George Gibson (abt. 1704 - 1761)

Born about 1704 in Stewartstown, Ulster, Ireland

Husband of Martha Elizabeth (de Viney) Gibson — married 1734 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 7 Dec 1761 at about age 57 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Gary Gibson [send private message] and Robin Borah [send private message]

Biography

According to "Gibson Genealogy ca1730-1910", written by Sarah Davidge Gibson in 1910, "Robert and George Gibson, brothers, came from Stewartstown, in the province of Ulter, in the North of Ireland to PA about 1730".

"George Gibson married Martha Deveney, November 16, 1734 in Lancaster Co., PA. She was a daughter of a French Count, who after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, took refuge in Ireland." -Samuel D. Matlack, author of the history of John Bannister Gibson pg 354.

From "The Narrative of Hugh Gibson", from "Notes and Queries: Chiefly Relating to Interior Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 pg 143-144, written by William H. Engle in 1887": "Robert and George Gibson, brothers, emigrants from near Stewart's Town, in the North of Ireland, came to Pennsylvania prior to 1740."

Emigrated: 1730 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gibson_%28Indiana%29

George Gibson and Martha Deveney had 7 children: Mary, John, Frances, Jean, George, Ann, and Thomas.

Some people claim that George Gibson's father is a John Gibson III. This John Gibson was born in 1676 in Mass., or Philadelphia, an Englishman with English ancestry. Some even claim that George Gibson was born in Bucks Co., PA, to try and make it look like George was born in America. (no proof, didn't happen.)

Some people even claim that George, Robert, and William Gibson's father is a William Gibson II, a haberdasher from London. That is also all wrong, as the original person who claimed that was Georgene Humphries, back about 1998. She even changed William Gibson's birth date to about 1705, to make room for her ancestor, a John Gibson, who married Mary Duncan. But that is for another discussion. Her tree can be found at the LDS. (an Ancestral tree, or an Ancestry tree is not a viable source, and neither asks for proof).

There is a book on John Gibson: "John Gibson of Cambridge Mass and his descendants", 1900, by Metitable Wilson. John Gibson (1676-1751) is not mentioned as a son of John Gibson, Jr. (1641-1676) and Rebecca Errington, pg19. The only children listed are: Rebecca, Martha, Mary, and Timothy.

But for some reason, in "Hay Genealogy", (from Thomas K. Gibson), John Gibson (1676-1751) was added as a son of John Gibson, Jr. (1641-1676), twice, and made John Gibson III, who was either in Cambridge or Philadelphia. Donna Hay says that her Robert Gibson (1734-1777), documented in Bucks Co., PA, descends "from the immigrant Sir John Gibson (1601-1694) of Massachusetts, and his grandson, John Gibson III (1676-1751), a Quaker in Philadelphia."

So who is right? Metitable Wilson? Sarah D. Gibson? Thomas K. Gibson? or Donna Hay? I would go with the old books. Where is all their proof anyway? The internet page, "Hay Genealogy" is not a source. (sorry all this is a pet-peeve of mine.)

Samuel D. Matlack wrote a history on John Bannister Gibson (1780-1853) pg 354. John is a grandson of George Gibson (1704-1761). He says that this "Gibson family is traced to that hardy 'Scotch-Irish' stock, with it's abundant vigor of mind and body, it's keen wit and its independence and courage . . ."

This is quoted from "Notes and Queries: Chiefly Relating to Interior Pennsylvania", Vol. I, pg 143-144, written by William Henry Egle in 1887.

THE NARRATIVE OF HUGH GIBSON. (just a portion of) Hugh Gibson is a nephew of George Gibson:

"Robert and George Gibson, brothers, emigrants from near Stewart's Town, in the north of Ireland, came to Pennsylvania prior to 1740 — the former locating in Derry township, the latter in the town of Lancaster, Penn'a. Robert Gibson died prior to 1755 in Derry township, his widow, Mary McClellan, surviving him only two years, being murdered by the Indians in Shearman's Valley, where she was then residing. They had three children, Israel, Hugh and Mary. Hugh Gibson died on the 30th of July, 1826, and the narrative of his captivity among the Indians is herewith given as a contribution to the Border History of Eastern Pennsylvania."

. . ." Hamilton laid out the first and central portion of the town (City of Lancaster) in 1730. Settlements had been made here in 1721 or 1722, and by 1730, the little cluster of houses is said to have attained a population of two hundred souls. The locality was known as the Indian Field and Gibson's Pasture. George Gibson kept a tavern here when Hamilton platted the town, and had probably been located for several years. His tavern was called "the Hickory Tree", probably from a tall hiskory which stood near the public road, and which was said to have been a favorite one with the Indians, the place of their rendezvous for many years, and the centre of one of their small villages. 'A swamp lay in front of Gibson's,' we are told, 'and another to the north.' The one in front of Gibson's nearly in the centre of the site of the present city, was the Dark Hazel Swamp, which was drained and cleard of wood in 1745. The other was the Long Swamp, extending beyond the limits of the town-plat toward the northeast. Gibson's tavern is supposed to have stood about where the Slaymaker Hotel now does." -from the History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphis: Everts and Peck, 1883. Chapter XXIX.

From Papers of the Lancaster County Historical Society, Vol XLVI, 1942, #2+3, "The Borough Father's" by M. Luther Heisey, pg 51: "George Gibson was one of the first squatter on the site which became Lancaster. The town grew on 'Gibson's Pasture'. He was licensed in 1722 to keep tavern; in 1737, he was an assessor; and in 1740, county treasurer. His son, the famous Col. John Gibson, was born here in 1740, and his daughter, Mary, married Mathias Slough, the keeper of the White Swan Tavern."

Sources

• Gibson's to America" by Sarah D. Gibson, 1910
• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church records, Lancaster, PA.
• Memoirs of John Bannister Gibson, by Roberts 1890.
• Narrative of Hugh Gibson, by Engle, 1887.
• The Will of George Gibson, written in 1761.

• http://www.pbase.com/darter02/pa_scs

Pennsylvania, Compiled Marriage Records, 1700-1821.

• Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-2114.
• Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993, Index to Wills in Lancaster Co.,