of Henderson and Transylvania men, became a part of the 65th N.C. regiment, cavalry, commanded by Col. George Folk.
While serving with this regiment in Bragg’s raid in Kentucky, in July 1863. Mr. Gash and several others were captured while on scout duty near Monticello, Ky. For nearly two years he was a prisoner of war, first at Camp Chase, Ohio, then at Johnson’s Island and later at Point Lookout, until paroled in February 1865. After returning home, he received notice in April 1865 of his exchange. He started out at once to rejoin his command, then under Joseph E. Johnston in eastern North Carolina; but just after he had passed Morganton he learned of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.
After the war he made his home in this community. He was for a while in business in Brevard and was also postmaster for several years. In 1866 he was appointed Clerk and Master of Equity of Transylvania County and later served as Clerk of Superior Court and as member of the board of county commissioners. During the last few years of his life he was a member of the Confederate pension board of this county.
Mr. Gash lived in Transylvania until 1892, when he moved to Morganton where he lived three years, moving to Decatur, Ga., in 1895. In 1903 he went to Swarthmore, Pa., where he stayed for one year, returning here in 1904.
Mr. Gash was largely interested in movements of a public nature. He was a charter member of the Dunn’s Rock Lodge of Masons, organized in 1867, was first Senior Warden and Second Master. At the time of his death was the oldest Mason in the county. He was also one of the oldest members of Davidson River Presbyterian Church, which he joined in 1876.
Not the least among the services to his State was the part he took as a member of the legislature of 1874-75 in calling the Constitutional Convention of ‘76, which broke the back of the carpet bag government in North Carolina.
Mr. Gash will be long remembered by the people of this county as a man of genial and kindly disposition, and he was generous to a fault. He had many friends, but his personal enemies were hard to find.
He was married on November 8th, 1870, to Miss Dovie N. Deaver, daughter of William Deaver. His widow and five children survive. The latter are W.D. Gash of Chester, Pa., Miss Margaret A. Gash of New York, E.L. Gash of Cincinnati, Ohio, Robert L. and Miss Annie Jean Gash of Pisgah Forest, N.C.
The only survivors of a family of 13 brothers and sisters are Miss Delia Gash of Brevard and Mrs. Adeline Garrett of Asheville. One of his brothers, who died several years ago, was W.A. Gash, a leading attorney of Brevard.
All the children were present at the funeral service, as were also the two sisters and T.S. Boswell of Charlotte, formerly a brother-in-law.
From the front page of The Brevard News, April 7, 1921. The photo was posted on Find a Grave. There was no caption, so I don't know which man is Thomas Lenoir Gash. Other source of informaton on the Gash family is an Honors Thesis by Colin W. Hull from Colby College, available online at https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1770&context=honorstheses, and Confederate Veteran Magazine, July, 1921, with the section Brevard County online at http://www.confederatevets.com/documents/brevard_nc_cv_07_21_ob.shtml.
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