The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1908-09-30
COL. N. GUSSETT
u. S. VETERAN
CORPUS CHRISTI MOURNS LOSS
OF ONE OF OLDEST AND BEST
KNOWN CITIZENS.
Was With General Taylor in Battles
Near Brownsville and Also in Mex
leo During the War of 1876
Camped ON Site of Corpus in 40.
Died an OctOgenarian.

Reporting the death of Col. Nor
wick Gussett of Corpus Christi, which
was announced briefly in yesterdays
Herald, the Caller of Monday gives
the following interesting information
concerning the life and career of
Col. Gussett:
A pail of gloom fell upon the city
this morning when it became known
that Col. Norwich Gussett, one of the
oldest as we'll as one of the most
loved citizens in the city, had passed
to the Great Beyond.
Col Gussett, had he lived until the
fifteenth of October, would have been
81 years of age. The history of South
west Texas is closely interviewer
about the career of Col. Gussett. He
was one fthe earlier pushers here
and during his active career did much
toward the development of the city,
and had great faith in this as a site
for a port In fact, he operated ships
from this point to New York and to
other points along the Atlantic sea-
board
Col Gussett had been retired from
active business for a number of years
and did not engage himself in public
affairs.
He had been feeble for some time,
though he was as we'll apparently last
Friday as he had been for the past
few years, and even up to that time
kept in close touch with the national
political situation through the press.
Death occurred this morning at
1925 o'clock and the funeral will take
place tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock from the family residence on
Broadway. with interment in the
Catholic cemetery.
Col. Gussett is survived by his wife
and five children, seventeen grand
children and three great grand-chil-
dren. The surviving children are as
follows: Mrs. Geo. J. Reynolds, of
Alfred; Mrs W. H. Brooks, of Bena-
vidas; Mrs. Royal Owens, Mrs. c. J.
McManus and H Gussett
He was born in Guilford, n c., Oct
Is, 1927 But early in his career,
with the ambition of youth stirring in
his veins, he enlisted at the age of
IS, in Company c, U. S. Infantry
About October or November, 1915, he
ound himself in Texas with the army,
member of Twigg's division, en-
cute to Mexico under General Taylor
His first sight of salt water was Cor
pus Christi bay that year when he
camped with his regiment in the rim
con north of this city. AT the same
time General Taylor's camp was on
the spot where the Seaside Hotel now
stands At that time there was only
one frame shanty in Corpus Christi
At that time there were very few
Americans here, among the few be-
ing Capt W H. Berry of the rangers,
Judge Gilpin, Fred Belden and John
Kelsey. 1t may be chronicled that
among the army officers here with
Taylor's army at that time was Lieut..
Z. S. Grant, who later became such a
distinguished figure in army circles.
In April, 1916, the army, number
ing a little over three thousand, most
ly infantry, left Corpus Christi, on
their march to Mexico. Because Of
bad roads and heavy rains it took
them about three days to reach Santa
Gertrudis a little distance on this
ide OF Brownsville the troops encoun-
tered the Mexican army and fought
the battle of Resaca de la Palma.
After two or three days of fighting
in which the Mexicans were defeated,
the Americans again proceeded on
their way, crossing over the Rio
Grande at MatamoTOs on their march
toward Monterey.
After leaving the service Mr.. Gus
sett came to Fort Merrill, on the
Nueces river, and in 1852 opened
store near the town of Oakville. about
ten miles from Fort Merrill To this
day the settlement there is known
as GusSettville He continued in the
merchandise business until the break
ing out of the Civil War. In 1886
Mr.. Gussett came to Corpus Christi
and engaged in the mercantile bust
ness until the the firm name of Gus
sett & McClanahan, which partner
ship, however. was of short duration,
and Mrs Gussett continued in bust
ness alone.
From 1870 to 1901 Mr. Gussett
was also engaged in the banking bus
mess, and besides owning a large
amount of real estate in this vicinity
was transacting a brokerage business.