My Interpretation of William Gibson’s Will

Gibsons in PA

by Gary T. Gibson

It is December 4, 1770, and William Gibson writes his Will. He is a very sick man, and he probably felt that he would die soon. He died in January 1771.

William’s estate, or plantation, is about 400 acres of land, located east of the Big Run River in Newton Twp., Cumberland Co., PA. Cumberland County was formed in 1750 from Lancaster County, PA.

I assume that his son, Robert, is the oldest, because he is mentioned first. William gives Robert 150 acres of his plantation. He mentions his neighbors: James Young, John Scouller, and David Harren. He also mentions another Robert Gibson (not William's son), and a Andrew Gibson. These two men could be a brother and a nephew.

The next two sons, John and William, will be allowed to work the rest of the farm, 250 acres, to help support the widow, Margaret, and the young orphans. William wants his sons to obedient to his wishes.

Some people claim, that this John mentioned here, is a John Gibson, who married a Mary Duncan. This John is said to have been born about 1725. Now a problem occurs, because there was also a child born in 1771, a sibling of John. That is a span of 45 years between those children! If that birth date of John is true, it is almost impossible, that these children were born to the same woman. The woman would have to be at least 15 years old to be able to give birth to John, and then give birth to another child 45 years later in 1771, this woman would have to be about 60 years old! This could not have happened! Since, William’s Will states that there was an unborn child in 1770, I believe, that the John Gibson mentioned above,with a date of birth of abt 1725, does not belong in this family. Even if Sarah D. Gibson was right in guessing at John's birthdate of 1743, the unborn child was still born 30 years later, putting the mother having children from age 18 to 48. That is still tough, but probable.

Well, what if William Gibson had two wives? There seems to be a minor division in years between the older three sons, Robert, John, and William, and the five younger “orphans”.

William Gibson mentions his young orphans in his Will. These sons, were his young children, who were soon to be left without their father. He wants those 5 young orphans sons to be put to trades, when thought proper by the Exactors of the Will. The Exactors of William’s Will are Margaret, his wife, and Allen Leppis. The young orphans are: Samuel, James, George, Gideon, and Charles. They are only to inherit a few pounds each, and then be “put to trades”. Because of this, I want to assume that they are not any older that about 18 years. With the Will written in 1770, these sons, would have to have been born from about 1752 to 1768.

Williams names his two daughters, Jannett and Ann. I am assuming, that they are still at home, and they are not married. I do not know their ages, but they could be anywhere from 5 to 35, depending if William had one, or two wives. Jannett could be the oldest, because she is mentioned first. I don’t think that Ann is very young, and she must be old enough, to have had provoked her father. He leaves her no money, and will not share in the division of his estate like her siblings will. Ann is only to receive a gray mare. I don’t think a child would have earned such rath.

If William had only one wife, the younger sons, and the unborn child were still probably born after 1752. If one of the daughter, maybe even both, are older that the 5 younger sons, they may be 18-25 years old. Now, to include the three older brothers, if they are to be born to the same woman, then they wouldn’t be older that about 30 years.

Margaret must be younger than her husband, William. It is assumed, that he is at least 65 years old, but Margaret is still bearing children. Lets, say, in 1770, Margaret is about 48. Her 11th child will be her last. If I go back 30 years, Margaret would be about 18, and she could have given birth to the first child. But that first child would have to have been born about 1740!

If anyone believes, that William had only one wife, and she had a child about 1725, they are mistaken. It is impossible!

Back to the two wife theory: If a son, John, was born about 1725, in 1770, when William writes his Will, he would be 45 years old! One source says that John is living in North Carolina. His father, William, wants him to come home and work the farm to support the widow, and young orphans. By this time, in his life, John has a wife, and family of his own. Also, another source claims that this John Gibson, is Col. John Gibson, who had many military adventures from Virginia to Pennsylvania. The only way for a child of William to be born in 1725, and in 1771, is that he had two wives.

Still, I think that Robert, John, and William are the oldest sons, and were probably close in age. With Robert the oldest, born before 1725, (if John was born in 1725), and then William after 1725. I’m thinking that sons, John and William, are close in age, for it is these two sons, who are asked to work the farm. I’m thinking, that maybe these three sons were born from 1720-1728. But that doesn’t make sense to me, that the father would ask his grown sons, to come back home.

1st Scenario: William Gibson had two wives. ( d.o.b. are not actual, they are guesses)

William Gibson married (1) Miss Unknown, and they have these children:

William Gibson married (2) Margaret Unknown, and they have these children:

2nd Scenario: William Gibson had only one wife: (d.o.b. are not actual, they are guesses)

William Gibson married Margaret Unknown, and they had these children:

I think that the reason, that this William Gibson is being “grabbed-up” by so many different families, is that by having a Will, he became prominate, and known. Where as, the other William Gibson’s in Pennsylvania and Virginia, are left unclaimed, because nothing is known about them, and there were many of them.

I know that some of what I have tried to explain here is not perfect, but what scenerio can you think of?

<<<<BACK<<<<

1