Between 1662 and 1668, during a season of persecution in Scotland, his sons, John, William, and Alexander, went over into the north of Ireland, whither many of their friends were fleeing for safety and religious freedom.  There is some uncertainty as to which of these three brothers was the founder of this branch of the family, but numerous facts point almost conclusively to John as such founder.  One generation was born in Ireland.

     John Gaston had three sons born in Ireland:  William, born about
     1680; lived at Caranleigh Clough Water; John, born 1703-4, died in
     America 1783; Alexander, born 1714, died in America.

The former lived all his days in Caranleigh Clough Water, Ireland, where he died about 1770.  John and Alexander came to New England during or shortly prior to 1730.  Tradition has it that they landed at Marblehead.  From this place they went soon, if not immediately, to Connecticut.  As their ancestors had done, so did they, seek religious liberty in a foreign land.  They were Separatists and probably were drawn to Voluntown because a Church holding that faith was there established.  Alexander returned to Massachusetts a few years later, residing in Richmond, where some of his descendants now reside; but most of that branch of the family are living in the western states.

John Gaston was made a freeman of Voluntown at the organization of its town government in 1736-7.  He was a prominent member of the Separatists Church in that town, the meeting for the settlement of Reverend Alexander Miller, their pastor, being held at his house.  He was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch.  His three children were born in America:  Margaret, born 1737, died 1810; Alexander, born 1739, was a commissioned officer in the French and Indian War; John, born 1750, died 1805.

John Gaston married Ruth Miller, daughter of Reverend Alexander Miller.  Their children were Alexander, born in Voluntown, August 2, 1772; Margaret, born December 13, 1781.  The latter died in early childhood.

Alexander Gaston married Olive Dunlap, a daughter of Joshua Dunlap, of Plainfield, Connecticut, who was born 1769, died in Killingly, September 7, 1814.  He married for his second wife in Killingly, in April, 1816, Kezia Arnold, daughter of Aaron Arnold, born in Burrillville, Rhode Island, November, 1779, died in Roxbury, Massachusetts, January 30, 1856.  His death occurred in Roxbury, February 11, 1856.  The children of first marriage:  Esther, born 1804, died 1860; John, born 1806, died 1824.  William Gaston, of whom this sketch is written, was the sole issue of the second marriage.  He was born at Killingly October 3, 1820.  With his parents he moved to Roxbury in the summer of 1838.  On December 27, 1830, was born at Boston, Louisa A. Beecher to whom Mr. Gaston was married May 27, 1852.  Mrs. Gaston is a daughter of Laban S. and Frances A. (Lines)