Maj. George Gibson

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of ENSIGN. DAR Ancestor # A044756

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6250490

George Gibson was a Lieutenant in the French and Indian War, and served at the Point Pleasant Campaign during the Indian Wars when the Indians were defeated in October 10, 1774. During the Revolution he served in the Continental Army, was promoted to Major. He fought at Valley Forge during the terrible winter of 1777-'78 and is said to have been at the Battle of King's Mountain. Major Gibson served with General Washington after resigning from the British Army and was at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktowne, October 19, 1781.

After the Revolution, Major Gibson moved westward to Washington County, Virginia, and when Lee was formed in 1792, his property fell in the new county. He had three or four entries of seven hundred acres of land on Treasury Warrant No. 14,105. One of 200 acres on Four Mile Creek, a branch of the Powell River, and one of 200 acres on Indian Creek, another branch of Powell River. Here he built a fort for the protection of his family and neighbors; it was known as "Gibson's Fort." It was in the western part of Lee County. In later years, 1890, when the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company built their line through Lee County, they named this section Gibson Station.

George Gibson

• Birth 1732 in Cork County, Ireland
• Death 03 Apr 1819 in Gibson Station, Lee County, Virginia

Spouse & Children

• Elizabeth Smith 1758 – 1826
  • John J. Gibson
  • Isabella Gibson 1777 – 1826
  • Robert Gibson 1779 – 1835
  • Zachariah Smith Gibson 1782 – 1842
  • Rachel Gibson 1784 –
  • George Isaac Gibson 1786 – 1860
  • Matthew Moss Gibson 1788 –
  • Elizabeth Gibson 1792 – 1876
  • James A. Gibson 1793 – 1866
  • William D. Gibson 1796 – 1870
  • Margaret Gibson 1799 – 1874

Timeline (View details)

• 1732 Birth - Cork County, Ireland
• 1775 Age: 43 - Marriage to Elizabeth Smith - Augusta County, Virginia, USA (1 source citation)
• 1819, 3 Apr Age: 87 - Death - Gibson Station, Lee County, Virginia

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George Gibson is in this story:

FRONTIER FORTS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, by Emory L. Hamilton

From Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Number 4, 1968, pages 1 to 26

GIBSON'S STATION

Gibson’s Station was located in lower Lee Co., VA about five miles from Cumberland Gap, and is still, today, called Gibson’s Station.

In 1775, Ambrose Fletcher made a settlement on a tract of land in the western end of what is today Lee Co., VA, and on the 10th of August 1785, Fletcher assigned his certificate for land to Major George Gibson. This tract was entered before the Commissioners of Washington Co., VA on August 10, 1781, by Fletcher, and is described as 400 acres of land lying in Washington Co. in Powell’s Valley, and known by the name of the "Indian Old Fields". George Gibson had this land surveyed on December 8, 1785, and was issued a patent for the same on August 1, 1785. (26)

George Gibson doubtless moved on this land shortly after acquiring it and established a station, since, and to this day known as Gibson’s Station. His home was a two story log house nearby a spring. The spring was inside the fort, and the chimney of the old Gibson home is still standing, but another house has been built to it. The location is beyond the Southern Railroad underpass about 300 yards beyond on the right.

Apparently this was another of the neighborhood forts, for I find no record that militia was ever stationed there. It was likely defended only by its occupants.

George Gibson was a son of Robert and Isabella Gibson, and was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1732. Came to America when quite young with his parents and settled in Augusta Co., VA. About 1776 he married Elizabeth Smith, a daughter of Zachariah Smith of Augusta Co. When upon coming to Southwest Virginia, it is said that he first settled in the vicinity of Abingdon, before coming to Powell Valley around 1785. He was a Lieutenant in the French and Indian War, and served during the Point Pleasant Campaign in 1774. During the Revolution he served in the Continental Army, was promoted to Major, and is said to have been at the Battle of King’s Mountain. He died at Gibson’s Station, April 3, 1819.

The Indians captured his son, Matthew Moss Gibson, when he was a small child and he lived with the Indians until grown, when he was identified by a birthmark and ransomed by his father. Family tradition states that he never became accustomed to living with his family, and would often be found outside the door listening and not entering the house. That he often returned to his Indian parents, staying awhile and then returning to his own parents. He later moved to Missouri where he spent the remainder of his life.

References

1. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:George_Gibson_%2815%29