Description
My earliest connection to the Gould’s begins in England in the fifteen hundreds with Richard Gould I. Most of the early information came from two sources, R. L. Gangwere and the books about Zaccheus Gould. I will try to list resources to consult as I discuss the different families. Much of the information is available on Ancestry.com and Family Search websites. My research came from a variety of sources. I used the computer to access much of the information but I also visited all the Colonial States in their courthouses and libraries where the Gould’s lived and worked. A lot of searching was done in courthouses and libraries in the nearby counties of Blanchardville, Wisconsin plus the history section of the state historical collections in Madison, Wisconsin. I relied on interviews with the living relatives and worked with other researchers in North America who were working on parts of the Gould Family.
I have tried to include information about the present generations. You will find the chapters for Janet, Joe, and Jim illustrating how different each person from the same household remembers their life. I have tried to include information from the history of the areas to give you a better understanding of the times and places involved. There is a section showing the connection of the Gould’s and Robb’s to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
Marcy Gould invented a type of salve that made him known in the area and he spent his life producing and selling the salve which is still a secret recipe held by the family. He married Catherine Elizabeth Mill and it was her father, Henry, who helped establish the town of Blanchardville, Wisconsin. Henry E. Mill and Alvin Blanchard were the ones that developed the town and for many years they were the most prominent citizens.
Ada's father, Walter Eugene Gould, had a dairy farm at the edge of town. He also was an auctioneer, played tuba in the clown band in town, and was the mayor for a number of years. He even tried running for state office once but lost the election. Walt was very popular in the Blanchardville area and known as “Mr. Blanchardville”. He was instrumental in the formation of Yellowstone Lake, which is now a state park. The family was very musical and all the siblings played a musical instrument and sang. Adamae and her sisters, Esther, and Annabelle sang at weddings and celebrations in the area. Ada’s older sister, Dora, became a housewife and passed away at an early age. Ada's brother, Robert, became a farmer, her younger sister, Annabelle, went to beautician school while Esther and Ada became school teachers.
The Gould's came to Wisconsin in the 1850's, which was early in the area’s history. George Victor Gould came from upstate New York and settled in Lafayette County near Argyle, Wisconsin. He later moved to the Moscow and Blanchardville areas in Iowa and Lafayette Counties. The next two generations comprising Marcy Linus Gould and Walter Eugene Gould lived in Blanchardville. With the coming of the automobile the old system of most people marrying someone who lived within five miles of them changed. Within another generation the family members spread throughout the United States.