Wednesday, February 17, 2021

52 Ancestors 2020: Week 6: Same Name

The name that might possibly repeat more than any in my family... Joel Gibson. When I type that in, I get five hits right off the bat. So let's jump right into this post and talk about the original Joel Gibson. The patriarch of (almost) every Gibson in Henderson County, Kentucky. 

Joel Gibson was born in 1750 in Caswell County, North Carolina -- at least, that's where he starts appearing in the 1770's and 1780's in the censuses and census substitutes on Ancestry. We know Joel served in the Revolutionary War as well -- his tombstone, land application, and pension file conclude that. A summary of that information is: Joel Gibson enlisted in Caswell County, North Carolina, in 1775. Re-enlisted and served under Capt. Henry Dixon commanded by Col. James Moore. Fought at Moore's Creek, Kings Mountain., Guilford Courthouse, and at the siege of 96 District of South Carolina. Discharged in 1783 in Wilmington. Rev war pension applied 4/15/1825, cert issued 5/19/1825 in Henderson Ky.

We know Joel Gibson married in about 1769 to Miss Eleanor Davis. It's a rough guess on year because their first child, that we know of, was born in 1770. 

Vicey Gibson, born 1770, married Josiah Stone in approx. 1788. (I believe they married in North Carolina.)

Burgess Gibson, born 1775.

Elizabeth Gibson, born 1782.

Bailey Gibson, born 1784 and died 1856. Married in 1813 to Catherine Sights. (Married in Henderson.)

Greenberry Gibson, born 1785. He married Charlotte Davis. (Moved to Missouri I believe)

Berryman Gibson (my ancestor), born 1785 and died 1870. It's possible Greenberry & Berryman were twins.. their names are very similar but I assure they were different individuals. Berryman married Susan Duncan. (They married in Henderson.)

Robert Gibson, born 1786.

Tillman Gibson, born 1790 and died 1859. He married Sarah Crowley. (Moved to Alabama)

Margaret "Peggy" Gibson, born 1795. Married Abraham Shelton in 1808. (Married in Virginia)

Nancy Gibson, born 1795. Married Josiah Shelton. (Probably married in Virginia, too)

All of these children eventually made their way to Henderson County, KY, I do believe. A few of the girls might have stayed behind in Caswell or died young as I don't have marriage information for them. 

We know by 1808, the family is in the Pittsylvania County, Virginia area, as that's where Peggy marries Abraham Shelton. 

By the 1810 census, Joel Gibson and his brood are listed in the Christian County, Kentucky. 

By 1813, Joel and his children have made it to the Corydon area of Henderson County, Kentucky. In roughly 1818, Eleanor passes away. It is unclear if she perhaps was the first burial in what is now the Gibson Family Cemetery in Corydon (high up on a hill) as there has been no tombstone found for her. There are people that will say "Eleanor died on the journey to Kentucky," but... she's clearly alive with Joel in the 1810 census (if you go by ages.) So I believe she died after coming to Henderson County. 

The patriarch, Joel Gibson, eventually passed away on December 23rd, 1830, according to his military provided tombstone(s). There are some who will say Joel died in Caswell County and is buried there. There is absolutely no proof of that. He has TWO tombstones in the Gibson Family Cemetery. He was absolutely living in Henderson at the time of his death. Trust me, in 1830, they weren't going to ship his body from Henderson back to Caswell, especially when all of his children, at that point, lived here. 


The second Joel Gibson was the son of my ancestors, Berryman Gibson & Susan Duncan. He was born in 1813. He married Margaret Martin on August 25th, 1842. They had at least four children: Susan, Stephen, Evans, and Sarah. Joel died at about 39/40 years old, in February of 1853. 

The third Joel Gibson was the son of Bailey Gibson & Catherine Sights. He was born in about 1816. On September 1st, 1836, he married Francis "Froney" Watson. She passed away in 1862 and he re-married Evaline Overfield. He and Froney had at least the following children: Mary, James, Sarah, Charles, Malisa, John, and Nancy. He and Evaline didn't have children that I'm aware of. This Joel Gibson passed away at about 49 years old on July 17th, 1865. 

The fourth Joel Gibson that pops up in my tree is Joel Elender Gibson, son of Tillman Gibson & Sarah Crowley. So right now we're batting at three of Joel Gibson's sons have named a son after him. This Joel was born October 20th, 1828, and married Amanda Woolbright. He died February 14th, 1881. Now, this Joel lived his whole life, I believe, in Alabama. Tillman & Sarah, after they married, moved to Alabama. Census says Sarah was born in Georgia, but I think she might be part of the Webster County Crowley's.. it would make sense anyway. Maybe a distant cousin of them anyway. I know at some point, Tillman was in Henderson County prior to going to Alabama. 

The fifth Joel Gibson in my tree is the son of Isaac Gibson & Rachel Stone. Isaac & Rachel were cousins. Isaac was the son of Burgess, who was the son of the original Joel. Rachel was the daughter of John Squire Stone, son of Vicey Gibson, daughter of the original Joe Gibson. This Joel Gibson was born in 1858 and died in 1899. He married Rebecca Jane Wilson on December 26th, 1880, in Webster Co, KY. 

There are probably more Joel Gibson's that I just haven't added to my family tree as of yet... but these are the five that I have so far. Are you descended from a Joel Gibson in Henderson, Union, or Webster County, KY? Then your Joel Gibson might be a descendant of THE Joel Gibson... my 6x Grandfather and the patriarch of (almost) all the Gibson's in the area. 

No comments:

Post a Comment