Joseph Philander Gibson was born 18 March 1862, after the start of the Civil War. He was born in Old Mines, Washington Co., Missouri. His parents were Rev. Williamson Osborn Gibson and Mary Francis Glore. He left home at a very young age, after getting into
trouble, along with some other youngsters for damaging the church. The damage was caused by pigs that apparently ran loose
and liked to root around under the church. His parents found out the truth after he had left home.
Memory recalls he told stories about working as a cowboy on cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. He used to sing some of
the old-old cowboy songs. He spent some years around the Halstead/Newton, Kansas area. There is an autograph book from
friends there dated 1888 and also unidentified pictures from that area, He was friends with the Cutter family from that area and
who later came to Oklahoma. On 17 October 1889, he married Sarah Cutter in Halstead, Harvey County, Kansas.
When the Cherokee Outlet in Indian Territory was to be opened for settlement he came to what is now Oklahoma and on 16 September 1893, made the Great Land Run, riding a sorrel mule. He staked a claim to a quarter section of land 2 1/2 miles east of Douglas, Ok. He built a sod dugout to live in and later added a second room to make a two room dugout with two separate
entrances. He farmed, probably mostly wheat, and raised most of the food for his family. He also sold cars around 1915 and later
was in the dairy and grocery businesses. At one time he also raised broom corn and made brooms to sell in the community.
This work was done in the barn at night after his regular day's work was done.
He built a frame house and barn, could have been in 1899 because there is a large lumber receipt for that year. There were
two children born around this time and were buried in the chinaberry trees northeast of the house. Thirteen years after his marriage
to Sarah, Ethel was born in 1902 and in 1905 Blanche was born. Seven days later Sarah died due to complications from childbirth
and is buried in the Covington Cemetery. Joe's sister, Emma Gibson Hodo came a stayed awhile with Joe helping to care for the
little girls. The ladies in the Cutter families also helped Joe care for his two little girls but he had them with him as much as possible.
He met Dora Piper, the daughter of John Piper and Josie Wollam, at church and on 16 May 1906 they were married in her
parents home in Douglas, Garfield County, Ok and she raised the two little girls as her own. They lived on his home place on the
farm and had nine children, with a son, Glenn Ivan dying shortly after birth and is buried in the Covington Cemetary. It is interesting
to note that Joe did not have a living child until he was 40 years old and then raised ten children with the last one born when he
was 66 vears old and Dora was 43.
Oklahoma Territory was admitted to the union and became a state in 1907. Joe donated land on the southeast corner of his
land to build a school. It was a small rural school for first through eight grades nicknamed "The Crackerbox". The older children
attended school there, walking the half mile. In the early days transportation was by horse and buggy or horseback until Joe
acquired a car about 1916. Of course all farming was done with horses. There is an old "lap robe" with gloves to match that Joe
had made from the hide of one of his horses, that was used to cover up with during buggy rides in cold weather.
Joe and Dora lived on the farm until September 1928, when they moved to a dairy farm near Covington. After nine months,
they moved to Hayward and ran a dairy for a year, then they moved into Covington and Joe ran a small grocery store, specializing
in his home butchered beef. This was during the Great Depression and times were very hard. The old small frame building where
the grocery store was is still standing in Covinton and the old farm house has also been moved into Covington and is occupied at
the present time (1990).
After Alice Piper, John Piper's second wife and stepmother of Dora from the time she was nine years old, died in 1932, they
moved to Douglas and made their home with Dora's father. Joe was 70 and Dora was 47 at this time. Betty Jo, their youngest child,
was 4. Jobie and Dora Alice attended high school at Douglas and Don finished his senior year at Covington. The rest of the
children had left home by this time.
Joe and Dora were active in the Christian Church in Douglas, and he was a member of the Modern Woodsmen of America,
and was also a part of the Vigilantes since there were no lawmen in the area in the early years. He had auburn hair and blue
eyes and a beautiful singing voice. He had only two years of schooling when he left home and when he was 21 he got the
equivalent of an eighth grade education. He could read and write and express himself very well. He learned to read music by
the old shaped note method and had a song book written with the shaped notes that was his favorite hymn book. He had a terrific
sense of humor and loved to play fun jokes on people.
At one time Joe had broken both legs in a fall from an apple tree and walked with a limp, he also had hernia problems but he
never complained and I don't recall him ever being sick until his death. He had hernia surgery in St, Louis during his early years.
He was a democrat and loved to "discuss" politics with his father-in-law, who was only a couple of years older and a Republican.
Election times were always a big and lively event, I think Dora remained a Republican.
Joe bought up all the vacant lots available in Douglas for back taxes and had garden plots all over town. The produce from
the gardens provided the family with food and he also sold produce to the townspeople. If they were not able to pay, he gave
them food. He still used horses for plowing, etc. and did much of it by hand. He worked a full day every day but Sunday. He also
kept cows, pigs, chickens and did all of his own butchering and cured the meat in the smoke house behind the house.
Dora had dark brown hair and eyes with a quiet, shy personality and was always more serious than Joe. She was a very kind, generous and sharing person. The only words I ever heard her speak against anyone was a neighbor lady and she called her
an 'old biddy' because she thought this lady lied about her age and was a bit nosy about Dora's affairs. Her best friend was
Melissa Burton who lived next door and they visited daily.
Dora worked very hard also, keeping hundreds of jars of home grown and canned food in the celler in addition to the potatoes,
apples, onions, sweet potatoes, peanuts, pop corn, etc. stored there, Dora made most of the clothes for the family, and also quilts
and linens and was a very capable seamstress. She used very few patterns but could look at a catalog picture and make the
garment. She also did a lot of handwork. She baked all of the bread for the family and meals were served promptly at 7am, 12noon
and 5:30 pm with early bedtime and rising. She made jams and jellies from the apple, peach and pear trees.
Joe and Dora had regular town customers for their milk and cream. They went to "town" every Saturday, usually Covington,
Douglas or Enid, to buy groceries and Joe liked to hang out at the sale barn. I remember during my childhood their grocery budget
was $5.00 a week, but of course they had grown most of their own food. They made occasional trips to Enid for business, shopping
or recreation. In that old 1928 Model-A that 20 mile trip seemed like a hundred miles. There is a "Cherokee Strip Celebration"
held annually in Enid and Joe always looked forward to attending. Even in his older years, he gladly rode in the covered wagons
provided for the pioneers.
Church, school, community activities and visiting with family and friends was their social life. Dora belonged to a ladies club
and the Missionary Society. A few times they were able to visit family in Iowa and Missouri and enjoyed relatives visiting in their
home. Sundays were a festive day in their home, with their children and grandchildren visiting. Their dining room table had six
leaves and many Sundays they were all used. They also attended church every Sunday morning and night and on Wednesday
night and Joe sang solos and at one time had 12 years perfect attendance at church. He was also the church custodian for several
years. They were members of the Truth Seekers Class at the Douglas Christian Church for many years with Dora acting as class
secretary. Joe was a church deacon and they both taught classes at different times.
Dora had gall bladder surgery but that was her only serious illness until the last years of her life. All of the children were born
in the home and most of them were delivered by Dr. Wilkins. Dr. Parker lived across the street in Douglas and was also a Doctor
for the family.
In 1947 a fire destroyed all of the buildings, the barns, granary, garage, smoke house, etc ., with the exception of the house.
Shortly after the fire Joe became ill, and ta few weeks later he died. Dora continued to live in the home with the exception of a year
spent with her daughter in Oklahoma City. About 1968 she suffered a broken hip and was in the Garber Nursing Home which was
managed by her daughter, Lula. In 1969 she went back to her home in Douglas and Lula and her husband, Benny Huffman lived
with her until her death in 1970, after being confined to a wheel chair for several years. Both Joe and Dora died in the home in
Douglas and are buried in the Douglas Union Cemetary.
Joe and Dora were both very caring people and always had a strong sense of God, country and family. They had 22 grandchildren, plus step-grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. At the last count Joe had 169 direct descendants. I shall always be
grateful for the heritage they have given me.
2. INFANT(B) GIBSON was born 1893/1901 and died at birth 3. ARVA ETHEL GIBSON was born March 10, 1902 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died October 23, 1994 in Enid, Garfield, OK. She married CHESTER CHARLES "HUB" HUBBARD August 20, 1923 in Medford, Grant, OK, son of CHARLES HUBBARD and LUCY LESER. They had no children 4. SARAH BLANCHE GIBSON was born February 02, 1905 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died October 06, 1983 in Enid, Garfield, OK. She married ROY KEGIN June 01, 1931 in Covington, Garfield, OK, son of PATRICK KEGIN and MARTHA BROWN. They had four children: Wilma Jane, Joseph Leroy, Martha Mae and Lela Rae.
1. JOHN PAUL GIBSON, b. M arch 06, 1907, Douglas, Garfield, OK; d. August 01, 1969, Garber, Garfield, OK; m.(1) TESSIE GROENWALD 4 Jan 1928, they divorced. Paul m. (2) BEULAH MICK CUNNINGHAM, they divorced. Paul had no children. 2. VERA DOCIA GIBSON was born January 07, 1909 in Covington, Garfield, OK, and died March 07, 1975 in Edmond, Oklahoma, OK. She married ARLIS BUFORD CARROLL May 01, 1929 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, son of MELVIN CARROLL and NANCY HEAD. They had 3 children: Robert Duane, Arla Jean and Joseph Charles "JC." 3. WILLIAM WAYNE GIBSON was born June 14, 1910 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died December 01, 1993 in Tryon, Lincoln, OK. He married MABEL ROSENNA BAKER August 31, 1932 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, daughter of GEORGE BAKER and AMY COWAN. They had two children: Teddy Wayne and Norman Ray. 4. LULA FERN GIBSON was born July 15, 1912 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died September 21, 1983 in Enid, Garfield, OK. She married (1) JACK BLACK 1931. She married (2) BENJAMIN MERLE "BENNY" HUFFMAN December 31, 1957 in Enid, Garfield, OK, son of MYRLE HUFFMAN and MABEL ULMER. Lula and Jack had two children: Jimmy Joe and Joyce Ann. Lula and Benny had two children: Danny and Marcie(adopted). Benny had one daughter by a previous marriage: Diane. 5. GLENN IVAN GIBSON was born 1 Dec 1913 and died Dec 1913 as an infant. 6. RALPH DON GIBSON) was born July 25, 1915 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died August 26, 1979 in East Wenatchie, Chelan, WA. He married (1) LEONA MAY "SKIP" JACOBS Abt. 1935. He married (2) BETTY LEE HAWKINS January 24, 1952 in NM, daughter of GUY HAWKINS and EMMA CAIN. Don and Leona had one child: Donald Lee. Don and Betty had one child: Jack. Betty had 2 children by a previous marriage: Marolyn and Judy. 7. DORA ALICE GIBSON was born January 17, 1917 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died January 12, 1990 in Enid, Garfield, OK. She married (1) HAROLD LEON LEGRAND December 25, 1934 in Garber, Garfield, OK, son of STEPHEN LEGRAND and IDA CAMPBELL. She married (2) NOAH BURTON April 20, 1957. Dora Alice and Tommy had two children: Harold Leon "Sonny", Jr and Patricia Alice "Pat". Noah had 5 children by a previous marriage: Ruth, Ted, Joan, Louise and Carolyn. 8. MARY JOSEPHINE "JOBIE" GIBSON was born March 25, 1919 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, and died December 02, 1983 in Enid, Garfield, OK. She married LEROY "RAS" ATKINS March 18, 1939 in Enid, Garfield, OK, son of BILL ATKINS and MARY. They had three children: Gary Leroy, Lynda Jo and Cheryl Lea. 9. BETTY JO GIBSON was born August 02, 1928 in Douglas, Garfield, OK. She married (1) HOWARD ROY TURBYFILL December 24, 1946 in Douglas, Garfield, OK, son of MARCUS TURBYFILL and SARAH PUCKETT, they divorced. She married (2) DEAN EVANS SCOTT October 28, 1950 in Enid, Garfield, OK, son of DELMER SCOTT and FLORENCE CUTTER. Betty Jo and Howard had one child: Marsha Dail. Betty Jo and Dean had two children: Michael Dean and Mark David.
& (1)SARAH CUTTER (2)DORA MAY PIPER
By His Daughter, Betty Jo Gibson Scott, 1990
(May be slow due to photos)
THE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF JOE GIBSON
Children of Joseph Gibson and Sarah Elizabeth Cutter were
1. INFANT(A) GIBSON was born 1893/1901 and died at birth
Children of Joseph Gibson and Dora Piper were:
EMail
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