Gassaway, Gazzaway and Gazaway

    Our family descends from Berry Gazzaway, designated in Rutherford's Genealogical History of the Gassaway Family as a son of Nicholas Gassaway (descended from:  James, Nicholas, John, Col. Nicholas, Thomas).  Berry was born in 1818 in Georgia and died in 1886.  He is buried in Swamp Creek Cemetery, Dalton, GA.
    Berry married Mary Stone (b. 1818 in South Carolina). She died in 1865 and is also buried in Swamp Creek Cemetery. They were married in Georgia.
    Dorothy Harris, a great-great-granddaughter of Berry Gazzaway, wrote a letter dated 12-Feb-1978 to the compilers of the Rutherford's book.  Dorothy was from Dalton, GA.  She wrote "We know that the above families [James Gazaway, George W. Gazaway and Levi Benson Gazaway listed in the 1850 Census (Murray County, GA)] are the sons of Nicholas and Sarah, and we know they were related to Berry, but we do not know how.  I do not believe Nicholas is his father but believe he was the grandfather of Berry until further proof."  The compilers found that they had enough evidence to determine Berry to be a son of Nicholas in spite of Ms. Harris' beliefs.  Whitfield County, GA was formed from Murray County, GA.
    Descendants of Berry Gazzaway are divided in the spelling of the name.  He was enumerated on the Census as Berry Gazaway.  He was identified as Berry Gazaway in the Company Muster Roll as a private in Capt. Jones' Company (Whitfield Volunteers) Georgia State Guards of the Confederate Army.
    From Rutherford's book,""Berry Gazzaway died testate.  His will dated 15-Oct-1886, was recorded in the Court of Ordinary in Whitfield County, GA.  He made a bequest of $5.00 to his son John and devised property to "my other three children, David P. Gazzaway, Mary Roberts and E.A. Gazzaway."  Berry's daughter Rhoda died of typhoid fever.""
    David P. Gazzaway (David Pritchard also known as Perry and Berry), son of Berry Gazzaway had fourteen children, including three sets of twins.  He was born 1-Aug-1840 and died 14-Dec-1923.  He is buried in Swamp Creek Cemetery, Whitfield Co., GA.  On 20-Feb-1859 he married Margaret A. Bennett.  Margaret was the daughter of Merril C. Bennett and Millie Ellison Bennett.  Margaret was born 26-Aug-1844 in Cumming, Forsyth Co., GA.  She died 8-Mar-1910 and is also buried in Swamp Creek Cemetery.
    The second child of David and Margaret was Andrew Jackson Gazaway.  Andrew was born in Feb. 1863.  His brother, Elsberry was killed at the age of 8 when a tree fell on him.  His granddaughter (my Mother-In-Law) recalls that her grandfather had great guilt and moved to Texas because he was responsible for the death of a relative when he chopped down a tree and it fell on him.
    Andrew Jackson Gazaway  prided himself of the fact that he could write, however he had difficulty writing his name with zz and dropped one of the z's.  Therefore all of his descendants only used one z in their name.
    Andrew married Rachel Jane Stone in February 1885. They had eight children. Their son William, b. 29-Apr-1903 married Georgia Madelyn Miller.  Their daughter is the best Mother-In-Law I could ask for!