John Gibbon (1737 - 1777)

Born 2 Sep 1737 in Cumberland County, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Esther (Seeley) Holme — married 31 Mar 1760 (to after 20 Jun 1777) in Cumberland County, New Jersey

Descendants

Died 20 Jun 1777 at age 39 in Wallabout Bay, New York

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Biography

John Gibbon served with New York during the American Revolution.

John Gibbon is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A044513.

John Gibbon was a Prisoner of War during American Revolution.

"John Gibbon, son of Leonard and Rebekah Gibbon (late of Gravesend, Kent county, England), was born near Greenwich, Cumberland County, New Jersey, on 2 Sep 1737 He Died aboard the prison ship, 'Jersey', in Wallabout Bay, New York. 20 Jun 1777 (aged 39) BURIAL Near, Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, ^[1]

John married Esther Seeley (20 Nov 1741-22 Jan 1814) on 31 Mar 1761 in Cumberland County, NJ^[2]

At the beginning of the Revolution he was in the militia, but soon joined the continental army. It is on record that 'John Gibbon left home ye 10th day of December, anno 1776. Went to camp and Dyed in New York, 20th of June 1777.' Soon after his enlistment he was captured by the enemy and sent to the 'old Jersey,' the most infamous of all the floating prisons in Wallabout Bay.^[3]

His wife, Esther Seeley Gibbon, obtained permission from Lord Howe to visit her husband. She entered enemy's lines and went alone to New York, arriving in that city the twenty-third of June. She made her way through the British guards to the harbor only to find that he had died three days before, and was buried in the trenches with hundred of other prisoners."^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ rison-ship-martyrs-monument https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2227940/prison-ship-martyrs-monument
2. ↑ Marriage Records Name: John Gibbon Spouse: Esther Seeley Marriage Date: 31 Mar 1761 County: Cumberland State: NJ Source Information Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. New Jersey Marriages, 1684-1895
3. ↑ The area was the site where the infamous British prison ships moored during the American Revolutionary War (most infamous of which was the HMS Jersey), from about 1776-1783. Over 10,000 soldiers and sailors died due to deliberate neglect on these rotting hulks, more American deaths than from every battle of the war combined.
4. ↑ 'Daughters of the American Revolution magazine, Volume 17'p.455 , Some Prison Ship Martyrs

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 4 Apr 2018), "Record of John Gibbon", Ancestor # A044513.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #71680116