“REV. JOHN ALLEN GANO, Sr., minister and farmer; P.O. Centerville; … ; was born in Georgetown, Scott Co., Ky., July 14, 1805; his father Richard M. Gano, was then a merchant in that place: his grandfather, John Gano, was a Baptist Minister who served under Gen. Washington as Chaplain in the Revolution; he was lineally descended from a French Huguenot of some prominence, who escaped to the isle of Guernsey, and sailed to America at the time of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew.
The mother of John A. was formerly Elizabeth Ewing, from Bedford Co., Va., where her parents resided and died; he was the fifth child and first son of his parents, who only raised another son, Dr. Stephen F. Gano, still living near Georgetown; he received a tolerable liberal English and classical education and studied and commenced the practice of law; becoming a convert to the Christian faith, he resolved with the help and blessing of God to preach the Gospel of Christ.
The second of Oct., 1827,he married Miss Catherine Conn, the only child and daughter of Capt. Wm. Conn, of Bourbon County, Ky., who resided near the village of Centerville, and gave them the farm hear his own, where his father Thos. Conn, settled in about 1787, where he lived and died in 1811; he came from Culpepper [sic] County, Va., and owned landed estate around him here of two thousand acres of land. His son, John M. Conn, came to Kentucky before the family, and with servants to assist him, prepared the ground and raised a crop, before the removal of his father’s family; this was a very hazardous undertaking as the Indians were about, one had to watch with his trusty rifle, while the others plowed. He removed to the old homestead in 1828 late in the year. Capt. John M. Conn then was living on Townsend Creek on a fine farm, a portion of his father’s original survey, where he had long lived and raised a large and interesting family. The father-in-law of John A. had a good farm, a part of the same survey extending up to the village; he had recently purchased the farm of his brother James, who inherited the old homestead, and removed to and is now living in Nicholas County.
Col. Thompson Ware, who married Sally Conn, lived on a good farm immediately south of Capt. Wm. Conn and on the Lexington road; Mr. David Stonnoy, who married Miss Cassandra Conn, owned lands immediately west of Col. Ware, all portions of the same survey, on the headwaters of Townsend. Old Mr. John Hall lived at the time on a small farm adjoining, and northwest of them, a part pf the Conn survey.
The first child born to them, a son, Wm. Conn Gano,born at his grandfather’s, Sept. 23, 1828; second, Richard M. Gano, was born at Springdale, June 18, 1830; Fanny Conn, March 24, 1832; Robert Ewing, Jun 1. 1834; Stephen F., April 25, 1836; Franklin M., Dec.11,1839; Eliza G., Oct. 19, 1841; John Allen, Jr., July 21, 1845; and Mary Ellen, June 10, 1848; all of whom were born at Springdale; Robert, Stephen and Eliza died in early infancy; Mrs. Fanny Conn Spears died at Sprindale, Fed. 4, 1850; Wm. Conn Gano died at Rural Glen, July, 1863; Capt. Wm. Conn died at Bellevue, Aug 7, 1872, the day he was 88 years old; Mrs. Mary Eliza Buckner died at Bellevue, Aug. 4, 1877, leaving four children; and Franklin M. died near Taylor, in Texas, February, 1881, and left three children; his son, Gen R. M. Gano, is now living at Dallas City, Texas, and his youngest son John Allen, Jr. is residing near Taylor, Williamson County, Texas.
The father of our subject died in October 1815, and hi mother died April 1812, leaving six children.”
Source: History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed. by William Henry Perrin, O.L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882, page 570, (Bourbon County) (Centerville Precinct)
