Friday’s Family-Peter and Sallie (Gooding) Mauzy

With the Mauzy surname being the topic for Surname Saturday last week, I thought this might be a good opportunity to look at one of the families on this branch of my tree, trying to imagine their lives.

Peter William Mauzy was born 25 October 1792 in what was called west Virginia. I don’t think this was the state, but rather western land in the state of Virginia, and possibly land that became part of Kentucky. His father was the patriot William Mauzy, who was reportedly present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and his mother was Ursula Arnold, and English lady. In 1792, according to the Richard Mauzy book mentioned earlier, Peter’s parents were headed from Virginia to Kentucky, so perhaps Peter was born along the way.

Sallie Gooding was born 15 December 1795, probably in Fleming County, Kentucky. Her parents have yet to be determined. Ancestry trees list them as Cornelius Gooding and Margaret Scott, while a FamilySearch entry lists Abraham Gooding and Elizabeth Randall. Since one of their children was named Abram Gooding Mauzy, I think the second is a good bet. Neither of these entries are sourced, and I have yet to find other evidence online, so I’ll leave this as an open question for now.

Peter and Sallie married in Fleming County, Kentucky on or about 12 March 1813, when Peter was 20 and Sallie was 17. Together, they had 8 children who survived: Lucinda, Reuben D., William C., Abram Gooding, Martha A., Silas H., Elizabeth and Nancy. Sallie must have been a strong woman indeed! Peter is described as a “powerful preacher in the Old Christian Church”.

They moved their brood, apparently along with grandpa William Mauzy, to land near New Salem Indiana in about 1829, according to county histories. It is easy to imagine their hopes for their family on their new land, visions of the prosperity to come. Sadly, both Peter and Sallie were victims of typhoid fever, according to family lore, after entertaining travelers. Peter died in September of 1832 and Sallie followed in October. Lucinda, the eldest, and her husband Joseph Pattison are credited with shepherding the orphans as they grew up. Because of their efforts, Peter and Sallie’s children grew to adulthood to become teachers, doctors, farmers and merchants, successfully pursuing the American dream.