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From: Janet Waite <>
Subject: Patrick Gass
Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 22:17:07 -0500


Source: Bicentennial Salute
West Virginia's 200 Years
Bicentennial Supplement West Virginia Hillbilly
Year and Page 1803 Richwood, West Virginia

(This booklet has tidbits from all over the state of West Virginia for each
year of the 200. I will be pulling what is there for Brooke and Hancock
and posting to the list as I can.)

Wellsburg Soldier With Lewis and Clarke

Little is known about the vast land area recently purchased by the United
States from France, and President Jeffersonis determined to learn what he
can about it.

Accordinly, he has appointed Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke,
both of Virginia, to lead an expedition throughout its extent, to prepare
maps. No one knows what the party will encounter, but there are rumors
that the area is a savage wilderness, inhabited by hostile Indians and
strange beasts.

Among those on the expeditionis Patrick Gass, of Wellsburg who camped with
Generals Pinckney and Hamilton at Harpers Ferry several years ago during
the alert brought about by the emergency with France.

*** From the year 1807***
Patrick Gass Reports Trip
It would seem that Patrick Gass, the Wellsburg man who is with Lewis and
Clark on Mr. Jefferson's expedition, has turned out to be something of an
artist. He sent back this drawing to one of his neighbors. The man up the
tree is identified as M'Neal, a member of the expedition. Gass says the
man was attacked by a bear, and as his gun jammed, threw it down and
climbed a tree.

AND

Western Virginia Bookshelf
Two books of West Virginia interest were published this year. "The Journal
of the Lewis and Clarke Expedition" by Patrick Gass (in the American
edition) and "The Trial of Aaron Burr" by T. Carpenter.

Beneath a picture of Patrick Gass is stated:
The gentleman pictured is Patrick Gass, whose book on Lewis and Clark
expedition, in which he participated, did not make a penny because he was
rooked by the school teacher he employed to make corrections.

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