An American Family History

Catherine (Caty) Vincent Gaines was born on June 22, 1785. Her parents were Lieutenant John Vincent and Sarah Johnson.

She married Richard T. Gaines (John Gayners) on September. 14, 1806. He was the son of Benjamin Gaines.

Catherine's sons were:
John Gaines (1807) and
Richard T. Gaines (1808).

In the spring of 1809 Richard Gaines left for Tennessee, and was never heard from again.

Catherine remained in Franklin county, where she (Catherine Gayness) married the Reverend Elijah Barwick on December 26, 1827. Elijah was born on February 17, 1782 in Caroline County, Maryland. He had been married before to Anna Evitts.

She died on April 24, 1842.

Elijah died on June 24, 1856.

from Barwick Family of the United States by Samuel Omar Barwick

Rev. Elijah Barwick was born in Caroline Co., Md., Feb. 17, 1782, and married Anna Evitts, Nov. 11, 1800. He was an M. E. minister and moved to the State of Indiana, where he deceased, June 24, 1856, at, or near Shelbyville, Ind. His wife died Jan. 11, 1824. He was afterwards twice married but no children by either of those two marriages. He was a man of noble motives, and by the first marriage the father of eleven children whose descendants to this day are a most commendable people.

In the same year [1831] John Gaines, born in an Indian trading post, came on foot, when a young man, to Montgomery county. His first night's rest in this county was in the attic of the Crain tavern, seven miles east of Crawfordsville, between two sheets. Hardly sufficient covering for January. He shook the snow from the cover before climbing in. Next morning, glad to rise from his wintry bed, he pushed on to his uncle Allen Simpson's. His fortune was $110 in cash, with which he entered eighty acres of land two miles north of Crawfordsville. He worked for his uncle some time. He made 44,000 rails and 15,000 stakes, which he hauled with an ox team and laid, fencing 400 acres of land into five lots. He has become one of the successful men of the county.

from History of Montgomery County by Hiram Williams Beckwith, P. S. Kennedy

John Gaines, Sugar Grove, Tippecanoe county, is among the most prominent old settlers of Montgomery county. Born amid the wilds of Indiana, and reared in the school of frontier experience, he appreciates the many changes.

His grandfather, Benj. Gaines, emigrated from England to America, and settled in Culpepper county, Virginia. He served in the revolution.

In Culpepper county was born his son, Richard T., who went to Nashville, Tennessee, and thence to Shelby county, Kentucky, where he married Catharine Vincent, a native of that county.

Her father, John Vincent, was a colonial soldier in Braddock's defeat, and was first lieutenant throughout the revolution, in which war he was wounded. A cane spear picked up from the side of a hostile officer by John Vincent is now in the possession of the Gaines family.

After marriage Richard and wife set out for the northwest territory, with one John Conner, an Indian trader. They established a trading-post in what is Franklin county, Indiana, about three-fourths of a mile from Brookville. There they traded with the Indians, and there,

August 27, 1807, John Gaines, subject of this sketch, was born. The sxxxx [indigenous woman] of the Indian chief, John Green, was the family physician.

In the spring of 1809 Richard Gaines started for Tennessee, and was never heard from after leaving Muscle Shoals. It was supposed he had suffered violence.

His wife remained in Franklin county, where she married Elija Barwick. She died in 1841, leaving two sons, John and Richard T. John saw the birthday of his state and county, remaining in Franklin county till twenty-two years of age.

At that time he started for Montgomery county, Indiana, to make his future home. His settlement is noticed in the history of the township. With $110 he has accumulated till he now owns a fine farm of 160 acres, good house, barn, etc.

In politics Mr. Gaines has been loyal to whig and republican principles. In 1860 he was elected county commissioner, which office he filled three years. He was again nominated but was defeated by four votes, the republican boys being in the war.

Mr. Gaines was first married December 6, 1832, to Sarah Stewart, daughter of James and Elizabeth Stewart, of Tippecanoe county, Indiana. She was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. January 2, 1808, and died March 23, 1873, leaving four children: Richard T., Elizabeth, Catharine and Maria. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Gaines was next married to Mrs. Maria (Lee) Naylor, daughter of Judge Henry and Priscilla Lee, old and prominent settlers of Union township. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. One son, Richard T. Gaines, served as soldier in the civil war and fought at Mission Ridge.