In The Beginning

In The Beginning

The records below will show EDWARD GIBSON at Falling Creek [1] and Weynoke [3] Indian Jane Gibson at Shirley [5] GIBBY GIBSON at Westover [4] and GEORGE GIBSON etc., at Upper Chippoakes Creek [2] -- across from Upper Chippoakes Creek is Sandy Point [6], the Lightfoot Cemetery where THOMAS, GIBBY, AND FRANCIS GIBSON are buried. 


The first Gibson of record in Virginia was Thomas Gibson who came with Christopher Newport on the Second Supply in 1608.  Thomas was brought over as a carpenter and immediately went with John Smith to build a home for Powhatan.  We have no further record of Thomas Gibson, however these two letters may provide a clue.

Brown 1964:572
[Vol. 2589, folio 61]
Marquess of Flores to Philip III, King of Spain
1 Aug. 1612
Reported by a source that "some of the people who have gone there, think now some of them should marry the women of the savages of that country; and he tells me that there are already 40 or 50 thus married." Also reported that the other Englishmen, after being put among them, have become savages themselves while the women, whom they took out, also have gone among the savages where they have been received & treated well. A minister who admonished them was "seriously wounded in many places" because "he reprehended them."
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Brown
1964: 632-633
[Vol. 2572, folio 10]
Don Pedro de Cunega to Philip III, King of Spain
22 7br 1612
A person (of good credit) reported that "they treate and have a determination to marrie some of ye People that goe thether with the Virginians... fortie or fiftie are already married there." And other English intermingled w/them & women "sent over to live among the Virginians are received & used kindly by them." They wounded a minister after he reprehended them.

The Living and Dead Census taken February 16, 1623 shows one Francis Gibson living near the Jeremiah Clement family. Two generations later we have George Gibson a neighbor of Jeremiah Clements on Chippoakes Creek.

William Knott, 312 Acres, Surry Co 28 Mar 1666, p. 482 (land patents). 112 acres on south side of James River on south side of Upper Chipoake Creek, bounded NW on land of Edward Oliver, N upon Wm. Thomas, E on George Gibson & SE on Mr. Fisher; 200 acres on south side of said River, Wly. on Jeremiah Clements, NW on Edward Oliver, Nly on Wm. Thomas, George Gibson & Edward Minter, Ely. on Wm. Gapins land & Mr. Thomas Busbie and SE on Mr. Richard Hill  [Thomas Busby was Indian trader and interpreter for the Crown.]

On the 1624/25 Muster Rolls there are no Gibson/Gybsons listed but we have Francis Gibbs, a boy, servant to Ralph Hamor [Hamor was married to widowed mother of Jeremiah Clements]  of Jamestown and John Gibbs a 'partner' of Christopher Safford at "Jordans Jorney"  in Charles City.  

Mrs. Jeffrey Clements, nee Lady Elizabeth Fuller, following the death of her husband, Jeffrey/Geoffrey Clements, at Oxford, England, went to Jamestown, Virginia 1611.

They lived through the Indian Massacre of 1622 at James
Citie, and she married 2nd 1621, Ralph Hamor, Secretary of the Colony.

After her death, Gov. Harvey, granted to her eldest son, Jeremiah Clements, 350 acres at Upper Chippoakes Creek, Surry County, Virginia, 16 August 1657.  (Land Patents 1, p. 116)  Jeremiah was member of the Assembly for James Citie, Jan. 12, 1641. (Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, p 51, Burgess.)

Not mentioned in these early records was Edward Gibson;  

On March 7, 1624 it was reported to the General Court that Edward Gibson had administered physic to the sick at Falling Creek. He also treated the sick at Weyanoke  [Charles City County] . Thus he probably was a surgeon or an apothecary.

 Falling Creek (15)

In 1619 the Company sent 150 persons to Virginia "to set up three iron works" in view of the fact of "proofe having been made of the extraordinary goodnesse of that iron." This was further manifestation of the continuing interest in Virginia resources, particularly iron. This apparently led to the establishment at Falling Creek of the first regular ironworks within the Colony. 

Located at 'Henrico Cittie' the site was recently discovered 5 miles from Richmond, where both George and Gilbert Gibson are found in the early 1700s. 

The Indian Gibsons

In 1640 Jane Gibson, an Indian woman was born in Charles City County according to the deposition of Robert Wills, taken in 1790 at his home in Charles City County.  Testimony also shows Jane had a brother or a son named George Gibson, she possibly may have had both brother and son, and a daughter Jane Gibson.  Jane, the daughter, married to Morris Evans, their daughter and her descendants would become enslaved.  Thomas Gibson aka Mingo Jackson sued and won his freedom proving he descended from the Indian Jane Gibson.

Questions by the defendant.  How old were you when you were first acquainted with the elder Jane Gibson and George her brother?  

 Answer   I believe I was ten or eleven years old or thereabouts. 

Quest.  How old do you suppose they were and how long did they live afterwards? 

Answer.  Jane Gibson the elder was very old, I apprehend she was eighty years of age, [born about 1640] being past all labour - Mr. Carter my Master took her to live with him at Shirley where I then lived to brew a diet drink, he being afflicted with a dropsy - The old Jane Gibson I suppose might live two or three years. Her daughter Jane widow to an EVANS (whose christian name I am not certain of but believe it was Morris), lived a considerable number of years after my first acquaintance with her- she bore the name of EVANS as did all her children.

Quest.   About what time were you acquainted with Jane and George Gibson the children of Jane, and how old were they when you were first acquainted with them?  

Answer.  I knew Jane Evans the daughter some time before I knew the old woman, which I believe as I have deposed in my former deposition must be seventy years ago; she was an old woman when I became acquainted with her, she practised midwifery and doctoring in families, but was not above sixty I should suppose: George too was an old person, I believe - Jane was the older.

The deposition of John Meriwether Gent. taken this day at his house in the City of Richmond in a suit now depending in the Henrico District Court wherein Thomas Gibson alias Mingo Jackson is plt. and David Ross defendant.

This deponent aged sixty nine years being first sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith that William Meriwether this deponents late father often told this deponent in his lifetime that he purchased of one LIGHTFOOT in New Kent a mulatto wench named Frank Evans and also her brother named ______ Evans; 

The Chavis Family and Chippoakes Creek

For years Paul Heinegg's entry for the Gibson Family said; “The Gibson family PROBABLY  descended from Elizabeth Chavis," which is the records show is not correct as the Gibsons had been here some time before Thomas Chavis arrived in 1653/54.   

Elizabeth Chavis petitioned the General Court of Virginia to release her son Gibson Gibson as it is recorded but likely Gibeon or Gideon Gibson,  who had been unlawfully bound by Berr. Mercer to Thomas Barber, who had gone to England leaving the boy with Samuel Austin.  Consider this 1656 law;

In 1655 provision was made that Indian children could become indentured servants only by consent of their parents and for specified terms agreed upon and such children were to be educated in the Christian religion.  

 In Virginia, 1656, it was provided that Indian children brought into the colony as hostages should be assigned to masters by choice of their parents, but should not be made slaves. Again, in 1658, it was decreed that any Indian children disposed of by their parents to a white man for “education and instruction in the Christian religion”, or for any other purpose, were not to be turned over to any other person upon any pretext whatever, and any such child was to be free at the age of twenty-five.

 Could Elizabeth have went to court to have her 'Indian child' released because he had 'been turned over' to Samuel Austin illegally?

Who was Elizabeth Chavis?  Some say she was the orphaned minor daughter of Thomas Chavis who bore a son out of wedlock. It is more likely, and very probable, that upon the death of the Indian Mr. Gibson of Chippoakes Creek, the widowed Elizabeth Gibson married the widow, Mr. Thomas Chavis.   The age of minor Elzizabeth and the birth of Gibson/Gibeon Gibson has always been a problem for researchers trying to make that work. 

Westover

Charles City County, Virginia Wills & Deeds, 1725-1731

p. 122 - 7 September 1726 Deed of Gift  Gibby Gibson of Westover Parish, Charles City Co., planter, for fatherly loved and affection to my daughter Mary Smith, items and one negro boy Simon, for life, and then to her son Tom, and if he dies, her son Lightfoot, ...

Will of Gibby Gibson of Charles City Co. , "very weak'.

My riding horse to be sold to pay Col. Lightfoot.To Hannah Dennam, my negro boy Jack, for life, and then to my son Gibby Gibson.To wife Francis: my negro girl Vicky, for life, and then to my daughter Fran: SmithTo my son in law George Smith, 2 negroes - Sovilaty and Jin.To Hannah Dennam, my negro boy Peter for life and then to my daughter Fran SmithTo my son Edward Gibson, my negro Judey, my wearing clothes, carpenters tools, and coopers toolsTo George Smith, 2 sheets, 2 blankets and a ruggTo Tabitha Rollinson, negro girl Nanny.George Smith to take care of my cattle and they are to be divided equally between my wife and granddaughter Sarah Smith.To wife my two working Horses and hoggs.Rest of my estate to George Smith and he to be executor , Dated 2 March 1726/7Witt: Benja. Moody, Robert Cade,(*) James BlankesSigned: Gibby(G) GibsonCodicil: Negro boy Peter given in will to Hannah Dennam and then to Frances Smith, is to go to my son George Gibson

Gibby's son, Gilbert/Gibby owned land in New Kent, Louisa, Albemarle and Goodchland. He left a will and a large family. his son Edmund died shortly after his father and left two daughters, Frances married to George Smith and 2nd to William Chavis, Mary married also to a Smith, Tabitha married George Rollinson/Rawlinson.  Tabitha and her sister went to Bertie Co., North Carolina and later found in Granville County, they are likely part of the 'Saponi families' residing on the land of Indian trader William Eaton in 1754. Hannah Denham and son George Gibson remain unaccounted for. 

There are a number of George Gibson of record in Charles City County and later other counties in Virginia as well as North Carolina. 

• 1733 Richmond VA DB09:14 Thomas DODSON Sen and wife Mary and Thomas DODSON Jr. and wife Elizabeth, all of North Farnham to Jonathan LYELL .......Wits: Robt. REYNOLDS, George GIBSON, Wm. CREEL. Recorded 1 Apr 1734
• 1737 George Gibson sued William Drinkard in Charles City County
• 1741 George Gibson granted a patent for 62 acres on Pease Hill Swamp in Charles City County
• 1741 November, George Gibson and George Gibson Jr., court presented for not going to church.
• 1745 Charles City County - Phillis Goeing (Gowen) petitioned George Gibson  concerning her children, but he failed to answer the petition so the court ordered the churchwardens to bind them out.
• 1745 Charles City County - Captain Samuel Harwood posted 20 pounds security for good behavior of George Gibson for a year. In February 1745/6 he, William Witherspoon, and John Atkinson provided a total of 80 pounds security for his good behavior, and he and his son Randolph Gibson and his wife Elizabeth posted bond of 20 pounds each for the good behavior of Randolph and Elizabeth.
• 1745 Louisa County, Virginia George Gibson purchased 320 acres in Louisa County and he and his wife Susanna sold 90 acres in Louisa County to William Donathan
• 1745 Louisa County Virginia - Ordered that William Hall, Samuel Collins, Thomas Collins, William Collins, Samuel Bunch, George Gibson , Benjamin Branham, Thomas Gibson, and William Donathan be summoned to appear at the next Court to answer the presentment of the Grand jury this day made against them for concealing tithables within twelve months past." pled not guilt 

To Be Continued