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http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Marion/History1907/MHG.htm
GEORGE GAST, a prominent citizen and retired farmer of Prospect township, owning 90 acres of fine land, was born on his father's farm in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, in 1824, and is a son of Christian and Elizabeth (Moyer) Gast.
Christian Gast, Sr., grandfather of George Gast, was born in Pennsylvania, being a member of an old and numerous German family of that name He visited Ohio and bought land in what was then Delaware County, now Marion. Returning to Pennsylvania, he subsequently sold his Ohio purchase to his son Christian, who, with his family, came to Marion County in 1833, settling in the woods in Prospect township. He was a wagon-maker as well as a farmer, and he built the strong wagons which carried his family and possessions over the long rough roads to the new home. The trip was made up of many interesting incidents to the children and Mr. Gast recalls that his brother David, then four years old and of an investigating turn of mind, got lost for several hours in Pittsburg.
After some years residence in Prospect township, a town was laid was laid out which was named Middletown, as it was projected between Marion and Delaware counties, but later, through Christian Gast's influence, the name was changed to Prospect. At the time of settlement here, the Gast family found plenty of wild game and often saw Indians passing by on horseback from Upper Sandusky. It is very evident that at one time this section was the scene of many tragedies. On one occasion, Mr. Gast and brothers found an old flint-lock musket leaning against a decayed log; although the wood was rotten, the load still remained in the gun and as it was cocked it appeared as if its owner might have been killed while awaiting an enemy. Near the same place was found an inlaid tomahawk and pipe combined, perhaps the possession of a onetime chief of a savage band.
The family home, as Mr. Gast recalls it from the memories of his youth, was a log cabin, with a table hewed out of a solid walnut tree; on winter night a great fire glowed in the open fire-place and the sparks flew up through an immense mud and stick chimney. Here the father died in 1859 at the age of 68. years, and the mother aged 70 years. They had the following children: Margaret, who married Peter Leist, and lived and died in Prospect, where her husband also died; Elizabeth, deceased, who was, the wife of the late Jacob K. Stiffler, of Prospect; Philip, deceased, a minister in the Lutheran Church, whose wife was Louisa Dressler, also now deceased: Christian, deceased, who married Polly Cratty, a daughter of Robert Cratty (who lived to the age of 102 years); Catherine, who is the widow of J. T. Davis; George; Sarah, who married James Edelman both died at Prospect; Mary, who married Joseph Little and died at Prospect; David , who married Catherine M. Rowe and died at Altoona, Pennsylvania; and Abigail, who married John Landon and lives at Marion.
George Gast was about nine years old when his parents settled in Prospect township, where his father bought 600 acres of land, a part of which he disposed of later. Here George completed his common-school education in the old fashioned log schoolhouses, and then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for five years. Since then until he retired he carried on general farming, but now he rents his land, which lies along the Scioto River. He owns both the residence in which he lives and also the large frame tenant house.
On January 1, 1859, Mr. Gast was married to Margaret Edelman, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Smith) Edelman. Mrs. Gast died May 11, 1904, at the age of 62 years. She was born in Delaware County, Ohio, but her parents came from New York. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gast, namely: Arthur L., a medical practitioner at Prospect, who married Anna Young and has two children-Winifred and Theo; Mary Elizabeth, who married Dr. George.H. Masters, of Prospect, and has one child; Ramon, who died young; Emma E.., who married Dr. A. G. Dana, a dentist of New York, and has one child, Helen; Evelyn, who is the wife of James Frank Wottring, cashier of the Peoples' Bank at Green Camp; and Amelia (widow of S. D. Wyatt)., who resides with her father and has two children-Paulina and Arthur G.
In politics, Mr. Gast has always been a Republican and has served with great efficiency in a number of the local offices, having been supervisor and township trustee for a long time. He is an official member of the Lutheran Church at Prospect and a liberal contributor to its support.
GEORGE FRANK GAST, formerly mayor, village clerk and member of the Village Council of Prospect, is one of the best-known highly esteemed citizens of Prospect township. He was born August 25, 1856, on his father's farm in Prospect township, Marion County, Ohio, and is a son of David and Catherine M. ( Rowe) Gast.
Christian Gast, grandfather of G. F. Gast, brought his family to Marion County from Pennsylvania, the journey being made in one of the old covered wagons of that time, and it is a matter of family history that in crossing a rough place, little David, then four years of age, was lost out of the back of the wagon. He was soon restored to the family and the journey was continued to the pioneer farm in Prospect township. At a later date, Christian Gast laid out the present town of Prospect, being a man of property and standing in the community.
David Gast was reared and educated in Prospect township, where he grew to be an extensive farmer In 1869 he commenced to treat sufferers from cancer, having received a remarkable remedy from his uncle, Dr. Samuel Gast, of Scott County, Iowa. This physician was a man of scientific research and he had discovered what proved to he a cure for this disease and used it with great success in his practice. This remedy was entrusted to David Gast, the nephew, and they used it on many sufferers, both in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Its component parts have always been kept a secret in the family from boyhood George Frank Gast has known of the wonderful cures produced by this remedy and when his father died, October 21, 1892, the remedy came to him. David Gast and wife had seven children, the two survivors being: George Frank and Samuel Henry, the latter of whom lives on the home farm.
After the death of his father, George Frank Gast went into partnership with Dr. Arthur L. Gast in the use of the cancer cure. The latter is a graduate of the Columbus Medical College. Dr. Gast improved on the original remedy and his patients became so numerous that, in association with George Frank Gast, he built the Gast Sanitorium at Prospect, which was destroyed by fire one year later, January 16, 1905. It is now being rebuilt.
After completing his school course, Mr. Gast taught for several years and then farmed and still owns a one-half interest in the old homestead. After his marriage he rented the Waikins Hotel, which he operated for three ,years, and for a short time in 1894 he ran a grocery store under the name of P. M. & G. F. Gast, subsequently selling out to J. A. Vigran. Since then his main occupation has been the nursing of patients who are using the cancer remedy
Mr. Gast was married January 2, 1881, to Mattie A. Boxwell, who is a daughter of the late Titus and Lucretia Boxwell. They had one child, Geneva B., who died aged seven years. They belong to the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Gast is prominent in the Republican party, in this section and has served in almost every office of the village of Prospect. Since 1899 he has been health officer, a position for which he is well qualified. It was mainly through his efforts that the traction line was built through Prospect, as it was through those of his father that the Hocking Valley Railway was Constructed through the town.
SAMUEL HENRY GAST, whose valuable farm of 73 acres lies partly within the corporate limits of Prospect, was born on his present farm, in Prospect township, February 10, 1864, and is a son of David and Catherine M. (Rowe) Gast.
The father of Mr. Gast was widely known as Dr. David Gast, as is more fully explained in the sketch of George Frank Gast, another son, which will be found in this work. Dr. David Gast died at Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was visiting, October 21 , 1892. He is survived by his widow and two of his seven children, namely: George Frank and Samuel Henry. The mother of these sons was born in Washington township, Pickaway County, Ohio, November 13, 1832, one of a family of 14 children. She was married to the late David Gast, May 9, 1852, and has ever since lived on the Gast homestead, now owned by our subject. Her father died in Pickaway County and her mother in Marion County.
Samuel Henry Gast worked for his father on the home farm until his marriage, November 15, 188,, at Prospect, to, Mary Virginia Young, who was born in Prospect township, January 23, 1867, and is one of a family of eight children born to her parents, Gabriel M. and Margaret (Landon) Young, as follows: Perry, Mary Virginia, Granville, Simeon, David, Morrison, Mabel, and Winnifred (deceased). The parents of Mrs. Gast moved from Marion County to Nebraska, when she was about one year old; in 1886 they removed to Leroy, Michigan, where they still reside.
The children born to Samuel H. Gast and wife are seven in number, as follows: Paul, organist in the Lutheran Church at Prospect, who was educated at Delaware and is a successful teacher of music; David M.; Morrison Young; Freda Catherine; Lorene Margaret; Magdalena; and Kenneth Hurrelbrink.
Mr. Gast acquired the present farm in the settlement of his father's estate. He carries on general farming and also is engaged in teaming, having three teams in use, hauling logs to the sawmill. The old home was constructed in 1840 by his grandfather, who was the founder of Prospect. It contains 14 rooms, is built of stone and has walls 18 inches thick.
Mr. Gast is a Republican in his political views. With his family he belongs to the Lutheran Church, in which he is a deacon. >>
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