George Gibson Sr

GEORGE GIBSON, SR.

George Gibson, Sr. was born 6 January 1795 or 1797 in Ireland, possibly on the farm of Drumlon, Lisball, Bailieborough, County Cavan. He was a draftsman in a linen mill before coming to the United States. It appears that he and a brother John sailed from Belfast, North Ireland, on 27 June 1816 aboard the brig John & William, for New York, arriving there 19 August 1816. Contact with John's family was lost after the Civil War.

George, Sr. left New York and traveled to Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama where on 28 August 1821, he was married by H. P. Brannen, to Barbara McPhail, daughter of John McPhail, Jr. and Catherine Gilchrist McPhail, and granddaughter of John McPhail, Sr., and his wife Barbara Malloy McPhail, who came to Robeson County, North Carolina in 1783.

George Sr.'s wife, Barbara, was born 17 July 1802 in North Carolina. She died 30 July 1858. Both she and George are buried in the Gibson-Parks Cemetery north of Summers, Arkansas.

GEORGE AND BARBARA'S 8 CHILDRNE WERE:

(1) Samuel Gibson born 2 November 1822 in Alabama and died 19 February 1849. He drowned in the Feather River in California. He never married.

(2) John Gibson, a Confederate soldier, born 20 August 1824 in Alabama and died 28 November 1864. He was married 16 March 1848 by Rev. William Poston to Virginia Phoebe Carnahan (born 20 March 1824 in Cooper County, Missouri) who was probably the daughter of Reverend Benjamin J. Carnahan and the niece of Reverend Adam Carnahan. She died 29 November 1900. She and John are buried in GibsonParks Cemetery, Summers, Arkansas. Their children were Samuel and Matilda Ann. Samuel was born 3 January 1849 and died 2 July 1923. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Barclay who was born 15 January 1848 and died 15 July 1919, the daughter of William Poston Barclay and Rebecca L. Thornberry Barclay. Matilda Ann (Til) Gibson was born 28 October 1850 and died 13 January 1889. She was married 13 October 1873 to George W. Burkett, a Confederate soldier, who was born 5 June 1846 and died 13 May 1938. Sam and Mary are buried at Ganderville Cemetery while George and Til are buried in the Gibson-Parks Cemetery.

(3) William Gibson born 5 November 1826 in Alabama and died 10 May 1865 in Cincinnati, Arkansas. He was married 18 September 1845 to Eliza Harrell, who was born 25 November 1827 and died 7 November 1845. She was the daughter of Joel and Elizabeth Carter Harrell. All are buried in Harrell Cemetery north of Cincinnati, Arkansas. William and Eliza's children were: (A) Jane Gibson born 9 August 1847 and died 22 February 1038 Families 1928. She was married 16 September 1866 to James Pogue Smith, a Confederate soldier, who was born 17 December 1839 and died 6 February, the son of James and Rebecca Odell Smith. Jane and Jim Pogue are buried at Old Union Cemetery. (B) Amanda Gibson born 1850 and died in 1920. She married Daniel Thomason who was born 1843 and died 1909. He was the son of John D. and Nancy Thurman Thomason. Both are buried in Old Union Cemetery. (C) Mary Gibson born 1852 and died 20 March 1915. She was married 4 March 1874 to Walter D Parks, a Confederate soldier, the son of Walter D. Parks, Sr. and Mary Park Parks. Both are buried in Old Union Cemetery. (D) George (Greely) Gibson born 25 February 1854 and died 28 May 1914. He never married and is buried in the Old Union Cemetery. (E) Elizabeth Gibson born 3 December 1856 and died 12 October 1924. She was married 2 November 1877 to Rev. William T. Farley, born 17 May 1861 and died 21 July 1944. Both are buried in the Siloam Springs Cemetery. (F) William M. (Bill) Gibson born 1860 and died 2 June 1939. He was married to Nolle Harrell, (1875-1895) daughter of Isham and Mary L. Thomason Harrell. Bill is buried in the State Hospital Cemetery at Little Rock, Arkansas, and Nolle is buried at Old Union. One child, Fred, 1889-1950. G) John (Bud) Gibson born 9 November 1861 and died 30 June 1896. He was married to Hettie Gertrude Alexander born 13 June 1870 and died 30 August 1942. She was the daughter of Bartley (Barclay) M. Alexander and Sarah Lane Alexander. Bud is buried at Old Union, but Hettie is by her second husband, J. A. Tennant at Ganderville Cemetery. (H) Annie Laurie Gibson born 12 September 1864 and died 27 September 1924. She was married 19 December 1888 to Joel A Farley, born 15 June 1862 and died 24 October 1950. Both are buried at Washougal, Washington.

(4) George Gibson, Jr., Captain "B" Co. 34th Arkansas Infantry, C. S. A., born 9 November 1831 in Arkansas and died 17 February 1904 in Westville, I. T. He was married 19 April 1860 to Sallie Jane (Jennie) Thomason, born 27 January 1839 and died 25 June 1913. She was the daughter of Daniel and Mary Jane Denton Thomason. Their children were: (A) Daniel Edgar Gibson born 7 August 1861 and died 21 September 1931. He was married 8 January 1884 to Minnie Peden, born 1866 and died 1921, probably the daughter of Benjamin and Malinda Peden. (B) George Wright Gibson born 15 May 1863 and died 25 May 1930. He was married 24 December 1891 to Taska (Itaska) Medearis, the daughter of R. A. and Amanda Hinds Medearis. (C) Myrtle Edmond Lee Gibson born 28 April 1866 and died 1955. She was married on 20 May 1888 to C. S. Denton, 1867-1941. (D) Mary Barbara (Minnie) Gibson born 14 October 1868 and died 27 March 1897. She was married 28 December 1891 to John A. Mason. (E) Margaret Katherine (Kate) Gibson born 14 December 1870 and died 4 May 1896. She never married.

(5) James Gibson, a Confederate soldier, born 29 June 1834 and died 31 August 1863. He was married 2 June 1861 to Grizzie Moore, born 30 September 1830 and died 28 July 1890, the daughter of James and Jane Moore. Both Jim and Grizzie are buried in Gibson-Parks Cemetery. Their children were John McPhail Gibson and James Daniel Gibson. John was born 1862 and died 7 November 1862, age eleven months and five days. James was born 1863 and died 19 June 1871, age seven years seven months and eight days.

(6) Daniel Gibson, 4th Sergeant 11E11 Co. 17th Arkansas Infantry, born 11 September 1836 and died 18 September 1862 in Iuka, Mississippi. He never married and was a Confederate soldier. He was killed in the Battle of Iuka and is buried in a mass grave, Old Shady Grove Cemetery, Iuka.

(7) Catherine (Kate) Gibson born 15 January 1839 and died 3 January 1921. She was married 20 September 1860 to John Hamilton Parks, born 26 June 1826 and died 21 January 1917, the son of Walter D. and Mary Park Parks. Both Kate and John are buried in the Old Union Cemetery. Their children were: (A) William Almer (Berry) Parks born 9 November 1861 and died 10 July 1944. He never married and is buried in the Old Union Cemetery. (B) John James (Jim) Parks born 9 December 1866 and died 3 May 1902. He was married to Agnes? and lived in Arizona, at Bisbee. (C) Walter Davis Parks born 22 August 1869 and died 20 October 1957. He was married (first) 1 January 1893 to Julia Wright, born 1869 and died 18 May 1918. He was married (second) to Auda Funkhouser, born 18 June 1886 and died 19 February 1981. She is buried at Sugar Hill. (D) Elizabeth Dean (Lizzie) Parks born 6 September 1872 and died 24 October 1949. She was married 27 November 1899 to Jessie Smith Tunnell, born 30 March 1859 and died 13 November 1952.

(8) Patrick Gibson born 20 August 1842 and died 10 January 1844. He is buried at the Gibson-Parks Cemetery. We believe that George and Barbara, with their first three children, traveled with her parents by river boat in 1828 down the Tennessee River to the Ohio, down it to the Mississippi, down the Mississippi to the Arkansas, and thence up that river to Frog Bayou, (now Clear Creek) just below Van Buren. They were all at Frog Bayou in 1829 and 1830. George first settled about 1-1/2 miles northwest of Evansville, Arkansas at the Bean Spring, but that spot was on Indian land, and soldiers forced him to move. He then moved some 20 miles further north to Cincinnati, Arkansas (then Sylva) and settled about 1-1/2 miles southeast of that village in SS T15N R33W. George may have been a son or nephew of a John Gibson, who lived in Lisball, Bailieborough, County Cavan, Ireland. John belonged to the United Irishmen in the Rebellion of 1798, unusual for a Presbyterian. It seems odd that we can as yet, (1986) find no trace of him in either Tipperary where he told his children he was from, or in Cavan, where he said he was born.

George became a slave holder, indicating some degree of prosperity. He may have kept 12-15 blacks, but we have the names of only two. Ben, whom he. rented from a Mr. Tinnan, and Harriett, whom he gave to my great-grandfather John as a wedding gift.

The War Between the States dealt harshly with George's family. He and his wife and youngest son died during or before the war. Three sons were killed during the war, and one, William, took his own life. In 1866 only two of George's children remained, Catherine Gibson Parks and Capt. George Gibson, Jr. After George Sr.'s death an inventory of his property included "notes" for money loaned (various amounts) to the extent of $1435.17 to the following persons: Newton Givens, B. H. Pierson, G. Pylant, M. Jones, Samuel Gilbreath, W. H. Rhea, John McPhail, George W. Stark, and Thomas R. Marques. Also included were: one horse, $75; two cows and calves, $40; three steers, $60; and one ox-wagon, $30. His estate paid William C. Jones $8.66 for blacksmith work, shoeing horses, repairing plows, making a "bell clapper", etc. In 1869 my grandfather, Samuel Gibson, and his sister Matilda (Til) received $559.30 as their share of their grandfather's estate. By: James E. Gibson....George Gibson was another of the pioneer who settled in the Summers Community. George Gibson was born in County Tipperary, Eire (Ireland), and by trade was a draftsman. He was employed in a linen min where various articles were woven from flax, a nd from what can be learned from living descendants and deduced otherwise, he was a designer who drew the patterns used in weaving fine damask table cloths, towels and other similar articles. A bed spread of his design can be seen today at the home of his great- granddaughter, Mrs. W. H. Tennant of Lincoln.

Mr. Gibson became dissatisfied with conditions in Eire and in 1818 or 1819, with his wife, Barbara Mac P. Gibson took passage from Liverpool, England, to New York, N. Y. He was also accompinied by his brother who remained in New York, and apparently left no descendants. GRorge and Barbara, however, continued on, stopping in Alabama:"-spent some time.

At least one child was born to them in Alabama subsequently Mr. Gibson traveled on west, coming eventually to rhe Arkansas River, which he ascended by steamboat, as far as Van Buren. At Van Buren. Gibson bought a pack pony, and loading his belongings on the pony, walked with his family over the Boston Mountains to the Vicinity of Evansville, Arkansas. Here at a large spring a few miles west of Evansville, and now in Oklahoma, they camped. (The spring was called Bean's Spring, probably after Richard A. (Dick) Bean, who ran a salt works near Gore, Oklahoma, in 1820.) Since they planned to stop there permanently, they planted such crops as they were able, principally corn. However, much to their disgust, they found that they had stopped on a tract of land called Lovely's Purchase, where settlers were not permitted. Soldiers were sent to move them on, and they were forced to move at once, abandoning their corn field which the soldiers destroyed.

Mr. Gibson then traveled on northward until he found another good spring. This one was about 2 miles north of Summers:

Here George Gibson built a house and lived until he died. ThIS place is currently known as the Anderson Place.

Mr. Gibson had a large family (8) most of whom left progeny to populate the region. Of George's children, Samuel went to California in 1849, but was drowned in Feather Rlver on his way back home. Two other sons, George (Capt. George) and Dan Gibson both fought in the Confederate Army during the Civl War. Dan was killed at Iuka, Mississippi.

(Concerning this Capt. George and Dan Gibson both fought at Iuka. Capt. George was Company Commander of "B" Co. 34th

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(Note 1-Wrong, Barbara was born in N.C.

2-They were married in Alabama

3-3 were, Sam, John & Wlm.

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Arkanas Infantry, and Dan as a private soldier. Capt. George, going about his duties during the battle, came upon his brother, Dan who was seriously wounded, but in the press of battle the b8st he could do for him was to leave his coat for a pillow and a canteen of water. Later Dan died of his wounds.)

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1850 Census of Northwest Arkansas:

Washington Counties - Bobbie Jones McLane and Desmond Walls Allen

Illinois Township

GIBSON, George 55, Barbary 48, George 18,

James 16, Daniel 14, Catharine 11

lreland/NC dwg 28, Illinois twp