Parents of Martin Gibson (1803-1880)

PARENTS OF MARTIN GIBSON (1803-1880)

Stokes County, North Carolina

m. Mary Ferguson (1799-1881)

compiled by Theresa Gibson Keisler

There is a lot of confusion regarding the parents of Martin Gibson b1803 of Stokes County, NC.  Much research is still needed in this area, but I am going to lay out some documentation here to show that it is most likely William Gibson son of Valentine Gibson.  At the bottom of this document, I will lay out some of the most common misconceptions and provide what I have learned about why they cannot be his parents.  This topic greatly interests me because Martin is my 3^rd great grandfather confirmed by both autosomal DNA and paper trail.  My father is a direct descendant of Martin along the y-dna line.  His Y-DNA places Martin’s line on Haplogroup I-M253.  In the Gibson Surname Project, his YDNA matches the Valentine Gibson lineage (son of Thomas Gibson d1734 Hanover Co, VA).  

William Gibson (b abt 1779/1780 & died after 1850) is the younger brother of James, John, Garrett, Valentine Jr, Archelaus, Hannah & Ezekiel.  The following document shows a link between William & Valentine (& Ezekiel)…..

^Shared with me by Joanne Pezzullo (Gibson descendant and avid researcher of the Gibson family)^

Here is an image of the 1790 Census in Stokes County, NC where you can see all the Gibsons living in the same general area near Samuel Jackson (m. Hannah Gibson). 

The following documents show William’s connection with Hannah (Hannah, Ezekiel, and William are believed to be the three youngest children of Valentine).  More research and confirmation will be needed in this area, but this is a good start.  This is Hannah’s will (found on ancestry.com) in which she mentions her brother William, as well as another William (William Green Gibson):

Below is an excerpt from the pension application for Samuel Jackson in which Hannah and William are again connected……

[p 24: On February 15, 1839 in Stokes County North Carolina, William Gibson, gave testimony that his sister Hannah was married to James Jackson in January 1782; that he was about 9 years old at the time they were married; that their oldest child was 10 years and 2 months younger than the affiant. ]

---from Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension application of Samuel Jackson W5004 Hannah Jackson f37NC Transcribed by Will Graves 10/3/08 rev'd 1/22/16

Here is a census record showing William Gibson next door to Samuel Jackson (m. Hannah Gibson) in 1830. 

Next is pictured the 1830 census page in full for context….. On this same census page you will also note the surnames King (Bethenia Gibson m. Alexander King), Sullivan (this surname married into both Gibson & Ferguson families), Morris (Shadrack Morris m. Eunice Gibson), Tuttle (Thomas Tuttle m. Mary Petree; Petree Martin’s mother-in-law’s maiden name)……

The following land survey below shows Martin Gibson on the land next to Samuel Jackson (who married Hannah Gibson).  William Gibson is known to have lived next door to his sister Hannah, so the land that we see Martin on here is the land of William Gibson brother of Hannah. 

More info on Martin & his siblings:

Martin had two known siblings, both born in Stokes County: 

1-     Bethenia Gibson (b1802) m. Alexander King

2-     Hardy C Gibson (b1821) m. Mary Polly Leake

Documentation on their births is lacking at this point, but it seems likely that Martin & Bethenia are full siblings, while Hardy is possibly from a second wife.  Hardy is listed in mid-1800 census with Judith/Judah (presumably his mother, but not clearly indicated) whose age may not be reported correctly if it is the same woman as it changes dramatically from one census to another.  Regardless, Judah may or may not be the mother of Martin & Bethenia. 

In 1871 there is record of a pension app for a James W Merritt; Martin, Bethenia, and Hardy C Gibson made a claim on the pension of Mr. Merritt after he died as “nearest living kin.”  This supports that they are most likely siblings.  An excerpt from Merritt Families Book is below.  I have not found a direct connection yet between Martin Gibson and the Merritts, but several peripheral connections are clear, and I have also found close residences/relationships… I will share the connection when I figure it out for sure…..

             

^This is an excerpt from a book on the Merritt Family regarding the pension application of James W. Merritt^

Below is the letter by Martin, Bethenia, & Hardy as part of the claim on James W Merritt’s pension….

WHO IS NOT MARTIN’S FATHER?

Below you will find an explanation and documentation supporting that the following men are NOT the father of Martin Gibson 1803-1880.  I am continually adding to this list as I rule out men that are commonly linked to Martin Gibson & his siblings. 

11.)  Jeremiah Gibson 1769-1849

22.)  William Gibson 1780-1853 m. Rachel DeWitt

33.)  Nathan W Gibson b1782 m Mary Chambers

1

1.) Jeremiah Gibson (1769-1849) is often listed as Martin’s father on ancestry trees, but I have found nothing to support this despite years of research.  I have found plenty of documentation to support that Jeremiah had only two sons (& no daughters):  Isaac Smith Gibson (who is named in Jeremiah’s will) and William Nelson Gibson 1805-1831 (who was a doctor & died before Jeremiah).  Olivia Stedman, daughter of the deceased William N Gibson and thus granddaughter of Jeremiah, is the only other family mentioned in Jeremiah’s will aside from Jeremiah’s wife Sarah.   Isaac was the administrator of the will. 

 Here is the obituary of Jeremiah’s son William (the middle initial is believed to actually be N for Nelson, not M, but regardless the obituary confirms he is survived by his wife and young daughter (Olivia Gibson who eventually married Stedman), as well as his brother & father (Isaac & Jeremiah). 

2.)  William Gibson 1780-1853 m. Rachel Dewitt (Son of Garrett Gibson m. Prudence Sumner) is also often listed as a father to Martin – William and Rachel moved west to Delaware Co, Indiana, so it is really difficult to find a way to account for them being Martin and Bethenia’s parents.  The timing simply doesn’t work.  First, Rachel would have been just 15 yrs old at Bethenia’s birth (not unheard of, but she was a Quaker and there is no record of this in Quaker records.  It was hard to hide indiscretions at that time in the Quaker community.  Second, when they went west, they would have taken their minor children with them.  If Bethenia was an ‘oops’, would she have had another child (Martin) in August of the following year?  Possible, but very unlikely.  William & Rachel are believed to have traveled west with his parents (Garrett Gibson & Prudence Sumner).  Garrett & Prudence requested a certificate of transfer (Quaker Church – Westfield) in 1800 for the Quaker Church in Tennessee (Lost Creek).  Garrett is clearly documented in Tennessee by 1802.  These Quaker records are below….

It is possible that William son of Garrett (abt 1780-1853) did not travel west at the same time as his father.   If Martin were the son of William Gibson m. Rachel DeWitt, why would Martin be living on the land of William Gibson who stayed in Stokes County and lived next door to Samuel Jackson m. Hannah Gibson?  William d1853 has definitely settled in Delaware County, Indiana by 1828/1829.  Below is an excerpt from The History of Delaware County, Indiana Book...

Here is William in the 1830 census in Delaware Co, Indiana…..

Here is William’s will dated 1852, naming his children:  Nancy Ogle, Valentine Gibson, Lucinda Ogle, Patsy Turner, John Gibson, Abigail Shockly, and Isaac Suite [Suits] –

Below is William’s will transcribed:

_______________________________________________________

12 April 1852

WILLIAM GIBSON WILL

I, William Gibson, of Delaware County and state of Indiana being weak in [boddy] but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding thanks be to Almighty God for the same to make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say.  First it is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid.  Second, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Rachael Gibson, in lieu of her dower a full and competent maintenance during her natural life time from the rents and [proffits] of the plantation on which we now live situated in the county and state aforesaid containing about eighty acres, and that at the death of my said wife all the above described property be equally divided among the following named heirs Nancy Ogle, Valentine Gibson, Lucinda Ogle, Patsy Turner, John Gibson, Abigail Shockly, and Isaac Suite.  And lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint Jonas Turner and my son John Gibson to be the executors for this my last will and testament *wishing* an annulling all former wills by me made and ratified and confirmed this and no other to be my last will and testament.  In testimony whereof I herewith set my hand and seal this twelfth day of April eighteen and fifty two. 

William [his mark] Gibson SEAL

Witnessed by us

James W. Rosebrough

William [his mark] N. Turner
__________________________________________________________________________

Here are Quaker cemetery records for both William & Rachel (DeWitt) Gibson in Indiana….

3.) Nathan W Gibson b1782 m. Mary (Chambers?) – There are several supports available to prove that Nathan is not THIS Martin’s father.   First of all, Y-DNA from Nathan’s Gibson line, as available in the Gibson Surname Project, places Nelson Gibson’s line (Nelson is the father of Nathan) of Gibsons in Haplogroup R.  While he may have had a son Martin or Mastin (could have been poor handwriting), it is not the Martin in question from Stokes County.  We know this because Martin Gibson of Stokes County is confirmed haplogroup I-M253 on y-dna testing.  These are completely different haplogroups suggesting they do not connect along the paternal/Gibson lineage. 

Secondly, we have census data that places Nathan W. Gibson and his ancestors in Richmond County, NC (southern border of NC).  I have provided detailed information below about county formation of Anson & Richmond counties - it appears as if these families did not move from one county to another, but that they lived in the part of Anson County that became Richmond County (described & illustrated below).  Here is what we know about Nathan Gibson (father of many children, including a Martin or Mastin Gibson.  

1782 – born in Anson County, NC, USA

1790 – here is Nathan living as a child with his father Nelson Gibson Sr in Richmond Co, NC

1810 – Richmond County, North Carolina (southern part of NC next to Anson – see map below).  Here is Nathan living near his father Nelson Sr & brother Nelson Jr.

1820 – In 1820 we once again find Nathan in Richmond Co, NC just one page over from his father Nelson.  Images from those two pages are below:

1823 – The will of Nelson Gibson, Sr of Richmond County, NC, USA, naming Nathan as his son is pictured below.  This will names the living children of Nelson Gibson, Sr:  William, Nelson (Jr), Nathan, Luke, Samuel, Sally (Sarah), Nancy, & Agnes.  

1830 – Richmond County, NC.  In this census, you can see Nathan living near several brothers:  Luke, William, & Nelson Jr.  As per the above will & records, Nelson Gibson, Sr. died in 1823.

In 1855 a petition to sell the real estate of Nathan W Gibson was posted as his heirs had apparently moved away from Richmond County, NC.  We know many of them had settled by this point in nearby Chesterfield County, South Carolina where his wife Mary is believed to have died.   The petition lists his living children at that time, including a "Mastin Gibson" (possibly a Martin Gibson, but is seen here in type with an 's', so is possibly correct):

So, we know our Stokes Martin is found in Stokes marrying his bride, Mary Ferguson, in 1824. Where is this other Martin Gibson, son of Nathan W Gibson after his father passes away?  Here are the two Martins very clearly in the 1850 census – one in Richmond District, Stokes County, NC (this is Martin Gibson 1803-1880 m. Mary Ferguson) & the other in Chesterfield, SC - the county just south of Richmond Co, NC (this is the one who is son of Nathan Gibson & brother of Aaron and Nelson Gibson.)  These are two different Martins - - - 

There is a town in Richmond County called Rockingham, which is often confused with the county of Rockingham in the north AND there is a district within Stokes County on later censuses called Richmond District, Stokes County, NC (I made this same mistake when I started my research - it is pretty confusing until you look at a map and learn how closely you have to look at these census reports), but the family of Nathan is never found in the northern part of the state of North Carolina.  As far back as the early 1700s, the family of Nathan Gibson was in the area that became Anson County and later Rockingham, Richmond County, North Carolina, USA.  This is not the same area as Stokes or Rockingham County in the northern part of the state (map below).  There is nothing I have ever found that puts Nathan anywhere near Stokes County, NC.  If you look at the below map, you will see that in the times of the 1700s/1800s these two areas are quite far apart.  For some perspective, I currently live in Union County, which is the area where southern Mecklenburg & Anson County are on this map from 1790 (below).  I live further west and north than this family did, so a bit closer than this family would have lived   It would take me a minimum of two hours by modern car on a major highway to arrive at the edge of Stokes County.

Anson County was formed in 1750 along the southern boundary of North Carolina.  This area was reportedly first settled in the 1730s according to several web sources including:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anson_County,_North_Carolina

http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/anson_county_nc.html   

The same source tells us that Richmond County was formed in 1779, so when looking at records, this family was in the area of Anson County that became part of Richmond County when it was formed. 

“Present-day Richmond County was first settled by Native Americans living along the Pee Dee River. Richmond was part of Anson County, which was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. The General Assembly formed Richmond County from Anson in October 1779. The citizens cited the hardship in crossing the Pee Dee River to go to the courthouse in Anson County, as their reason for wanting a separate county with the dividing line of the Pee Dee River.”

updated 3/17/2019