When Gaston died at the age of 84 he left his fortune to his second wife Theresa.  Upon her death the money was largely donated to the city for the formation of a city charity hospital.  The city of Memphis added some federal funds to the bequest and built the six story John Gaston Hospital.  That hospital still exists today under the umbrella of “The Med“ which combines John Gaston Hospital with Gailor Clinic.

A contemporary description of John Gaston is on the next page following.

From Goodspeed:
John Gaston, proprietor of Gaston's Hotel, was born near Bordeaux, France, in 1828, and when about the age of twelve went to live with his uncle, who was then doing a small restaurant business in Paris, France. Mr. Gaston afterward became employed as steward on ocean steamers. After crossing the Atlantic about thirty times he concluded to remain in America. He served as waiter with Delmonico, New York, and as steward of several of the first hotels of Macon and Augusta, Ga. During the war he was employed likewise for the Confederacy, and after the war landed at Memphis almost penniless, where he was again employed as waiter; from that he gradually rose and by close economy he was soon able to open a small restaurant, which, with his knowledge of the business, allowed him in a short time to amass a small fortune (which he kept adding to his business).  His restaurant was termed by connoisseur's the Delmonico of the South. Rising step by step Mr. Gaston has become one of the wealthy citizens of Memphis and the wealthiest French citizen.

In 1867 he was married to Mrs. Julia S. Meier, who had three children by her previous husband. To our subject and wife were born two children: Annie and John Patrick (deceased). Peter and Jean, the parents of our subject resided in France. The father was an energetic farmer and lived to the ripe old age of eighty years. The mother died young. Mr. Gaston has taken an active interest in all public enterprises, and is an enterprising and thorough-going business man. He is now partially retired in a beautiful suburban home in the south-eastern portion of Memphis.