Samuel H. Gault, M.D., was born in Blount County, Tenn., February 24, 1843, son of John G. and Mary (Logan) Gault. John G. was born in Blount County, about 1798, and died in Blount County in 1869. The mother was of Dutch extraction; her ancestors came from Pennsylvania; she was born in Blount County about 1804, and died in Blount County, at Maryville, in 1874. They were married in their native county, and never lived anywhere else except in Blount County. The father was engaged in agricultural pursuits during life, and made life a fair success; was a Democrat, and a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, and for a number of years served the church as a ruling elder; the mother was a member of the same church. Our subject is the youngest of a large family of children. He received a liberal education in his youth, which was commenced at the country schools and completed at Maryville, Porter Academy. In February, 1862, he left school to join the United States Army, and enlisted in the Third Tennessee Regiment Infantry; was received into the army of the Ohio, served the remainder of the war, and the last year he served as aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen. J. A. Cooper. He returned home in the spring of 1865, and early in 1866 he commenced to engage in the mercantile business at Maryville, in partnership with W. A. Walker; firm name Walker & Gault. He continued about three years, then sold out to his partner, and for the next two years read medicine under Dr. John Blankenship, of Maryville. In the winters of 1872-73 and 1873-74, he attended the lectures at the University of Nashville, Tenn., where he duly received his diplomas as M.D. In the spring of 1874, after graduating, he returned to Maryville and commenced the practice of his profession. He remained until the fall of 1876, he then went to Louisville, Blount Co., Tenn., on the Tennessee River, and remained there until April, 1884, at which time he came to Rogersville. On March 15, 1866, he married Miss Sarah E. Henry, of Blount County. This lady died September 1, 1877. On May 19, 1886, he took for his second wife Miss Mary E. White of Rogersville. He had three children by his first marriage, one son and two daughters. Our subject is a Republican and a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church. His first wife was a member of the same church. His present wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church North.

Transcribed by Betty Mize from Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee, 1886.