Jonathan Gause was a veteran teacher, who for more than half a century impressed a lasting influence upon hundreds of the best young men and women of Chester County.

He was born Oct. 23, 1786, in East Marlborough township, on a farm adjoining that of the late Bayard Taylor, and now [1881] owned by his nephews, F. and W.H. Hannum, one mile north of Kennet Square.

He was the third son of William and Mary Gause, and one of a family of eleven children, six boys and five girls, the former averaging six feet in height. His father, a brave soldier of the Revolutionary war, was of that hardy race, the Scotch-Irish, while his mother was of English origin, both of whom lived to the good old age of fourscore.

Jonathan Gause’s early education was obtained at a common country school, and he was intended by his father for a mechanic; therefore, when it was thought he had enough book-learning for such a business, he was apprenticed to a master-mason, and worked at that trade two summers. But now an accident occurred which not only changed his vocation, but shaped and colored his whole future.

One day he was helping his father in the harvest-field, when a sudden storm arose. He hurried to the barn, threw himself, wet and tired, upon the new-mown hay, where he soon fell asleep, and did not wake until some time in the night, when he was aroused by a severe pain in one limb. He suffered greatly for some weeks, and when he arose from a sick-bed it was found that his leg had shrunk, and he would probably be lame for life. He did not, like Byron, turn misanthrope, but his natural intuitions asserted themselves, and he became a teacher.

He now entered as a pupil the boarding-school of Enoch Lewis, in New Garden [New Garden Township?], where he obtained an excellent knowledge of English grammar, and made considerable acquaintance with the common branches of mathematical science, embracing the elements of geometry, algebra, surveying, mensuration, plane and spherical trigonometry, and the principles of practical astronomy. His first essay in teaching was in 1807, in a little school-house which now stands in the Friends’ meeting-house yard at Marshallton.

He was married, 9th mo. 13, 1810 (while teaching at Marshallton), to Ann, daughter of Robert and Mary Ingram, of West Bradford. In 1813 the West Chester Academy was completed, and Jonathan Gause solicited to take charge of it. He accepted this important post, and opened the academy October 18th of that year. While here he bought from his father-in-law a farm on the Brandywine, about one mile from Marshallton, afterwards known as Greenwood Dell Boarding-School.

The West Chester Academy flourished so well under Mr. Gause’s charge that the trustees thought he was making too much; they wished to revoke their bargain and make another and a closer one; but to this Mr. Gause would not submit, and he went to Greenwood Dell. He was, perhaps, about a year on the farm at this time, but his successor not succeeding, the trustees found they had made a mistake in permitting Mr. Gause to leave. They accordingly came to him and offered him his price. He again took charge of the academy; again it flourished and became the most celebrated in Eastern Pennsylvania.

In April, 1829, he left the academy and opened a select school in West Chester, which he taught until 1832, when he returned to Greenwood Dell and opened a school there. This school became very popular, and he continued it until 1839. He was now offered the principalship of the Unionville Academy, at Unionville, which he accepted, and entered upon his duties in that year (1839). Here he had a splendid school, employing one or two assistants.

In 1847 he again returned to his Brandywine home at Greenwood Dell, and took with him a thriving school. There he continued until 1865, having taught school fifty-eight years. He now retired forever from a profession which he had loved, adorned, and elevated, and which had yielded him a good living and a handsome fortune.

After his removal from West Chester to West Bradford he lost his first wife, and after a few years of widowerhood he married a daughter— Eliza A.— of Dr. Abraham and Rachel Baily, of West Bradford. His only daughter by his first marriage was married in September, 1827, to Matthias Pennypacker, a highly-respected member of the Chester County bar. By his second wife he had a son,— Emmor Eugene,— born in 1838, and who died 2d mo. 8, 1862, aged twenty-four years.

This venerable teacher spent the last eight years of his life with his widowed daughter, Mary I. Pennypacker, and his grandson, Thomas Pennypacker, on a beautiful farm on the Brandywine, where he died April 9, 1873, nearly eighty seven years of age, but in the full possession of his faculties, and with a Christian trust in the blessed promise of a loving Saviour.

Among those of his pupils in Chester County we may mention the names of Bayard Taylor, Judge J. Smith Futhey, Hon. Washington Townsend, Hon. John Hickman, Dr. Franklin Taylor, U.V. Pennypacker, Esq., John Rutter, Esq., R.E. Monaghan, Esq., Joseph Hemphill, Esq., Dr. Wilmer Worthington, W.W. Jefferis, Henry Sharples, Torbert Ingram, Hon. James B. Everhart, Henry Fleming, Alfred Sharples, William P. Townsend, J. Lacey Darlington, and others, who received from him the stepping-stone to their subsequent learned and professional stations in public and private life.

Jonathan Gause was a born teacher, and had that happy combination of intellectual faculties which enabled him to teach clearly and impressively whatever he undertook. He was a good talker, and for many years of his life was an acceptable minister among Friends. His judgment was good, and his memory excellent. He had ever been a great reader, and had treasured up a fund of knowledge, which he delighted to impart to young or old, and he seemed to enjoy nothing more than to teach others.

His methods in school were ingenious and often strikingly original. He frequently held what he called a "grammar congress," in which the pupils were called upon to give their opinions in regard to forming a new language, and to point out what words are the most important in our intercourse with each other. Under him the dull boy became, by the inspiration of his influence, alert and often bright in some particular departments of study; the timid, shrinking, sensitive pupil grew hopeful, reliant, and often aggressive; the boisterous, careless, and indifferent became inspired with high resolves to attain a worthy manhood.

As a disciplinarian he was peculiarly felicitous; there were no arbitrary rules promulgated; every pupil became a member of his family, an object of his parental care. Many poor young men were by him trusted for board and tuition until they could acquire an education or go into business and pay him. He was one of the first educators in our country who advocated the equal education of the sexes, and admitted both boys and girls into his school, and even men and women. His great love of man was intensified when applied to his pupils, and this county never had a teacher whose love and sympathy for his scholars was so great and perfect. Other teachers have rivaled him in intellectual attainments and qualifications, although his were excellent, but few or none have combined with them a body so strong, a temper so even, and a love so divine.
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A Jonathan Gause is listed among students (who became successful teachers) of The New Garden Boarding-school for Boys, established in 1808. He later had charge of the classical and mathematical departments at The West Chester Academy, opened in 1813.

Mr. Gause became the sole principal, and, except for a brief period, remained in charge until 1829, a period of sixteen years, when he resigned to open a private institution. During the period of Mr. Gause’s incumbency the academy flourished, and became quite celebrated in Eastern Pennsylvania. Many men who afterwards became prominent in life were educated there. [There is a drawing of the school at this source].

Jonathan Gause’s Schools.— In 1829, Jonathan Gause, having relinquished the charge of the West Chester Academy, opened an institution which he called "The West Chester Boarding-School for Young Men and Boys," which he conducted until 1832, when he relinquished it to Cheyney Hannum, and removed to his farm in West Bradford township, where he opened the "Greenwood Dell Boarding-School." This school became very popular, and was continued until 1839, when he accepted the principalship of Unionville Academy. He conducted this institution until 1847, when he reopened his Greenwood Dell school [near Marshallton], and was its principal until 1865, when he retired from the active duties of life, having been a teacher more than fifty-seven years.2935
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HISTORY OF THE WEST CHESTER ACADEMY
On the fourth of October 1813 Jonathan Gause was appointed teacher of English for the term of one year; he to receive three dollars per quarter for each pupil, the trustees reserving the privilege if the school should become large of placing such proportions of the pupils as they should deem best under the care of another teacher or the whole school to be subject to the visitation and inspection of Dr. Gemmil as principal.

On the 18th of October following the English school opened under the direction of Jonathan Gause.

March 15, 1815, Joseph Cooper was appointed teacher of the Junior class and Jonathan Gause teacher of the 2nd class for the ensuing year.

Jonathan Gause was engaged for another year at a salary of $600. This appears by the minutes of the board dated April 29. 1816.

8 April 1917, Jonathan Gause was appointed teacher of English for another year at a salary of $550, with a proviso that if the trustees should be enabled to sink the debt of the institution one hundred dollars his salary should be $600.

Mr. Todd continued to have charge of the academy till the first of April 1822. A few months prior to which date he was notified that the trustees decided to repossess the buildings and property in his charge; and soon after the trustees again engaged the services of Jonathan Gause as teacher on the same terms as those on which his predecessor had contracted.

Mr. Gause commenced a second time to teach the classes of the Academy on the first of April 1822.

There being at this time some demand for a latin and Greek teacher, he invited Joseph J. Lewis to take charge of the pupils learning those languages on the terms that he should receive all the emoluments arising from the tuition of those languages and that he should assist in teaching the mathematical class as a compensation for his board in Mr. Gause's family. This is the same person that now writes this sketch. He began with Mr. Gause on the first of August 1822 and remained with him till Dec. 1, 1824.

Jonathan Gause continued to teach at the academy on the same terms as at first employed except that he was required to pay a rent of sixty dollars for one year and sixty five dollars for other years, as rent, till April 1, 1829, when in pursuance of notice given by the trustees he quit the property and Joseph Strode was appointed to succeed him, on the same terms.

Joseph Strode taught but one year only, and Jonathan Gause on Mr. Strode's departure rented of the trustees the two lower rooms for one year at $25, he to teach two of the Wister pupils.

At the end of the year Mr. Gause was directed to leave and on the 1st of Feb. 1831 an arrangement was made with Daniel Fuller and Dr. John Barber to take charge of the academy.

There is reference made on p. 8 of this document to a meeting at the White Horse tavern. In footnote 12 it goes on to say; These tavern get togethers were so common that one between this cornerstone author, J. J. Lewis, and Jonathan Gause and Wm. Darlington became famous in 1823. See the newspapers (Village Record and American Republican) of that time.2936
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The Unionville Academy, founded in 1834, over which that celebrated educator, Jonathan Gause, so long presided.2937
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School-Day Rhymes. By Issacher Price. Philadelphia, 1856. 12mo, pp. 125.
The volume is dedicated by the author to his "much-loved and venerable friend and tutor, Jonathan Gause." Mr. Price resided in the Great Valley.2938
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A Jonathan Gause is listed among members of the first Masonic lodge originally chartered in Chester County in 1790.2939

A Jonathan Gause is listed among the Managers of the Chester County Colonization Society organized soon after 1816.2940
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Many of Jonathan’s students became well-known.2934