Historical records matching John Gibson, of Cambridge
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About John Gibson, of Cambridge
Not the same as Sir John Gibson of Pentland and Alderston. This John Gibson was probably of English origins.
John Gibson of Cambridge, Mass., born about 1601, England and died, Cambridge, 1694 aged 93 years. Married, first, Rebecca—(buried Dec 1, 1661 in Roxbury burying ground, the burial recorded by Rev. John Eliot, pastor Roxbury First church. Second wife, Joan, widow of Henry Prentice of Cambridge married July 24, 1662.
His house, which stood on the east of Sparks street, not far up the hill from the path (Brattle street) to Watertown, was built before October 10, 1635. (Lat & Lon: 42.377925,-71.130155).
John Gibson, his wife, son John Jr. and daughter Mary were sued for defamation 9 months after accusing the widow of Winifred Holman and her daughter of witchcraft (over 30 years before the Salem Witch Trials). Warrants were placed for John, his son John Jr., his wife, and dau. Mary Stearns March 28, 1660 and Gibson was ordered to pay a fine.
Disputed Origins
There is no support for this passage:
Sir John Gibson was of noble Scottish lineage from the area Edwice, Fife, Scotland. Brothers Alexander and George were both members of the Scottish parliament. Great-Grandfather Thomas Graig was Lord Advocate and Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh. It is disputed as to whether he was born in England or Scotland.
Notes
After his father's death, the young merchant came to New England's shores arriving in Newtowne ( later Cambridge) MA in 1631. His future wife, Lady [SIC - no support] Rebecca Thompson would arrive in 1633, In 1634 they were married at Newtowne. John Gibson had left behind nobility [???] and wealth in favor of religious freedom to be a "freethinker" Presbyterian. He was a merchant, landowner, and farmer and the father of 5 children. Around 1660, his married daughter was having physical and emotional problems involving "uncontrollable barking". The suspicious family accused a neighbor, who had tried to help with some herb "medicine", of witchcraft. The neighbor's family sued and arrest warrants were sent out for John and his wife and son John and daughter Mary for false accusations of witchcraft. The Gibson family was made to apologize and pay court costs . Following, of course, Rebecca Gibson, was accused of witchcraft and she and her family were forced to move from the community. His wife Rebecca had died in 1661 amidst all the drama. He remarried in1662 to the widow, Joanna Prentiss who died around 1684. This episode involving traded accusations of witchcraft cost the family emotionally and financially for the rest of their lives. All the daughters left Cambridge. His daughter, Mary died in 1674 and his son, John, was killed in 1679 during King Phillip's War, leaving a destitute wife who ended up losing her children to a "suitable" church family. Rebecca died in 1681 followed by his 2nd wife. In 23 years, Sir John lost 2 wives and three children. In the late 1680's, the family came under extreme oppression by the political changes in Massachusetts and England. In 1688, Sir John Gibson and others signed a direct plea to King James II for relief concerning the land that had been in the family for over 60 years. The plea went without response as James was losing control over in England. Sir John Gibson died in 1694, aged 93, poor and destitute survived by just 2 of his children, Martha and Samuel.
Books on the Gibson Family:
- "John Gibson of Cambridge, Massachusetts" by Mehitable Calef Coppenhagen Wilson
- "History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts" by Stearns, Ezra Scollay
- "Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England" by David D. Hall
- "Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal memoirs of Worcester County" by Ellery Bicknell Crane.
- “Account of John Gibson and His Descendants, 1634-1899, 1900.” < MyHeritage >
- Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Oct 31 2020, 11:11:08 UTC
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John Gibson, of Cambridge's Timeline
| 1601 |
1601
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England
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| 1635 |
1635
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Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA
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| 1637 |
May 29, 1637
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Cambridge, (Present Middlesex County), Massachusetts Bay Colony
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| 1639 |
April 29, 1639
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Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA, Cambridge, Middlesex County, MA, United States
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| 1641 |
1641
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Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts
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| 1644 |
October 28, 1644
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Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Colonial America
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| 1694 |
December 2, 1694
Age 93
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Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Old Burying Ground, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
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