Johann (JOHN) GOTTLIEB GYGAX was the 3rd child of Jacob and Elizabetha Katherine (Matheys) Gygax of the 7th KNOWN and documented generation of the Gygax's of Seeburg, Canton of Bern, Switzerland, dating back to about 1616. Both the spelling, Gygax or Gigax, in America all trace back to Thunstetten, Bleienbach and Seeberg, Bern, Switzerland. The source of this name seems to have originated in Albania and perhaps before that; Greece.
The Mason City, Mason Co., WV, lineage descends from John Gottlieb GYGAX who left Switzerland for America shortly after the Civil War ended in 1865.
John Gottlieb was born 20 Jul 1840, in Seeberg, Bern, Switzerland. He arrived in America, 30 Oct 1865, aboard the ship "City of Dublin" along with his younger brother; Ludwig Adolph Gygax. The "City of Dublin" made this trip in just under four weeks, without incident.
It is thought that John Gottlieb & Ludwig Adolph first went from New York to the Pittsburgh, PA area.
By June 1870, John was living in Pomeroy, Meigs County OH. He married, 20 Apr 1871, at the Evangelical Church, Pomeroy, Pauline Caroline WEINMANN born 31 Oct 1846, in Backnang, Wurttemberg, Germany the daughter of Pfilipp Heinrich Weinmann and Luisa Frederika BECK.
By 1878, John & Pauline had moved across the Ohio river to Mason City, Mason Co., WV. Their first home was a rental property on Pomeroy Street, sometime later they bought a home on credit at 4th & Pomeroy Street. Shortly before 1910, the mortgage was paid off and this is the home where they both died, as did their daughter Freda until her death in 1961. John died on 10 Aug 1912, age 72 and Pauline on 10 Jun 1935 at age 88, both are buried at Adamsville Cemetery, Mason, Mason Co., WV.
John never gave up his Swiss Citizenship to become a naturalized US Citizen, yet he held elected public office, including the Town Recorder of Mason City. His occupation was a Bookkeeper.
Nine (9) Children were born to John & Pauline (Weinmann) Gygax - 3 in Pomeroy and 6 in Mason.
1.) Unnamed male infant GYGAX b. 14 Feb 1872 d. 14 Feb 1872
2.) Unnamed infant GYGAX b. abt 1874 d. shortly after birth
3.) Hans A. GYGAX b. 12 Mar 1876 m. 11 Aug 1907, Elsie R. Meeks, d. 5 Mar 1953
4.) Freda Katherine GYGAX b. __ Mar 1878 d. 9 Nov 1961 unmarried
5.) Caroline Pauline GYGAX b. 16 Dec 1881 m.24 Jan 1912, Henry Cotton Turner d. 11 Nov 1968
6.) Paul C. GYGAX b. 25 Mar 1884 m. Apr 1910 Bess Stone, d. 15 Mar 1923
7.) Anna Louise GYGAX b. 23 Feb 1886 d. __/__/1925 Spencer, Roane Co., WV unmarried.
8.) Walter Philip GYGAX b. 24 Oct 1890 d. 2 Feb 1891 age 3 mths, 9 days of pneumonia
9.) Katherine E. GYGAX b.7 May 1893 m. abt 1917 Howard C. Lisle, d. Mar 1968 Columbus, Franklin Co., OH
Grandchildren:
Hans Gygax & Elsie (Meeks) Gygax had 4 Children
31.) Daniel GYGAX b. 27 Apr 1908 d. 30 Apr 1908
32.) John GYGAX b. 27 Apr 1908 m. Alice W. WHITE d. 22 Aug 1990
33.) Kathleen Vivian GYGAX b. 10 Feb 1912 m. 21 Nov 1929 James FOWLER d.19 Mar 1981, Lorain Co., Ohio
34.) Ruth Elsie GYGAX b. 26 Jun 1916 m. 22 Nov 1940 James Walter "Buck" RIDDICK. d. 10 June 1997
Caroline (Gygax) and Henry "Cot" Cotton Turner had 4 children:
51.) John Henry TURNER b. 12 November 1912 m. 18 Sep 1942, Alma Frances FELL d.15 Oct 1957
52.) Lelia Pauline TURNER b. 25 Apr 1914 m. 21 Sep 1944, Richard O "Oxley" BLAIN d. 24 May 1992
53.) Lemma Lucille TURNER b. 14 May 1918 m. Paul Douglass "PD" JOHNSON d. 18 Dec 1999
54.) Freda Katherine TURNER b. 25 Nov 1921 m. 1 Jan 1942, Louis "Bill" Willard RIFFLE d. 10 May 1992
Paul C. & Bess (Stone) Gygax had 2 Children
61.) Harriet Pauline "Pauline" GYGAX b. 9 Mar 1916 m. 16 Sep 1939, Max DYE, d. 30 Aug 1998
62.) William Howard GYGAX b. 31 Aug 1920 m. Jun 1944 Hilda Mae Wartenburg. d. 25 Jun 2005
Katherine "Katy" (GYGAX) & Howard Lisle had 4 children
91.) Robert Milton "Bob" LISLE b. 4 Oct 1918 m. Elsie Ruth Dietz, d.15 Oct 1999.
92.) Douglas "Doug" Howard LISLE b. 27 Sep 1920 m. 1943 Neslie Nafzger d. 23 Nov 2003
93.) Lillian M. LISLE b. 29 Oct 1922 d. 15 Jan 1930, age 7, of diphtheria, Adamsville Cemetery. Mason
94.) Paul E. LISLE b.13 Apr 1924 d.31 Jan 1930, age 5, brain tumor, Adamsville Cemetery
additional information - judyb@midohio.net
Last Update: October 9, 2005