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BANKS DAVIS GADDIS ESQ.
b. July 15, 1826
Clinton County, Ohio
d. April 17, 1901
Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
buried: April 19, 1901
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FATHER
Jonathan Gaddis
(1801-1865)
MOTHER
Ann Disbrow
(1807-1865)
MARRIED
Drucilla Mann
(1831-1904)
July 23, 1850
Clinton County, Ohio
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CHILDREN
with Drucilla
Francis Marion Gaddis
(1851-1907)
Rachel Elvira (nee-Gaddis) McGlennen
(1855-bef. Dec. 1885)
John L. Gaddis
(1856-1856)
Adlaste Gaddis
(1857-?)
Volney Alaska Gaddis
(1857-1933)
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Levi Clinton Gaddis
(1860-1924)
Sallie Mary (nee-Gaddis) Mills
(1863-1941)
Willis Gaddis
(1864-?)
Wesley Grant Gaddis
(1865-1937)
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The Decatur Herald
(Decatur, Illinois)
18 APR 1901 * page 8
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The Decatur Herald
(Decatur, Illinois)
19 APR 1901 * page 8
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GADDIS FAMILY BIOGRAPHY
This family was founded in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, by
Robert, John, Henry and Thomas Gaddis, sons of William Waddis, who came from Apple Ple Ridge, near
Winchester, Virginia, to Fayette county, about the year 1780. William Gaddis was of Irish parentage,
and probably came to Frederick county, Virginia, with the Irish immigration of 1737-40; at all
events he was a landholder in 1750, as transfers show. He married Priscilla, daughter of Henry
Bowen, who survived him, and after her husband's death joined her children in Fayette county.
Children: 1. Thomas, born 1736; commonly known as Colonel Gaddis; was a major in the ill fated
Crawford expedition, later settled in Ohio, where he died at the age of ninety-four years, near
Cincinnati. He bravely served his country as a soldier, and was in receipt of a pension of $500
annually until his death. His only descendants in Fayette county are the Hopwoods, Moses Hopwood
having married the Colonel's daughter, Hannah Gaddis. 2. John (q. v.). 3. Robert, of whom further.
4. Henry, married, but had no issue. 5. Anna, married Levi Springer.
(II) Robert, son of William Gaddis, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, near Winchester,
about 1742. He came to Fayette county with his brother John, and in 1785 purchased two hundred and
thirty-seven acres of land about two and a half miles northwest of Uniontown, on the Pittsburgh
road, the tract adjoining the farm of his brother John, the settlement being known as Gaddistown.
The survey was made to Robert Gaddis, April 19, 1788. He married, and had a son John.
(III) John, son of Robert Gaddis, was born in North Union township, Fayette county,
Pennsylvania. He was known as "Muddy Run John," to distinguish him from others of the same name,
John being a favorite name in the family. He was a farmer all his life, in North Union. He was a
member of the Baptist church, a strict observer of the sanctity of the Sabbath, and although living
five or six miles from his church, did not miss a Sunday service for twenty-five years. On Saturday
afternoon he and family would begin preparation for the Sabbath; no cooking was done that day,
everything for Sunday meals being cooked on Saturday; no work of any kind, not even shaving or
blacking boots, was allowed on the farm-nothing but feeding and watering the stock. His life was
ordered on the strictest line of Christian duty and self-sacrifice; withal he was just and generous,
hard working, but asking none to do more than he did himself. He married Rgaddisl Davis, who was
born in Franklin township, Fayette county. Children: 1. James, a farmer of North Union township. 2.
Robert, of whom further. 3. Sison, married a distant relative, John Gaddis, known as "Redface John,"
a farmer of North Union. 4. Ansley, died unmarried. 5. Priscilla, married Thomas D. Dixson, a farmer
of Menallen township, Fayette county. 6. Sarah, married Caleb Fry, a farmer near Smock, Fayette
county. 7. Mary, married Caleb Campbell. Two other children died in infancy.
(IV) Robert (2), son of John and Rgaddisl (Davis) Gaddis, was born on the home farm in North
Union township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in October, 1809, and died in 1895. Early in life he
learned the trade of carder and fuller, leaving home when but a boy to work in the woolen mills at
West Newton, Pennsylvania. He also worked in the mills at Dunbar, Uniontown and New Salem, all in
Fayette county. In 1846 he abandoned his trade and bought a good farm in Franklin township, Fayette
county, and engaged in its cultivation until 1889, when he moved to Uniontown. Both he and his wife
were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a Whig, later a Republican, but during the
past twelve years of his life acted and voted with the Prohibition party. He was a justice of the
peace twenty years, and also served as school director. When the Confederate forces invaded West
Virginia and had captured Morgantown, he joined with other citizens of Fayette county to repel an
expected attack on Uniontown, but their services were not required. He often laughingly alluded to
his service of "one day." He was held in high esteem by all who knew him and exerted an influence
for good. He married Sarah Carter, born in North Union in 1812, died in 1887, daughter of Benjamin
and Hannah (Leonard) Carter, Children: 1. Hannah, married Rev. Josiah Mamsell, born in England, came
to the United States when a young man; now in his ninetieth year, a retired minister of the
Methodist Episcopal church, residing at Upper Middletown, Fayette county. 2. James W., a retired
farmer of North Union township; married (first) Mary Henshaw, (second) Anna Porter. 3. Alice, died
unmarried. 4. Albert, of whom further. 5. Allen, now engaged in the dairy business in Baltimore,
Maryland; married (first) Jennie Bentley, of Monongahela City, Pennsylvania; (second) Esther
Freeman, of Baltimore, Maryland. 6. John, died in infancy.
(V) Albert, fourth child of Robert (2) and Sarah (Carter) Gaddis, was born in Franklin
township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1849. He was educated in the Bute district school,
Madison Academy and the State Normal School, at California, Pennsylvania. His early life was passed
on the farm, but after leaving school he taught two years (1866-67) in the public school. He then
located in Monongahela City, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the grocery business, being senior
partner of the firm Gaddis & Marsh. He continued there five years, then sold out to his partner and
moved to a farm near Fayette City. For the next two years he cultivated a farm with his
brother-in-law, Mr. Patton. In 1879 he removed to the farm in North Union township, where he now
resides. He continued there seven years until 1886, then in partnership with Ami G. Thomas he bought
the flouring mill in Uniontown that stood across the street from the present site of Baltimore &
Ohio depot. In March of the same year Mr. Thomas died, and on July 3d following, the mill was
totally destroyed by fire. This misfortune and complete disarrangement of his plans did not deter or
dismay Mr. Gaddis. In the fall of 1886 he formed a partnership with his brothers-in-law, B. V. and
Samuel W. Jones, and built the splendid mill now standing on Mill street, in Uniontown. In February,
1887, the mill was finished and until 1906 the firm of A. Gaddis & Company operated it with most
gratifying results to the owners. Mr. Gaddis was chief manager, and during the last years of their
existence were running at an annual business of $300,000. They controlled local markets and
furnished the finest brands of flour then known. In 1906 they sold the mill and business to
Hogsett & Hankins and dissolved partnership.
In 1897 Mr. Gaddis assisted in the organization of the Second National Bank of Uniontown,
and for several years served on the board of directors. In 1901 he was one of the principal
organizers of the Citizens' Title & Trust Company, of which he has been president since
organization. They opened for business in November, 1901, and have had a very prosperous existence,
the last report showing deposits of $1,300,000, with a surplus of $250,000, and undivided profits of
$15,000. Their capital is $150,000. This showing stamps the management as of the highest order, but
Uniontown banks are proverbial for solidity and wise management. Mr. Gaddis devotes his principal
energy to his institution, having offices in the bank building, where he can usually be found during
banking hours. He has, however, many important interests not connected with finance.
He is a director and vice-president of the Waltersburg Coke Company; director of the
Prospect Coke Company; president of W. A. Stone Coal & Coke Company; director of the Fayette Real
Estate Company; president of the Uniontown Building & Loan Association; director and vice-president
of the Uniontown Grocery Company; president of the Gaddis Coal Company, which owns fifteen thousand
acres of coal land in Monroe county, Ohio: director of the Belton Coal Company. Mr. Gaddis is
thoroughly sound and conservative as a banker, and as a business man progressive and ever on the
alert. As an executive he is wise and careful, safeguarding the interests committed to him with a
conscientious judgment that rarely misleads him. He is a strong Prohibitionist, having cast his
fortunes with that party over a quarter of a century ago. While others have faltered and turned
back, he has courageously adhered to his principles and may fitly be termed one of the "Old Guard"
that "dies but never surrenders."
He became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of seventeen years, and has
ever since been an active, consistent member. He was sent as a delegate to the General Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church held in Chicago, Illinois, in 1900. This was a well deserved honor to
a faithful Methodist. He is fraternally an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Royal Arcanum. Mr. Gaddis
maintains his residence at the old farm in North Union township, but each day finds him at his desk
in the bank building, 17 West Main street.
Mr. Gaddis married, October 25, 1871, Esther Jones, born in North Union township, daughter
of John and Jane Jones (see Jones). Children: Jane Carter, and an infant, died at birth.
(II) John Gaddis, second son of William Gaddis (q. v.), was born in Frederick county, near
Winchester, Virginia, in 1743, died April 12, 1827. The date of the coming of John Gaddis is given
as 1785, but this is the date of his land warrant in North Union township, and he had been in the
county at a date as early as 1780. He settled in North Union township in 1785, where he purchased
about three hundred acres of land with an allowance of six per cent for roads. The tract joined that
of his brother Robert, giving the locality the name of "Gaddistown." His warrant was dated February
7, 1785, and a patent was granted March 30, 1786. He purchased a tract of forty and a half acres
adjoining "Gaddistown," which he named "Oxford," and another of sixteen acres called "Cambridge."
Warrants for these were issued March 6, 1794. He was one of the first justices of the peace and a
member of the Great Bethel Baptist Church of Uniontown, a prominent active worker holding the office
of deacon. He survived his wife, Sarah, twenty-five years, she dying January 7, 1802. Children:
Thomas; Jonathan, died 1793; William, removed to the west; Jacob, farmed a part of the old
homestead; John, of whom further; Mary, married James Allen and lived in Franklin township; Anna,
died in 1799; Elizabeth, married and lived in Wilmington, Ohio; Priscilla, married Thomas Barton and
lived in Menallen township, where she died during the winter of 1880-81, aged ninety years; Sarah,
removed west with her brother William; Ruth, married and lived in Wilmington, Ohio.
(III) John (2), son of John (1) and Sarah Gaddis, was born in North Union township, Fayette
county, Pennsylvania, September 5, 1788, died there February 2, 1868. He was a farmer and stock
dealer of North Union township all his active years, and a member of the Bethel Baptist Church. He
married (first) Sarah Barton, died in North Union township, August 9, 1849; (second) Sisson Gaddis,
died in Uniontown, October 6, 1882. Children of first wife: Henry W., of whom further; Harvey;
Alfred M.; Levi; Harriet, married Ellis Baily; Ruth A., married John D. Smith, resides in San Diego,
California; Joseph Barton, resides in Frankfort, Indiana; all others deceased. Children of second
wife: Thomas Barton, now of Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Eli Cope, resides in San Diego, California;
Fannie G., married Lucien Carson, resides in Cadiz, Ohio; Jennie, married Hanson Rutter, resides in
Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Ella, married John H. Clark, resides in Uniontown.
(IV) Henry W., eldest son of John (2) and Sarah (Barton) Gaddis, was born in North Union
township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1817, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
December 28, 1896. He was educated in the public schools, and devoted his entire business life to
farming and stock dealing, owning a good farm in South Union township. He was also a director of the
National Bank of Fayette County. He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian
church. He married Ruth Anna Springer, who died in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1892, aged
sixty-two years, daughter of Levi Springer, a farmer of North Union township, who died February 14,
1862, aged eighty-four years. Her mother was Catherine (Conden) Springer, who first married a Mr.
Todd, was also a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. The sisters of Mrs. Ruth Anna Gaddis were:
Catherine, widow of John Fuller, resides at Perryopolis, Pennsylvania; Priscilla, married D. O.
Cunningham, of Pittsburgh, and died aged thirty-one years. John O. Todd, issue of the first
marriage, and a half-brother of Mrs. Gaddis, died in 1907, aged eighty-four years. Children of Mr.
and Mrs. Gaddis; 1. Levi Springer, of whom further. 2. Sarah Kate, married Colonel Henry E.
Robinson, of the United States army, now residing at No. 28 Charles street, Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
(V)Dr. Levi Springer Gaddis, only son of Henry W. and Ruth Anna (Springer) Gaddis, was born
in South Union township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1850. He spent his early years at
the home farm and attended the public school. He prepared at Madison Academy at Uniontown,
Pennsylvania, and entered Washington and Jefferson College, of Washington, Pennsylvania, whence he
was graduated, class of 1869. Having decided upon a medical profession he entered Jefferson Medical
College at Philadelphia, whence he was graduated M.D., class of 1873. He was resident physician at
Dixmont Hospital for the Insane for two years, then established in practice in Uniontown, where he
still continues. He is highly regarded as a skillful practitioner and commands a most generous
patronage. He is vice-president and director of the National Bank of Fayette County, and interested
in other Uniontown activities. He is a Republican in politics, and for fourteen years served on the
borough school board. He is a member of the Masonic Order, the Royal Arcanum and the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. His clubs are the Laurel and Uniontown Country.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County,
John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.
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