James Gibson (1771 - 1841)

Born 1771 in Montrose, Scotland [uncertain]

Husband of Catherine (Knox) Gibson — married 15 Jan 1811 in Ireland

Descendants

Died 20 Feb 1841 at about age 70 in New Norfolk, Van Diemen's Land, Australia

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Biography

James Gibson was possibly born in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, or in Montrose, Scotland

After leaving the army, James Gibson applied for a land grant in Van Diemen's Land. He arrived in Tasmania in 1832 and acquired land in New Norfolk. James died in 1841 after a series of disagreements with his family and fellow magistrates. The inquest attributed his death to a "visitation of God".

The Australian Dictionary of Biography says of him: he "had joined the army in 1795, married on 15 January 1811, and by 1816 was a brevet major on half-pay. In 1830 he sold his commission and from Kilrea, County Londonderry, Ireland, applied to the Colonial Office for a land grant in Van Diemen's Land. Sickness delayed his departure and in December 1832, when he arrived in Hobart Town with his family in the Edward Lambe, he found himself debarred from a grant by the Ripon regulations. He bought 2000 acres (809 ha), which he called Kilderry, and was appointed a magistrate at New Norfolk. After continuous quarrels with his fellow magistrates and with his family, he stamped out of his homestead on 28 February 1841 in 'temporary nervous excitement'. His body was found a month later and the inquest attributed his death to a visitation of God."

Grave epitaph says: " Grave Epitaph "In the grave beneath are deposited the mortal remains of Major James Gibson, formerly of the 15th Hussars. He was born at Montrose, Scotland, and died at Kilderry (Hayes), in the district of New Norfolk, on February 20, 1841. Aged, 67 years. His son, James Alexander, has caused the erection of this tomb to his memory, June, 1842."

Biography from Everist Family Tree( Ancestry.com ) by rybarv1 ( trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/21140289/person/1046856980/med... ) states that His father (1772-1841) had joined the army in 1795, married on 15 January 1811."

Major James Gibson (of the 15th Hussars) was identified as the father of James Alexander Gibson who married Rosetta Haigh in St Marylebone, London, in 1841.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Bradford Observer 22 July 1841, British Newspaper Archive, accessed via Find My Past.

• Newry Telegraph Down, Northern Ireland

1 Jul 1871 mentions the death of his only daughter Helen Abigail, wife of Col. Champ, M.L.A on the 18 April 1871

• Essex Standard Essex, England

16 Feb 1889 mentions the death of his wife in her 100th Year

• The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany, Volume 35, bottom of page 548 mentions that his eldest son James Alexander Gibson married Rosetta, the third daughter of William Haigh of Doncaster. The marriage happened at St. Marylebone
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S189-H2W : accessed 2017-01-14), entry for James Alexander /GIBSON/.
• Australian Dictionary of Biography entry of his son James Alexander "'Gibson, James Alexander (1814–1860)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gibson-james-alexander-2092/text2631, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 15 January 2017." Drawn from Van Diemen's Land Co, letter books, minutes and papers (Archives Office of Tasmania) CSO 5/171/4062, 8/107/2244 (Archives Office of Tasmania) CO 201/237.

See also:

• 'Gibson, James Alexander (1814–1860)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gibson-james-alexander-2092/text2631, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 25 July 2023.