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The Early Gossett Family

The Gossett coat-of-arms relates the history of the early Gossett family and casts light on past events as steps in human progress. The symbols, or emblems, on the Gossett shield are of very early date and they have literal significance. These symbols indicate the origin of the family name, Goussé. They reveal that the Goussés were very rich and powerful feudal lords and that their estates were in the coastal region of Normandy, France. The symbols illustrate three Goussé knights who possessed vast dominion and authority and who won great distinction and honor as gallant commanders in the earliest Crusades.

The arms which the family bore in France are described in Burke, The Landed Gentry, periodically published in London; and, the British translation is included, as follows:

D'àgur, à un annulet d'or, et trois Goussés de fèves feuillées et tigées, et rangées, en pairle de même; au chef d'argent, chargé d'une aiglette de sable.

British translation:

Az., an annulet and three bean-pods (gousses) leaved and stalked, proceeding therefrom and ranged en paille, or; on a chief arg., an eagle displayed sa.

Crest: A greyhound's head erased arg., collared gu., ringed and garnished or.

Also, in Burke's volumes, facts are recorded concerning the early Gossett family and concerning Jean Gosset under the title of the family of Gosset in the following succinct phrases:

The Gossets are of "Norman Extraction". For centuries the family of Gosset lived in Normandy, France, and was included in the ranks of the nobility. Owing to their adoption of the Protestant faith in 1555, their name was removed from the roll of nobles. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, Jean Gosset, a Huguenot, moved to the Island of Jersey, one of the English Channel islands, and died in 1712. The Gossets resided in Jersey for many years in the manor of Bagot.

Some of Jean Gosset's family settled in England. The lineage of his descendants to the present representatives in England appears regularly in the publications of Burke, The Landed Gentry.

Information on Jean Gosset and on some of his descendants is found in the following references:

1. Burke, The Landed Gentry, pub. in London; vols. 4,5,6,7,8, etc., under "Gosset".
2. Burke, The Landed Gentry, Including American Families With British Ancestry, pub. periodically in London; "Gossett".
3. Burke, General Armory, p. 414.
4. J. B. Payne, An Armorial of Jersey, Its Chief Native Families, 1862, pp. 170-173.
5. Henry Alexander Graham Driscoll, Genealogical Sketches of The Families of Driscoll, Etc., pub. New York, 1918; pp. 34-36, "Gosset".
6. Gordon W. J. Gyll, History of the Parish of Wraysbury (1862), p. 230.
7. John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin or Stem of the Irish Nation, 1915; "The Huguenots", ch. 1, p. 471, also, "Gosset" in footnote.
8. Dictionary of National Biography by Glover-Harziott, London, 1908, VIII, 261-2.
9. Agnew, French Protestant Exiles, pp. 73, 214, 252-3, 290, 230.
10. Foster, Our Noble and Gentle Families, pp. 789, 790-791; "The Descent of Rev. Isaac Henry Gosset, M.A."
11. Who's Who (London). Since the first regular issue beginning 1901, biographies of Gossets, descendants of Jean Gosset, have appeared.
12. Who Was Who 1929-1940. (London).
13. Who's Who in America.

From records published in England, it is learned that John Gosset, b. 1699, and Peter Gosset, b. 1705, (brothers) who came to America and settled in Pennsylvania were grandsons of Jean Gosset. Consult "Pedigree of Gosset", which is reproduced at the end of this volume.

"Pedigree of Gosset" and the Gosset coat-of-arms are reproductions from J. B. Payne, An Armorial of Jersey, Its Chief Native Families, pub. 1862.

The symbols on the Gossett shield will be literally interpreted in this family history. Frequent references will be made to Payne's illustrations.