Person Page - 217

     John Gibson Sr. was born on 11 May 1739 in Christchurch, Middlesex County, Virginia. Parish Register of Christ Church of Middlesex County, VA: John, "Born to James Gibson and Isabella Gibson ye 11th of May 1739." This is most likely valid. Another son born to this couple is named "Churchill Gibson", and John's likely brother Churchill is found with him in both Edgefield County, SC as well as in Warren County, GA. He was also known as "Middle Creek".

John married first Mary Gladden on 2 February 1778 in South Carolina.

John married Clara MATHEWS, daughter of James MATHEWS III and Sarah BRINKLEY, on 8 January 1813 in Warren County, Georgia. She was the widow of William Boyd Butt who she had married in 1794 in Halifax county, North Carolina. Arch. Flewellen JC perforrmed the service.^1,2

According to a biography by Milton Gibson, John was a Revolutionary Soldier, who served in the 1st South Carolina Regiment under Col. Charles Pinckney, (DAR). John Gibson Sr. was born about 1740. Some writers say he was born in Cheraw SC. Some have stated that John Gibson Sr.was the son of Gideon Gibson, of SC. DNA has proven that John Gibson Sr. his Ancestors and Descendents do not match DNA Ancestors and Descendents of Gideon Gibson SC. Research must begin again.

The first Land Record I have of my gggg Grandfather John Gibson Sr. says that he is "A Blacksmith", when he purchased land in Edgefield Co. SC., 1788. A Churchill Gibson witnessed the land transaction, who I believe is John Sr's brother.

The First Wife and Mother of his children is Unknown.
Children of John Gibson Sr:
Nancy Gibson, m. John Gorman (2) Thomas Eades (3) Odum (?)
John Gibson Jr. m. Frances (Fanny) Flewellen
Churchill Gibson, m. Mary Brantley (2) Frances Brantley
Henry Gibson, m. Mary Coffee
Sarah Gibson, m. Isaiah Tucker
John Gibson Sr. married 2nd Clarissa Matthews Butts, widow of William Butts,
Warren Co GA. June 8, 1813 page 42.

John Sr. and Family moved to Wilkes Co GA, abt. 1790, which later became Warren Co. GA. He accumulated about 1000 acres of land and had many slaves. Most of the Children grew up and married in Warren Co. GA, they lived on Middle Creek for about 25 years.

John Gibson Sr. wrote his Last Will and Testament in 1826 while living in Warren Co. GA., stating that "he was weak in body but still sound in mind,"
soon after writing his Will he and Clary moved to Campbell Co. GA. As far as record states none of John's children lived in Campbell Co. John's grandson, Claiborn Gorman lived in Campbell Co and is buried in the Adderhold/Kolb/Beall Cemetery at Sand Town GA. on the Chattahoochee River. According to our research, and some records, our Old Revolutionary Soldier John Gibson Sr. is buried in the Adderhold Cemetery. Recently we located record that his 2nd wife Clary is also buried in this cemetery near her two daughters, Sarah B. Butts who married Jessie Beall, who was killed at the massacre of Goliad, Texas, and Susan T. Butts who married Martin Kolb, a prominent pioneer of Warren Co. We located the grave stones of Sarah B. Butts Beall, Susan T. Butts Kolb and Martin Kolb in the abandoned Adderhold/Kolb/Beall Cemetery, at Sand Town Georgia. There are two old broken stone (rocks) graves that are near Sarah and Susan's grave site that interest us, could these be our John and Clary
Gibson's grave sites?

John Gibson Sr. died in 1829 Campbell Co. GA. I have a copy of his original Will that was hand written in 1826 in Warren Co., and is recorded in Monroe Co., Forsyth, GA. His Executor's were sons, Churchill, Henry and Friend Martin Kolb who probated his Will in Forsyth, GA. At the death of John Gibson Sr. he owned property in Warren, Houston, Campbell and Coweta Counties in Georgia.

Additional Comments:
There were at least two John Gibsons in Warren Co. Ga. at one time. One of them was John Gibson who lived on Long Creek. Our John Gibson Sr. lived on Middle Creek. The reason our John Gibson Sr. is not on the Revolutionary Soldier Monument in Warren Co. he did not die in Warren Co.

John Gibson Sr. died on 4 May 1829 in Campbell County, Georgia, at age 89.

     Henry Alonzo ABNEY, son of George Poindexter ABNEY and Rachel Hartsfield, was born on 17 February 1863 in Jasper County, Mississippi.¹

Henry married Martha E. Hayes circa 1891.²

Henry Alonzo ABNEY died on 22 January 1920 in Wharton County, Texas, at age 56.¹ He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.¹

     Robert Raphael ABNEY, son of Henry Alonzo ABNEY and Martha E. Hayes, was born on 2 January 1898 in China, Jefferson County, Texas.¹

Robert married Minnie Eve Grammier on 25 November 1919 in Jefferson County, Texas.²

Robert Raphael ABNEY died on 11 December 1969 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, at age 71.¹ He was buried in San Jacinto Memorial Park, Houston, Harris County, Texas.¹

     Robert Crosby ABNEY, son of Jesse Mercier ABNEY and Sarah CROSBY, was born on 3 November 1864 in Jasper County, Mississippi.¹

Robert married Ella Henrietta Strain in 1889.²

Robert Crosby ABNEY died on 4 May 1949 at age 84.¹ He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.¹

     Robert Ralph ABNEY, son of Robert Crosby ABNEY and Ella Henrietta Strain, was born on 23 November 1889 in Louisiana.¹ He was a butcher and later a carpenter.

Robert married Lillian Gertrude Ragan on 16 November 1910 in Louisiana.²

Robert had a significant relationship with Virginia Eleanor McCormick circa 1922 in Mobile, Alabama.³

Robert Ralph ABNEY died on 13 April 1964 at age 74.¹ He was buried in Saint Vincent de Paul Cemetery #3, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana.¹

     Virginia Eleanor McCormick was born on 29 March 1906 in Alabama.¹ She was also known as Virgie.

Virginia had a significant relationship with Robert Ralph ABNEY, son of Robert Crosby ABNEY and Ella Henrietta Strain, circa 1922 in Mobile, Alabama.¹

Virginia appeared on a census, enumerated 5 April 1930, in the household of her mother Virginia McCormick in Robertsdale, Baldwin County, Alabama. Virginia McCormic, a 45-year-old widow. She owned her home valued $1000. Living with her were her children: Homer, Virgie, Albert, Jessie, and Cornelia, ages 26-10. Virgie A. McCormic (sp), was a 22-year-old widow. She had married at age 15. Her children, John W., age 5, and Eleanor L. McCormic, 18 months old, were incorrectly listed as children of her mother, Virginia.

Virginia Eleanor McCormick was listed in the 1939 city directory for Mobile, Alabama. Mrs. Virgie Abney, finisher. She lived on the south side of Cherokee Place.²

Virgie McCormick appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 30 April 1940 in Plateau, Mobile County, Alabama. The household was listed as Virgie Abney, a 32-year-okd widow who worked in the finishing room of a paper mill. Her income was $400. She owned her home with a value of #1000 on Chandler Street. She had a 6th grade education. Living with her were her children, John W. Abney, age 16, a caddy at a golf course, and Eleanor D. Abney, age 11, in school.

Virginia Eleanor McCormick was listed in the 1941 and 1942 city directory for Mobile, Alabama. Mrs. Virgie E. Abney, widow of Ralph, machine operatorr in a paper plant. She lived at 20 W. Chandler (Church Terrace). Note: She was not actually a sidow as Ralph was not deceased, but obviously they were no longer together.³

Virginia Eleanor McCormick died on 4 February 1968 in New Castle, New Castle County, Delaware, at age 61.¹ She was buried in Glebe Cemetery, New Castle, New Castle County, Delaware.¹

     John Wilbur ABNEY, son of Robert Ralph ABNEY and Virginia Eleanor McCormick, was born on 11 January 1924 in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama.^1,2 Conflicting evidence indicates John was born on 11 January 1925.³

John Wilbur ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 30 April 1940, in the household of his mother Virgie McCormick in Plateau, Mobile County, Alabama. He was recorded as son John W. Abney, age 16, and employed part time as a caddy on a golf course. He was not attending school and had a 6th grade education.

John married first Annette Revesman before 1945 in Alabama.

John was registered for the draft during World War II on 23 October 1945 while living in Bronx, New York City, New York. His residence was listed as 1421 University Avenue, Bronx 52, New York. This was crossed out and P. O. Box 212, Pritchard, Alabama penciled in with date 1 Apr 1946. He was 21 years old and born in Mobile, Alabama on 11 Jan 1924. Next of kin was his wife, Annette Abney, at the Bronx address. He was unemployed and discribed as white, 5' 11", 170 lbs., with light complexion, brown eyes and hair. The Bronx registration was dated 23 Oct 1945, but there was a note: Honorable Discharge from U. S. Navy, 15 Oct 1945.²

John married second Elizabeth Christopher before 1947.

The marriage of John Wilbur ABNEY and Elizabeth Christopher was annulled in 1954 in Wilmington, Delaware.

John married third Myrtle Louise Bowman before 1975 in Delaware.⁴

John Wilbur ABNEY died on 20 December 1990 in Harrington, Kent County, Delaware, at age 66.^1,5 He was buried in Milford Community Cemetery New, Milford, Kent County, Delaware.¹

     Annette Revesman was born on 13 November 1926 in Manhattan, New York City, New York.

Annette married John Wilbur ABNEY, son of Robert Ralph ABNEY and Virginia Eleanor McCormick, before 1945 in Alabama. She was mentioned in the WWII draft registration of John Wilbur ABNEY on 23 October 1945 in Bronx, New York City, New York. She was listed as his wife and as his point of contact. They lived at 1421 University Avenue in the Bronx.¹

Annette Revesman died on 13 January 1997 in Garnerville, Rockland County, New York, at age 70.

     Elizabeth Christopher was born on 6 July 1927 in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware. She was also known as Betty.

Elizabeth married John Wilbur ABNEY, son of Robert Ralph ABNEY and Virginia Eleanor McCormick, before 1947.

The marriage of Elizabeth Christopher and John Wilbur ABNEY was annulled in 1954 in Wilmington, Delaware.

Elizabeth Christopher died on 27 June 2007 in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, at age 79. She was buried in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, New Castle County, Delaware.

     Myrtle Louise Bowman was born on 10 March 1919 in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware.¹

Myrtle married John Wilbur ABNEY, son of Robert Ralph ABNEY and Virginia Eleanor McCormick, before 1975 in Delaware.¹

Myrtle Louise Bowman died on 8 April 1983 in Houston, Kent County, Delaware, at age 64.¹ She was buried in Milford Community Cemetery New, Milford, Kent County, Delaware.¹

     Zora Carr was born on 5 September 1918 in Elmore County, Alabama.¹

Zora married Joseph Edward HUNT, son of Jesse Samuel HUNT and Barbara Cornelia ESCO, on 24 December 1937 in Autauga County, Alabama.¹

Zora Carr died on 25 July 2003 in Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, at age 84.¹

     John Jackson BROWN, son of Asa Anderson BROWN and Mary Halliburton, was born on 24 June 1814 in Tennessee.¹

John married Sarah Caroline Harkey on 2 August 1840 in Pope County, Arkansas.^2,3

As of November 1854, John Jackson BROWN was living in San Saba County, Texas. According to "Call of the San Saba" by Alma Ward Hamrick, at that time Matthias Harkey and his sons, W. J., Levi, Riley, and Israel, Jackson Brown, and J. McDaniel settled on Wallace Creek. She said that in 1855 J. H. Brown settled on the San Saba, and Cyrus Ford came with him. That same year Matt Brown, W. McShan, and Stinnett Mussett the Shaw Bend locality.

Local resident John Thomas Wood, born 1856, recanted this story in an article in Frontier Times magazine, "There was a man who lived two or three miles up the creek from us by the name of Jackson Brown. One day an Indian boy walked into Mr. Brown’s yard, and going up to Mr. Brown, stuck out his hand and said “How!” Mr. Brown could not speak the Indian’s language, and the Indian could not speak English, but a man named Jones, who lived further up the creek, could speak several Indians dialects, so he was sent for and soon came. The Indian boy told how he came to he there. He said a party of his tribe had come into that region, and ran off and left him there, and as he did not know where to go he decided to come to that ranch and make friends with the people there. In token of friendship he had left his bow and arrows hidden in the woods and when Jones requested him to bring them in he went out and got them. Next day Newt Brown took the Indian boy to San Saba, and as they came by our house they stopped and we were permitted to see the Indian. He was the first Indian I ever saw, and I think about the lousiest. His hair hung down on his back and had probably never been combed. It was covered with nits and lice. When Newt Brown reached town he had the boy’s head shingled and a doctor put something on it to kill the lice. Newt bought him some clothes and dressed him up, and he did not look like the same Indian when he brought him back home. The Indian boy stayed with Mr. Brown a long time and seemed very well contented. He was still with the Browns when I left that country, but later I heard he went to San Angelo and lived with some Mexicans there."⁴

J. T. Wood also told this tale mentioning Jacson Brown's wife's Harkey family: It was in 1870, I think, when about 75 Indians made a raid down Richland Creek and gave us a pretty bad scare. Warren Hudson lived near the headwater of the creek, and the Indians rode near his house, while he stood in his doorway and watched them. They took a pony he had staked near his house, and rode on down to where the Harkey children lived. There were twelve or thirteen of these children on the place, their parents having died, they lived there on the old homestead. When the children saw the Indians coming they all ran to the house, except one little girl, who climbed a tree and remained concealed among the branches until the Indians passed on. As they passed the house Joe Harkey got his gun and fired two or three shots at them, but the Indians rode on as if they never knew anybody had shot at them. Further down the creek they ran into about fifteen cowmen with a bunch of cattle rounded up, and had quite a battle with them. It was about a mile from our place and we could hear the firing. Soon the cowmen came dashing to our place, with Alex Hall in the lead. They told father to flee as the country was full of Indians. We went over to Uncle Spence Wood's place, and prepared for a fight. The cowmen reported that a man named Bomar had been killed by the Indians, but this proved a mistake, as Bomar came in next morning unscratched. The Indians had chased him pretty close, but he found refuge in a hole of water under a bluff, and they failed to get him. In the fighting Parson Davis was wounded with a lance, but soon recovered. It is not known how many Indians were killed. The Indians came to the Widow Lindley's house, and found nobody at home. They robbed the house and then burned it. Uncle Riley Wood was in this fight, and shot at an Indian that had a skirt on his head. He dropped the skirt on the battleground, and it was found to belong to Mrs. Lindley.

After this raid the few families living on Richland Creek decided that they had no chance against large bands of Indians, so we all moved down on the river near San Saba town. We crossed the trail where the Indians went out and saw plenty of signs of the battle they had with the cowmen.⁵

John Jackson BROWN died on 3 October 1890 in Richland Springs, San Saba County, Texas, at age 76.¹ He was buried in Richland Springs Cemetery.¹

     Sarah Caroline Harkey was born on 27 January 1821 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.¹

Sarah married John Jackson BROWN, son of Asa Anderson BROWN and Mary Halliburton, on 2 August 1840 in Pope County, Arkansas.^1,2

Sarah Caroline Harkey died on 29 December 1884 in Richland Springs, San Saba County, Texas, at age 63.¹ She was buried in Richland Springs Cemetery.¹