B.A. Gould's history puts the date of birth at 25 February 1779. The IGI
lists the christening of a Benjamin Gilbert on 11 July 1779 at Franklin
(Ashfield) Massachusetts.

Gilbert Gould left Charlemont, Massachusetts in 1811 and came with theRobert and Lydia Young family to French Creek, West Virginia. His sister,Lydia, was married to Robert Young. Cutright writes:

The glowing letters of the members of Aaron Gould's family to theirCharlemont neighbors induced Robert Young and Gilbert Gould in theyear 1811 to move here with their families. They went deeper intothe wilderness than any others had heretofore gone, settling onlands once owned by Rev. James Young near Hollygrove.

And, in his thesis, Morgan M. Brooks:

In 1811, Robert Young and Robert (sic) Gould bought (sic) theirfamilies, making the journey in covered wagons drawnby threehorses. It took seven weeks to make the trip starting fromCharlemont over the Mowhawk Trail to Springfield, Massachusetts, toHartford, Connecticut, where it intersects twith the old Boston toNew York post road; thence across the Hudson via Hoboken Ferry;thence to Philadelphia to Baltimore, where the old Braddock road,started in 1749, begins. Over this road to Hagerstown, thence overNorth mountain, Sideling Hill mountain, Polish mountain toCumberland, thence through the Narrows where Wills creek breaksthrough the Allegheny mountains; thence over the Big Savagemountain, Little Savage mountain, Negro mountain, Keyser's ridge,Deer Crossing mountain, via Fort Necessity, Braddock's grave, viaHopwood to Point Marion, Morgantown, Fairmont, Webster, Buckhannon,to French Creek.

Also:

It has been said that the people who settled the French Creekcommunity were zealously religious- So that their annals arereplete with events and facts pertaining to the religious life. Itis said that from the first, 1811 or 1812, a few families met everySabbath for religious worship. Having no preacher they adopted thecustom of having someone read a sermon. This practice theymaintained for half a century in the absence of a preacher. Thoughtheir singing was poor, they persisted in it (French Creek is notalone in this practice).

They were, of course, Presbyterians, yet a class or congregationwas not organized until 1819.

Because of overlapping landgrants (not an uncommon problem in those times)he was forced to purchase his land twice.

Gilbert Gould served in the War of 1812 and was a Captain.

During the Civil War, B.A. Gould's history indicates that "the wholefamily were loyal to their country throughout the rebellion, althoughbitterly persecuted. None ever owned a slave."

He held the office of Elder for 54 years until his death.

A 1930 copy of "The Pioneer" contains an article of Dr. O.L. Perry on "SomeFrench Creek Reminiscenses". He writes:

Many of the elderly people among us will remember two old veteransof the War of 1812, Captain Gilbert Gould and Daniel Haines, whoattended services in this church and always sat together in the
corner where the choir now sits. These two old veterans connectedthe congregations of sixty years ago with another period in the dimpast at or near the time the first settlers came from New England.These two old men were heroes in the minds of the youths of thatday.

Gould lived to the age of 98. The cause of death listed in the death register is "fever". Basic info from Upshur Co. Death

Register:
April 5, 1877
Upshur Co.
Fever
98 years, 2 mos.
Parents: Nathan and ? Gould
Born: Massachusetts
Farmer
Widower
Info from: Perry Gould/son