Why did I (Winston) write this book?

The most distant Gosnell that I have identified is a Charles Gosnell of Maryland, birthplace and spouse unknown, whom I believe to be my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. Charles and/or his children moved to Greenville, SC, and later children moved to the area of North Carolina that became Madison County.

There is a story told by "Shug" (Neally) Gosnell (great-great-great-grandson of Charles) about once riding with the Jesse James gang. He would tell that he met a group of men while riding toward a small town. When they reached the town, the men asked Shug to hold their horses while they went into the bank. Shug agreed, but when the men came back out in a great hurry, they told Shug he better leave town with them. He did leave town with them, but separated from them very soon. He would swear that was the way it had happened, but then, with a sly grin, he would add "If it did happen."