Jean (John) GASTON
1600 -
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Name Jean (John) GASTON Born CA 1600 Foix, France 
[1, 2] Gender Male Notes - Jean (John) Gaston of France was the first known ancestor of our Gaston family. There has been much speculation regarding his ancestry, ranging from descendancy from the Grand Duke of Tuscany to the possibility that he belonged to the Bourbon family and was a cousin to King Louis XIV of France. Jean Gaston belonged to a Protestant group known as Huguenots. On Apr 13 1598, King Henry IV of France endorsed the Edict of Nantes, which granted rights to the Protestant Huguenots. But the edict was abrogated in 1685 by King Louis XIV, who declared France entirely Catholic again and embarked on a policy of persecuting all Protestants. In the meantime, because of the political and religious climate, at age 40 Jean Gaston had fled with his family to Scotland, and his estate in France was confiscated. His brothers and sisters in France remained Catholics and sent money to him in Scotland until he became established there. Some 25 years later, his three sons fled Scotland for Ireland with their wives, also for religious reasons. Jean died in either Scotland or Ireland. [American Ancestry, Vol V, p. 104]
"That the Gaston family was a French family there is no doubt. As early as 1445, 'two gentlemen' of the name of Gaston, living at or near LaMothe St. Didier, became interested in what were believed to be wonderful cures wrought at the shrine of St. Andrew in that town, especially because one of these Gaston sons was there cured of the disease known as 'St. Anthony's Fire.' In consequence, they devoted their property to the work, and, seven other persons assisting, built a large hospital. The hospitallers soon founded the 'Congregation of Regular Canons of the Order of Anthony,' and one of the Gastons was made Grand Master of the Order. (See McClinton and Strong's "Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature" (1894), Vol. I, p. 252). The name was common in France afterward. Alphonse Daudet, the noted French novelist, used the name 'Marie Gaston' as a pseudonym." [Anna Reger Gaston, "Gaston Family Lines of Somerset," published in the "Somerset County Historical Quarterly" in New Jersey]
There are numerous Gaston family crests, or coats of arms, pertaining to Gastons of various origins. Burke's "General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales" (Harrison & Sons, 1884) describes the one believed to be of our Gaston lineage as follows: GASTON of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Chequy argent. On gueule. Three escallops in bend or. Crest: an owl sable. Motto: Fama semper vivit.
An excellent resource pertaining to Gaston origins and related information is the website Planet Gaston, found at http://perso.numericable.fr/planetgaston/en/index.html . Some Gaston researchers have attempted to show tenuous royal connections and paint a romanticized picture of the family history, and it is therefore likely that some embellishment of the facts has occurred over the years. The Gaston DNA Project, which affords participants an opportunity to find their common heritage through DNA testing and sharing of information, is found at http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/gaston
This is a genealogy of the descendants of this Jean (John) Gaston, with particular emphasis on those branches of the family tree closest to the principal compilers, Samuel David Gaston and Geneva Gaston Brown. The information presented here was obtained from countless sources over many years of research. Wherever possible, the original source is documented, but the reader can rest assured that even when a source is not specified, the compilers were highly confident of the accuracy of the information before including it in this genealogy. By its very nature, this collection is a work in progress, and additional information regarding the early generations, as well as the current one, will be added as it becomes known. In that vein, the reader is invited to inform us of any errors or additional information for future updates. [Samuel David Gaston (1934-2012) & Geneva Gaston Brown (1926-2001), principal compilers; R. L. Brown, editor]
Person ID I1108 Doddridge County Roots Last Modified 24 Dec 2005
Family Agnes ___, d. Aft 1650, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland Married Scotland [3, 4] Children + 1. William GASTON, b. CA 1642, Scotland , d. Ireland + 2. John GASTON, b. CA 1645, Scotland , d. Ireland 3. Alexander GASTON, b. 1648, Scotland , d. Ireland Family ID F354 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- Jean (John) Gaston of France was the first known ancestor of our Gaston family. There has been much speculation regarding his ancestry, ranging from descendancy from the Grand Duke of Tuscany to the possibility that he belonged to the Bourbon family and was a cousin to King Louis XIV of France. Jean Gaston belonged to a Protestant group known as Huguenots. On Apr 13 1598, King Henry IV of France endorsed the Edict of Nantes, which granted rights to the Protestant Huguenots. But the edict was abrogated in 1685 by King Louis XIV, who declared France entirely Catholic again and embarked on a policy of persecuting all Protestants. In the meantime, because of the political and religious climate, at age 40 Jean Gaston had fled with his family to Scotland, and his estate in France was confiscated. His brothers and sisters in France remained Catholics and sent money to him in Scotland until he became established there. Some 25 years later, his three sons fled Scotland for Ireland with their wives, also for religious reasons. Jean died in either Scotland or Ireland. [American Ancestry, Vol V, p. 104]
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Photos 
Gaston Family Crest Death of Gaston de Foix, Battle of Ravenna, 1512 Gaston de France, Duke of Orleans (1608-1660), son of French King Henry IV & Marie de Medici
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Sources - [S1845] The Huguenots, or The Early French in New Jersey, Albert F. Koehler, (original publication 1955 by Clearfield Co, republished 1992-2003 by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, MD), pp. 21-22.
The Gaston entry in its entirety: "The Gaston family was originally from Foix, Southern France. The earliest certain ancestor of the New Jersey Gastons was John Gaston, a Huguenot, born about 1600 in France. The family fled to Scotland where John married and among other children had three sons, John, William and Alexander, who later emigrated to County Antrim, Ireland, about 1660-1680. Joseph Gaston, son of John of Ireland, was born about 1700 in Ireland and came to New Jersey with his brothers Hugh, John and Alexander. It is presumed that their arrival was through the port of Perth Amboy about 1720. Joseph Gaston lived in Bernards Twp, Somerset County, where he died in 1777, leaving his wife Margaret. The widow, Margaret, moved to Hardwick Twp, Sussex County, with her son Joseph, where she died on August 31, 1795, aged 90 years." - [S504] Ohio Valley Genealogies, Charles A. Hanna, (Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore MD, 1989 (orig. pub. 1900)), p. 40.
Hanna was not definitive regarding Jean Gaston's birthplace, stating that he was born "about 1600, in Scotland (or France), of Huguenot descent." Although he does not provide a date or identify Jean's wife by name, he does specify that Jean married in Scotland. - [S504] Ohio Valley Genealogies, Charles A. Hanna, (Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore MD, 1989 (orig. pub. 1900)), p. 40.
- [S1845] The Huguenots, or The Early French in New Jersey, Albert F. Koehler, (original publication 1955 by Clearfield Co, republished 1992-2003 by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, MD), pp. 21-22.
- [S1845] The Huguenots, or The Early French in New Jersey, Albert F. Koehler, (original publication 1955 by Clearfield Co, republished 1992-2003 by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, MD), pp. 21-22.