Philip Gose - 9^th Born Child and 4^th Born Son Of The Immigrant Stephan Gose and Catherine Sprecher (Spracher)

Philip Gose was the ninth born child of the immigrant Stephan Gose and Catherine Sprecher (Spracher). He was born June 6, 1774 while the family was living in Rowan County, North Carolina. Most of his childhood was spent in the family's final settling place in Wythe County, Virginia. On May 24, 1795, Philip married Elizabeth Spangler, the slightly younger sister of Anna Spangler who had married Philip's older brother George in 1792. Elizabeth and Anna were both born and raised in the Cripple Creek area not far from where the Gose family located. Both families attended the Zion Lutheran Church there.

Philip and Elizabeth originally settled in the Ceres area of Wythe County, which is now part of Bland County, Virginia, then moved to Burke's Garden, Virginia in Tazewell County around 1799. They were the parents of eleven children, two of which were born in Bland County and the rest in Burke's Garden, Tazewell County.

Excerpt from Annals of Tazewell County, Virginia:  "Philip and his wife were some of the first pioneers to settle in Burke's Garden. They brought the first wagon to that section, from their original location near Ceres. The few settlers then living in the Garden and those near Ceres met and made the road as they came. They hitched three teams to a wagon and came straight up a ridge to the top of Brushy Mountain, then cut down a tree and fastened it to the wagon and went down a hollow and straight up a ridge to the top of Burke's Garden mountain, cut down another tree and fastened it to the rear of the wagon and went down the hollow which is known as Walker's Gap, at the southwest end of the Garden."

"About 1799 they located in the north side of Burke's Garden near where. They selected a cove facing south, fair to the sun and sheltered from the northwest winds, which was one of the most beautiful locations in the Garden."

Even today there is only one way in and out of Burke's Garden. A narrow blacktop with many switchbacks climbs from State Road 61 east of Tazewell, about six winding miles to the rim of mountains that surrounds Burke's Garden, and then drops steeply down into the beautiful basin plateau. The first main road you come to after your descent into the area, is located near the historical marker for Burke's Garden and is called "Gose Mill Road". Turning left onto Gose Mill Road you will immediately cross a "new" bridge over the stream where the mill built by one of Philip and Elizabeth's sons was located. (See photos in the Photo Album section.)

Although the mill burned many years ago, the old mill site is easily identified by the small, open meadow located next to the stream just across and to the left of the bridge. The old stone dam is still there forming the picturesque mill pond and small lake to the right of the bridge.

Behind the old mill site to the northeast, the peak called "Gose Knob" looks out over "The Garden" below.

Gose Mill Road circles almost all of the way around the large, relatively flat basin that is Burke's Garden. In fact, it is longer than Burke's Garden Road which is the other primary road that circles to the right and merges into Gose Mill Road near the southwest side of the basin.

Just a little ways south of the post office on Burke's Garden Road, lies the Burke's Garden Lutheran Church and cemetery. This is where the Philip Gose family attended church. The graves of Philip and Elizabeth are some of the first ones you come to when walking from the church entrance up to the cemetery. (Photos in the Photo Album section.)

Burke's Garden is truly a beautiful place, with the relatively flat grassy basin dotted with trees and wildflowers, surrounded by the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Trail runs along the ridge of Rich Mountain just to the north of Burke's Garden. One can easily see why Elizabeth agreed to settle there after seeing it. However, it is very remote and there were problems with indians there longer than many other areas in the Virginia frontier because of that. In fact, it was because of continued indian attacks that founder John Burke left the area in 1758 after living there only four years. Although there were still some indian problems at the time Philip and Elizabeth located there, by the early 1800's, the threat of indian attack was no longer a big problem.

Philip Gose made his will January 3, 1832. It was proved January 5, 1832 (page 359). Nuncupative will.  " We the undersigned heard Philip Gose say on the 3rd day of this instant that Esabells two children shoud have 200 dollars each out of his estae and desired us to conmit the same to writing within three days after his death andthe children be brought to this coutry one to live with her grandmother and the oldest with Sally Litz. Wit: Stephen Gose, George Spraker. 'I was present at the time. I heard Stephen Gose tell his father that the writing cold be don at the present time in favour of the 2 childre. I also herd 200 dollars mentioned. - John Stobaugh." "I heard Philip Gose say onthe 4th of this instant that he wanted his son Peter Goses two oldest children to have 200 dollars each and Elisabeth to live with Sally Litz -- Peter Gose."

Appraisement (page 360) - 1832: Negroes Judy, Suvarte 25 years, Jonie (boy 3 years).. Note on John Hoisderfer ? in Cove ? Note on Neel. Total $2080.95. By Michael Ritter, David Wynn.

And this story featured in Thelma Pearl’s book, which gives us a glimpse into the lives of Phillip and his wife, Elizabeth. Thelma Pearl found this story in the Genealogical Department of the Chicago Public Library in the late 1950’s:

PHILIP GOSE, b. June 6, 1774; d. 10 PM , Jan. 4, 1832. He lived with his parents on Cripple Creek in Wythe, County, Va., and it was there he met and was married by the Rev. John Stanger to Elizabeth Spangler, May 24, 1795. Elizabeth, b. Oct. 13, 1776; d. Aug. 31, 1845. She was the daughter of Peter Spangler II and Elizabeth Pfeiffer Huddle, the widow of John Huddle I who died in 1772. Philip Gose’s wife, Elizabeth, having received her medical training from Dr. John Stanger of Cripple Creek, rode the mountains in this section in response to any call for help from those who were ill. In those days the doctors made most of their medicines from herbs, bark, roots and berries. When a woman married, anything she brought with her was considered the property of her husband, so Elizabeth had to buy her tools for making medicine when her husband’s personal property was sold after his death, for one dollar. (two jugs, 1 mortar, 1 screen and 1 still tub.)

Some of Philip and Elizabeth's children continued to make their adult lives in Burke's Garden, some others ended up in various parts of Missouri, and one moved to Indiana. Three of their children married into the Peery family which was another prominent pioneer family in Burke's Garden. Their last born child, Archibald, died at age two.

Philip and Elizabeth's next to last born child, George, built the first frame house in Burke's Garden in 1846. It was built a little ways back from where Philip built their family's log home and where George was born. George's son John Philip lived in the house until his death. George also brought the first carriage and mowing machines into Burke's Garden and John Philip brought the first automobile into the area. George put in the first roller process flour mill that was installed in the county and harnessed the water in the gap to furnish light and power for the Garden and surrounding community. George also served in the Civil War with the rank of Captain, organizing the company which became Company "C", 45th Virginia Regiment of Infantry.

Return To Family History Page

Return To Main Table Of Contents