Contributed by Charlene Saunders:
JOHN B. GAULT, of La Fayette, is a native of Butler County, Ohio, born
near Hamilton, August 17, 1834, a son of SAMUEL B. and MARY (WILSON)
GAULT. His father was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but
reared in Butler County, Ohio, where he was married, his wife being a
daughter of WILLIAM WILSON, who was a Captain in the war of 1812. He
removed from Butler County to Tippecanoe County, Indiana, with his
family, and settled near the Clinton County line, where he made his home
until 1855. In that year he removed to Richland County, Wisconsin,
where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1869. His widow is
still a resident of Richland County. To them were born six sons and one
daughter--FRANCIS M. was Orderly Sergeant in Company G, Seventy-second
Indiana Infantry during the war of the Rebellion, and died from the
effects of exposure at Gallatin, Tennessee; JOHN B. is the subject of
this sketch; LOAMI R. served his country in a Wisconsin regiment, and is
now a minister of the United Brethren denomination in Oregon; WILLIAM W.
was a member of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin, his first service being in
Minnesota, putting down the Indian outbreak (he died in the service at
Galena, Arkansas); HENRY ALLISON was in a Wisconsin regiment, and was
killed in the assault on Petersburg, Virginia, after the explosion of
the mine; EDWARD W. lives on the home farm in Richland County,
Wisconsin; FLORENCE is the deceased wife of REUBEN SUTTON. JOHN B.
GAULT, whose name heads this sketch, accompanied his father's family to
Richland County, Wisconsin, and helped to buy the land from the
Government on which the family located.
He remained there some three or four years, and returned to La Fayette
in the fall of 1860, working during the summer months at the carpenter
and joiner's trade. He made political speeches during the Lincoln and
Douglas campaign, and was a strong supporter of STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, and
when the call came for 75,000 troops he enlisted in the three months
service, and served four months in Company E, Tenth Indiana Infantry,
and took part in the battle of Rich Mountain. After his return from the
army he was married to MISS HARRIET F. CHRISTIAN, a native of Tippecanoe
County, Indiana, and a daughter of LEE and ELIZA ANN (PERRIN) CHRISTIAN,
the date of their marriage being September 12, 1861. They are the
parents of one son--EDWARD E. He received a good education in the La
Fayette High School, and subsequently learned the machinist's trade in
the Barbee Fence Works.
He is now studying architecture at Riverside, near Chicago, Illinois.
After the war MR. GAULT engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he
followed with good success until 1872. He then removed to La Fayette and
has since devoted his attention to auctioneering almost exclusively. He
has followed that vocation for twenty-six years, having been thus
engaged in connection with his farming pursuits. He thoroughly
understands his business, and has become known in Ohio, Illinois, and
all over Indiana, where he has sold at auction much fine stock. For
several years he has been raising short-horn cattle, and in the summer
of 1887 he devoted some attention to the raising of thoroughbred
registered short-horns. He still owns his farm, which contains sixty
acres of choice land, located a half mile from the city limits. In his
political views he affiliates with the Republican party, but is very
liberal in his views, believing there is some good in all parties.
Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana
pp.521-522