Rulina A. LOWTHER
1825 - 1911 (86 years)
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Name Rulina A. LOWTHER Census 1870, 80, 1900, 10 Southwest District, Doddridge Co, WV 
- In 1910, identified as Rulina A, mother, in household of her son Jesse Smith Gaston and his family.
Born 12 Aug 1825 Harrison Co, (W)VA [1] - Family members give birth date as Aug 12 1826. But Doddridge County Death Records give age at death on Sep 30 1911 at 86y 1m 18d, putting birth at Aug 12 1825. Also, 1900 Census states her age as 74 and her birth date as Aug 1825. The 1860 Census shows her age as 35, while the 1870 Census has it as 44.
Gender Female Census 1850, 1860 Doddridge Co, (W)VA Died 30 Sep 1911 Oxford, Doddridge Co, WV [1, 2, 3] Buried Gaston Family Cemetery, Upper Run, Summers, Doddridge Co WV Notes - No information regarding the parents of Rulina Lowther has been found. A copy of her obituary was located, but although it specified her birth as Aug 12 1825 in Harrison County, it made no mention of parents or siblings. Harrison County in 1825 encompassed a much larger area than it does now, so her birthplace may actually have been in present-day Doddridge County, which was created in 1845 from parts of Harrison, Tyler, Ritchie and Lewis Counties. A reference in one printing of her obituary to her and husband Eli having "20 children" was clearly a typographical error intended to be "10," as another printing stated that they had "ten children."
It was once thought that her actual first name was Pauline, but that is now considered doubtful and was probably the result of a clerical error. The original handwritten death record for her son John Morris Gaston, on file at the WV State Archives, identifies his mother as Rulina Lowther, while the corresponding typed death record for him on file in Harrison County identifies her as Pauline Lowther. Since this was the only time that the name "Pauline" has been noted in original records, it was presumably a misreading by the typist of "Rulina" on the original handwritten document. Similarly, the obituary of her son Eli Clark Gaston identified her as Rebecca Lowther, the only time that that name has been noted and is presumably a misprint intended to be Rulina. With these two exceptions, all other references to her are as Rulina (misspelled Relina in her handwritten marriage record). The only reference we have found of her middle initial was in the 1910 Census, which clearly identified her as Rulina A.
Family information sheets completed by her son David Dow Gaston and grandson Ira Dow Gaston identified her as Rulina Lowther, born Aug 12 1825 in Harrison Co, died Sep 30 1911. The space for the names of her parents was left blank on the form filled out by David, while Ira's stated that she was the daughter of "Unknown."
The only photograph we have of Rulina Lowther was found among other family photographs. Three of her grandchildren and one niece were named Rulina.
Person ID I245 Doddridge County Roots Last Modified 5 Jul 2011
Mother Sudna LOWTHER, b. Apr 1792, West Milford, Harrison Co, (W)VA , d. 20 Apr 1872 (Age ~ 80 years) Family ID F56010 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Eli Morris GASTON, b. 3 Aug 1822, Harrison Co, (W)VA , d. 27 Jan 1909, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 86 years) Married 29 Nov 1846 Doddridge Co, (W)VA [4, 5, 6] Notes - 1850 Census, Doddridge County, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Jul 24 1850:
Eli M. Gaston, 27, farmer; Rulina, 24; Anna M, 2; Susanna, 7 months; all born in Virginia.
1860 Census, Doddridge County, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Jul 10 1860:
Eli Gaston, 37, farmer; Ralina Gaston, 35; A. M. Gaston (female), 12; D. H. Gaston (male), 8; J. M. Gaston (male), 6; N. J. Gaston (female), 4; Eli Gaston, 2; J. S. Gaston (male), 1.
1870 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Southwest Twp):
Eli M. Gaston, 47, farmer; Rhulina, 44; Annie M, 22; Daniel H, 18; John M, 16; Eli, 12; Jesse S, 9; Hannah R, 7; David D, 4; Joseph C, 11 months.
1880 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Southwest Dist), enumerated in June 1880:
Eli M. Gaston, 57, farmer; wife Rolina, 54; dau Anna M, 32; son Daniel H, 29; son Jesse S, 19; dau Hannah R, 16; son David D, 14; son Eli, 21; son's wife Cassa A, 22; son's dau Rulina M, 4 months (b. Jan).
1900 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Southwest Dist), enumerated on Jun 18 1900:
Eli M. Gaston, 77, b. Aug 1822 in WVa (father b. NJ, mother b. Va), farmer, able to read & write; wife Rulina, 74, b. Aug 1825 in WVa (both parents b. Va), able to read, unable to write; dau Anna M, 52, b. Oct 1847, single, able to read & write; son Jesse S, 39, b. Jun 1860, widowed, farmer, able to read & write; gr-dau Rulina M, 20, b. Jan 1880, single, able to read & write; gr-dau Minnie J, 5, b. Oct 1894; gr-dau Rulina C, 11, b. Apr 1889.
1910 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Southwest District), enumerated Apr 25 1910:
Jesse Gaskins (sic), 49, farmer, married 23 yrs; wife Lucy M, 42, married 23 yrs; dau Rulina C, 21; mother Rulina A, 84; sister Annie M, 62; niece Minnie J, 15.
(Note: Basis for enumeration in this census of Jesse Gaston's deceased wife Lucy is not known.)
Children 1. Anna M. GASTON, b. 31 Oct 1847, Doddridge Co, (W)VA , d. 26 Feb 1924, Summers, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 76 years)2. Susannah GASTON, b. Jan 1849, Harrison Co, (W)VA , d. 7 Sep 1854, Hughes River, Doddridge Co, WV (Age ~ 5 years)3. Daniel H. GASTON, b. CA 1851, Doddridge Co, (W)VA , d. 20 Jun 1880, Doddridge Co, WV (Age ~ 29 years)+ 4. John Morris GASTON, b. 4 Sep 1853, Summers, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 11 Nov 1927, Clarksburg, Harrison Co, WV (Age 74 years)5. Nancy J. GASTON, b. 10 Mar 1856, Doddridge Co, (W)VA , d. 4 Oct 1866, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 10 years)+ 6. Eli Clark GASTON, b. 1 Feb 1858, Doddridge Co, (W)VA , d. 12 Nov 1941, Exchange, Braxton Co, WV (Age 83 years)+ 7. Jesse Smith GASTON, b. 12 Jun 1860, Summers, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 4 May 1943, West Union, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 82 years)+ 8. Hannah Rulina GASTON, b. 4 Feb 1863, Doddridge Co, (W)VA , d. 10 Apr 1893, Lewis Co, WV (Age 30 years)+ 9. David Dow GASTON, b. 31 Jul 1865, Oxford, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 17 Jan 1950, Brushy Fork, New Milton, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 84 years)10. Joseph C. GASTON, b. 21 Jun 1869, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 28 Feb 1875, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 5 years)Documents 
244_EliMorrisGaston_RulinaLowther_MarriageRecord_DoddridgeCoVa_29Nov1846.jpg Family ID F82 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Photos 
Rulina Lowther
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Sources - [S1810] W. Guy Tetrick files.
- [S1563] Doddridge County Death Records, West Union, WV, DR Bk 2, p. 55.
Identified as Rulina Gaston, widow, died Sep 30 1911 at Oxford, age 86y1m18d. Cause: "Heart disease incident to old age." Parents or maiden name not indicated. - [S1773] Doddridge County WV Deaths 1853-1969, (Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101).
- [S1554] Doddridge County Marriage Records, West Union, WV, MR Bk 1, p. 4 : http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=11790910&Type=Marriage.
The entire handwritten marriage record reads: "This is to certify that the following persons were lawfully married by me. Eli M. Gaston to Relina Lowther on the 29th day of November 1846. Given under my hand this 16th day of July 1847. Isaac Holland." - [S1774] Doddridge County WV Marriages 1845-1937, (Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (Jan 1993)).
Identified as Eli M. Gaston and Relina [sic] Lowther. Married Nov 29 1846. - [S692] Obituary of wife.
- [S1810] W. Guy Tetrick files.