George Gauld (299)

George Gauld (?–?) was a surveyor, land speculator, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1770. Based in Western Florida, George Gauld’s identity and occupation bear a striking resemblance to another APS member by the same name (Member 347), elected in 1774. Due to limited biographical sources, it is extremely difficult to distinguish the two men from one another, though it is likely that the Gauld elected in 1774 is the man whom most available information describes. That Gauld was born in Scotland and charted the Florida Gulf Coast on assignment by the Royal Navy. He submitted his charts to the APS in 1773, which serves as a reason to believe he was the one elected the following year. The Gauld elected four years prior, is either simply mistaken for the 1774 Gauld in the records, or it is possible that the combination of same name, same location, and same occupation may indicate a family business.