The Descendants of William T. Gaulding

The sons of William Turner Gaulding and Margaret “Peggy” Lane came of age during a period of dramatic change in early America, and their lives reflect the movement, hardship, and resilience that shaped the Gaulding family’s expansion across Virginia and beyond. Born in Pittsylvania County during the late eighteenth century, these brothers carried the Gaulding name into new regions, each leaving a distinct mark on the family’s story.

William Gaulding, Jr. lived a life that ultimately carried him beyond Virginia’s borders. While his early years were rooted in Pittsylvania County, he later migrated westward, joining the wave of settlers seeking opportunity in the expanding frontier. His life ended in Tennessee, where he died before his father’s estate was settled. His children—Hiram, Elizabeth, Barnett, Merryman, William Randall, James Cunagin, Robert Allen, and Sarah—continued the Gaulding line across the South, and the chancery records of Pittsylvania County refer to them collectively as “the heirs of William Gaulding,” confirming his death prior to 1841.

Andrew “Andy” Gaulding, the eldest son, remained closely tied to the family’s Virginia roots. Known for his role as surety in the 1810 marriage bond of his half‑sister Nancy Gaulding, Andy appears throughout Pittsylvania County records as a steady presence within the Gaulding kin network. His life reflects the stability of the early Gaulding household, and his descendants continued to live in the region long after his death in 1842.

Moses Gaulding, born in 1790, also spent his life in Virginia, where he became part of the agricultural fabric of Pittsylvania and surrounding counties. His movements mirror the gradual westward shift of many Gaulding relatives, though he remained within the familiar boundaries of Southside Virginia until his death in 1850. Moses represents the branch of the family that maintained continuity in the region even as other siblings moved farther afield.

Samuel B. Gaulding, born in 1791, likewise stayed in Virginia, living through the final decades of the eighteenth century and well into the antebellum era. His life spanned a period of significant political and social change, yet he remained rooted in the same communities that had shaped the Gaulding family for generations. Samuel died in 1858, leaving behind a line of descendants who preserved his connection to Pittsylvania County.

Together, these four brothers illustrate the diverse paths taken by the children of William T. Gaulding and Margaret Lane. Some remained anchored in Virginia’s familiar landscape, while others ventured into new territories, carrying the Gaulding name into Tennessee and beyond. Their lives form an essential chapter in the broader Gaulding Origins narrative, demonstrating how one generation’s sons helped establish the widespread and enduring Gaulding family lines known today.

Read more about the Descendants of William T. Gaulding on Gaulding Origins

William Gaulding, Jr. the son of William T. Gaulding and Margaret Lane died in Tennessee

Andrew "Andy" Gaulding, the son of William T. Gaulding and Margaret Lane

Moses Gaulding, the son of William T. Gaulding and Margaret Lane

Samuel B. Gaulding, the son of William T. Gaulding and Margaret Lane