The Gibson Family Newsletter
Including the Pratt and Glore Families
Issue #3, March 12, 1997
Gena Gibson Davis, Editor
I began doing genealogy research about three years ago when my husband and I
moved to Ft. Wayne and we discovered the great library here. On each trip I
dug through books and microfilm trying to find hints of who my ancestors
were. On vacations back to Missouri, my family brought out their family
records and gladly showed them to me, patiently telling me about each one.
All of you have done the same for me, via the postal service. I cannot tell
you how much each letter means to me, I squirrel them away only to drag them
out again on rainy days to be reread.
Letters mean so much, personally, to the writer and to the receiver. We
gather insight to who a person is by the thoughts they put down on paper. All
the data I've collected during my trips to the library mean virtually nothing
compared to the value of your letters. Someday, someone who has only seen our
names on paper or our faces on faded photographs will come across these
letters and feel the same pleasure in reading them as I have.
That is why I am asking a few favors from each of you. Here is a dramatic
scenario, imagine that you go to the doctor's office and he tells you that
you have only ten minutes left to live. Not having time to call your loved
ones, you write them a letter. Knowing this is your last time to speak to the
people you love, you fill the pages with what means most to you. Maybe you'll
tell them how important they are to you or possibly you just want to pass on
the secret ingredient to your great grandmother's chocolate chip cookie
recipe. Please, sit down now and write that letter, seal it in an envelope
and tuck it into your Bible.
Next, get a notebook and start keeping a diary. You don't have to write in it
everyday or even every week. I was looking at a photo album with my 7 year
old, a few months ago and was startled by his baby pictures. When those
pictures were taken, I thought that I would never forget the way his lips
felt so soft on my cheek or how heavenly it was when he called me Momma.
Looking at the photos I realized I can't recall all those cute things, like
the first time he ate a dill pickle or snuggled a puppy. So, I began a
journal and record things like the grin Ahriah had on his face when he won
the Boy Scout Pinewood Derby and how after Hunter brushes his teeth he runs
to me and smiles and asks if his teeth are shining and would I like a kiss.
Now that you are thinking that I'm being too sentimental, I will stop and let
you read these golden treasures. You will quickly understand how appropriate
the favors I have asked of you are.
My Dear Child...
Barren, Dec. 9, 1893 after waiting so long I now try to write you a few lines to let you know that we are well hope this will find you well. Bruse's and Emma's folks are well. Emma and her folks was here night before last. Fenie was well last week and John's are only tolerable well. He has not been able to do a good days work all fall and the baby has been sick all fall but they are recovering now. We have had a nice fall and are still having good weather. I do wish you had come home and got you a place. We have not got any place our own. We thought we would get the place we are on but I don't guess we will now that another man has bought it and I don't think he will let us have it. There is five hundred acres in the peice and he told pa that if he bought it he would let him have 80 acres but he won't do it now. We put in about an acre and a half. Planted it in watermelons, turnups and patatos. Sold 30 dollars worth of melons and $ 5.00 of patatos and turnips and have got lots of turnips and patatos yet and have sold several dollars worth of molasas. I do not know where we will go. There is a peice of land about two miles from here. Pa talk about improving it. It is good land and has got 2 or 3 good springs on it. Have you got plenty of water on your land? You had better sell your claim and come out here and get you a place, son, we can get to visit once in awhile. You can make a living here and I don't guess you would have to work any harder than you do there.
October 10, 1895
Mr. Joseph Gibson Dear Child with sad heart I this morning try to write you a few lines telling you of the death of your dear old father he died the 22 of September the day you wrote your letter to us he was sick a week we could not get a doctor we sent 5 times for one and he only sent medicine and we sent twice for another one and he never come at untill a few minutes before he died....we are not very well...we have not a doubt but your dear father is at rest and our loss is his eternal gain and we should try to live so that when we are called to go we will....prepared to meet him where parting is no more....ted so much to see you come home I ....you could come but if you can't ......it looseing it might ......or you not come but we would all be .....to see you once more we have got a good crop of corn but not very many patatoes and we made about one hundred galons of molasses just finished yesterday and the boys hauled their pumpkins this morning they are going up on Little Barren above where we used to live and make them a farm Jess (Jesse Richardson Gibson) came here just as we got done with diner on his way to arkansas he is going back down there to buy a place he said they was all wel laura and endy are both married as dosia is getting ready to go to the post ofice I wil quit. hoping to hear from you soon. be sure to write as soon as you get this from your mother M F Gibson
from ma to joseph and sarah be nice and write soon—Gibson
June 21, 1875
Dear Father I seat myself to let you no I just got yours of the 3 and was glad to hear from you all and to no you was well. We are all well and harty and thank God for his mercy. We hope this will find you all well Pap. You said for me to tell you where the place was hurt worst. The land is washed off. The work I have put back but the land is gone.
Well, Pap you said my ink had the chills and to rite with black ink. I hainter blew is tru ink and I had seen it had the chills as the fever. I write big heavy leters so u can see how to read it yourself.
Well, Pap you have a large Sunday scool. I am glad to hear of good work goin on. Ma the Lord bless you and your scool and church. Well Pap I got home yesterday from Litel Spring. There was a haus of people. My tex was on this rock I will build my church. Pap on that rock I build my hope. On that rock my soul is stade.
We have Sunday school at Litel Spring, about 33 scholars and singing society about 35 or 49. Give my love to brother and sister and all children. Ma God bless you all. Amen
from R. J. Gibson to Mr. R. Gibson. Good by.
The first two letters were written by Mary Glore Gibson to her son Joseph living in Oklahoma. Betty Jo Scott found the letters in her father's belongings after he passed away. The last letter was written by Rev. Robert Gibson, Jr. to his father, Robert, Sr. When I received the letter from Harry I sent a copy to Betty Jo and she quickly told me that it reminded her of how many times she had heard her own father say, "on this rock I am stayed". Thank you, Betty Jo and Harry, for sending copies of these letter to be included in this newsletter for us all to enjoy. I have made slight changes from their original states but only to make them a little easier to understand.
This last letter raises many questions in my own mind. Both of these men, Robert Sr. and his son, were always listed as neighbors on censuses, so why would they have to communicate by letter? In 1875 WO was Robert Jr.'s only living brother so, maybe, he is sending his greetings to WO. This would make us wonder if Robert Sr. was visiting WO and his daughter, Elizabeth Gibson Pratt, when the letter was written. Possibly, he was assisting WO or JR Pratt establish a church?
The book "The History of Missouri Baptists", on pages 263-64, states that the Meramec Association was formed from six churches that were dismissed in 1870 from the Franklin County Association. The churches had a total membership of one hundred and forty-three. The pastors in the association were WO Gibson, JR Hamlin and HM Smith. The new Meramec Association formed a committee "upon domestic missions" that reported the territory of the association in Washington and Crawford counties was "one vast field of destitution". An executive board was chosen and urged to proceed at once with missionary work.
A booklet prepared in 1957 by church secretary, Mrs. Sloman Eye (The Eye family was related to Gibsons in Washington Co.), titled "First Baptist Church, Potosi, Missouri, 1832-1957" states on page 9 that R. Gibson was a prominent member of the church in 1840. This would be our Robert (Sr.) and on page 12, Robert J. Gibson (Jr.) of Walton's Mill was a Washington county preacher of the gosepel. We still have found no evidence that Robert Sr. was actually a minister but if he was not, he was definitely involved in church activities.
On page 8, it says that in 1838 Lisbon Glore, the father of Mary, was sent by the church as a messenger to the to the seventh annual meeting of the Franklin County Association meeting. The Gibsons and Glores were not listed as neighbors on censuses, so the church must have been where WO and Mary met.
"The History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties, Missouri", published in 1888 by Goodspeed Publishing Co., states on page 1062 that "...Rev. WO Gibson is a Baptist minister of some renown in Missouri." And on page 603, "The First Baptist Church of Cuba (MO) was organized December 17, 1870, by Rev. WO Gibson...lastly, on pages 599-60, says that in Anthony's Mill the Baptist church was erected in 1870 and the present minister was Rev. Mr. Gibson. This last reference to Rev. Mr. Gibson was most likely Robert Jr.
Letter from C.F. Lint, dated March 7, 1997: "The Gibsons, Bays and Leflers lived fairly close together in Washington Co. Some of each family moved a few miles west into Crawford Co., where they lived in the same community. They were Baptists and some of them were charter members of the Shoal Creek Missionary Baptist Church, where I later accepted the Lord."
Jesse Richardson Pratt was licensed to preach for the Baptist Church of Christ in Shannon Co., MO, in the year 1853. In Randolph Co., AR, his credentials were registered September of 1866. Rev. JR Pratt established the Mud Creek Baptist Church near Warm Springs, AR, where he and Elizabeth are both buried.
Letter from Ron Warren, dated Feb. 9, 1997: "...Ironton Baptist Church...Jesse (JR Pratt) was the first minister of this church...where I was married in 1971."
The missionaries, or traveling preachers or circuit riders, by custom carried their Bible, a hymn book and a few clothes in their saddle bags and rode from settlement to settlement or house to house to inquire for Baptists and preach to such groups as could be gathered. Sometimes, after several days of preaching, teaching and praying they would organize a small church and accept responsibility for its care.
During these early years, most preachers would not accept pay from a church or its members and some that did were labeled "money preachers". Because of this, most preachers tended farms and did missionary work when time allowed. The few times they did accept pay for services it was in very privatesituations or in the form of goods such as a pair of handmade socks or a sack of potatoes.
This Civil War was a difficult time for preachers. On May 16, 1861 a small band of Federal soldiers came from St. Louis and took possession of Potosi. Business was paralyzed and the lead mines were closed. In 1865 a new constitution was adopted by Missouri that required all ministers to sign an Oath of Loyalty showing that they had not been engaged, directly or indirectly, in the rebellion against the United States or had given aid or comfort, written letters or in any way shown sympathy with those of the south. Without taking the oath, no minister could perform his duties in the eyes of the law without being arrested, fined or put in jail. The US Supreme Court declared this law unconstitutional on January 14, 1867.
It can only be assumed that the preachers in our family were greatly effected by this law because so many of their relatives served in the Confederacy. There have been ministers in our families since these men but surely their influence continues to be felt by all.
We had many questions in the last issue and some of you have come up with answers. First of all, no official Gibson reunion has come to our attention but according to Judy Guilliams there is a community gathering or Homecoming, held at Johnston's Chapel in Ripley Co., MO, which many relatives attend and has become recognized as a family reunion of sorts. This event is held the third Sunday in May. Jesse Dow Gibson said that it used to be held in July because the farmers would have their crops laid out by that time but because of the summer heat the date was changed recently. The Homecoming usually consists of a church service, followed by dinner on the grounds with visiting and sometimes a singing.
This wonderful picture appeared in the last issue.
Originally, the assumption was that it was of WO & Talitha (Pratt) Gibson. After its circulation though,
we are faced with even more questions! Many do not believe the man resembles
WO and you can compare for yourself to his photo that appeared in the first
newsletter. Then comes the question, who is the man? We are now under the
impression that it is actually a photograph of JR Pratt and his first wife,
Frankie Fox. If this is the case the photo would date to the late 1830's.
This potential early photo brings to mind another question, Robert Gibson Sr., lived well into the photographic era. Surely, hopefully, he had posed for at least one picture during his lifetime. Let's all start digging around in our attics!
This summer, if everything goes according to plan, my father, Dan Gibson and I are going to take a trip to Doniphan and look for places known to our Gibson ancestors, Like the Big Barren Baptist Church, Pine Cemetery & Bennett and will be happy to visit other locations to take photos. Please let us know if there is any particular place that we should include on the agenda.
Beth Davis of OK. Beth is descended from Williamson Richardson Gibson who was the first son of Jesse Richardson Gibson and Rudy Louisa Russell. Beth and her husband have two sons. She is a former school teacher and in between running the family farm she enjoys her genealogy. Address: Rt. 3, Seminole, OK 74868.
Ron Warren is another cousin that I happened to bump into on the computer. Ron is descended from JR Pratt and his first wife Frankie Fox through their second child Thomas Green Pratt. Ron and his wife Paula have just moved back to Ironton. Their address: PO Box 194, Ironton, MO 63650. Hope you are enjoying your new home:)
Charles Lint is a Gibson/Bays descendant and a writer. He runs a poetry newsletter which I would like to mention to you. To find out more please send SASE to: Helping Hand, c/o C. F. Lint, RR1, Box 566, Steeleville, MO 65565.
Jesse Lloyd Guilliams, the son of Russell Scott and Cassandra (Wheetley) Guilliams, was born February 8, 1997. He is the 5th grandchild of Lonnie and Judy (Gibson) Guilliams of Puxico, MO. Welcome to the world Jesse!
And last but not least is Joyce Beal of Doniphan. Joyce's line descends from Joshua Wilburn Gibson, the son of Stephen Gibson of WO & Mary. Address: Rt. 2, Box 275, Doniphan, MO 63935. Thank you to all for helping us!!!
Betty Jo Scott has finished her book The Descendants of Robert Gibson. With 95 pgs and photos this is an excellent find for us. The format is different than her book on WO and is the same of her Glore book. Of them all, this is my favorite! Cost is $20. Write: 1301 W. Oklahoma, Enid, OK 73703.
Kissing Cousin Story: Letter dated Feb 7, 1997 from Harry Gibson. Harry begins with a reference to cousins Wayne Gibson marrying Ruth Gibson (found in last newsletter) and goes on to say— "...another similar situation exists with my oldest brother, Freeman, whose wife is a descendant of Lucinda Gibson Bays (dau of Robert Sr.) and James Bays. My sister-in-law's mother was a Bays, a great granddau of James and Lucinda."
Here, at the last minute, I have attached two Glore articles, sent by Betty Jo. The first article is about Nancy Jane Glore she was the mother of SE Glore. The text of the article does not show up well in copying so I have typed it as it appears. One word "dary" is written just as it appears in the original. I do not know if it is a typo or an old-fashioned word. The second was written by SE Glore. It is great reading!
WILL BE 99 YEARS OLD JANUARY 4
Nancy Jane Glore, nee Jackson, Ripley county's oldest citizen who will celebrate her 99th birthday Saturday. Mrs. Glore is a native Missourian, having been born in Washington county, near Potosi. She spent her girlhood dary around Old Mines, in Washington county, and was married to William Morton Glore (brother of Mary Glore Gibson) on November 6, 1862. In February 1884 the Glore family moved to this county and settled on Little Barren in the northwest part of the county. They lived in that vicinity until a few years ago when they moved to Doniphan where William Glore died in 1931. Since that time Mrs. Glore has made her home with her children, at present living with her son, Judge S. E. Glore, o? a few miles northwest of town. Grandma Glore enjoys very good health, and can get around without assistance. Although her hearing is greatly impaired which makes it difficult to talk to her, she is keenly interested in current events and has a wonderful memory. She enjoys relating incidents of the pioneer days in Washington county, especially in the times of the Civil War. She has three children still living, viz: Judge S. E. Glore, Mrs. Abbi? M. Lewis of Bennett and Mrs. Ada? C. Ertl of Overland, Mo. She also has 39 grand children, and says at the last count she had more than 80 great grandchildren.
Everyone loves to read about our past, your memories are valuable. If you have a particular memory that you would like to share please send it! These are some subjects to help you get started: hunting stories, traveling, Oklahoma, holidays, soldiers & family gatherings. Thank you. Gena Davis, 5904 Horseshoe Bend, Ft. Wayne, IN 46825. 219-482-2131. e-mail: coft@aol.com
Soon after Missouri was admitted to the Union as a state, the government sent out surveyors to map out and establish townships, but this is not an account of the organization of townships; nor of the territory out of which Missouri was formed. That I leave to historians.
I would like to recall how Big Barren got the name Big Barren, and to name some of the early settlers whom I knew and how they lived and what they did to support their families. All of them had these things in common; they were God-loving, friendly, and helpful to one another.
Now as to the name of Big Barren. The creek on Barren did not flow continuously. Heavy rains would cause it to flow all the way to Current River. At other times there were deep holes of water at places that were low in the earth's surface. These deep holes of water contained an abundance of fish. Most every one fished; that and with the abundance of wild game took care of the meat for them.
As to how Big Barren got its name. In the hot summer months, vegetation (especially wild grass) became brown and seared. It was truly a barren country; hence it was called Big Barren. The "Big" was added to distinguish it from a lesser hollow, which is over a ridge west and south of Big Barren, and was known as "Little Barren."
l will mention some of the enrly settlers of "Big and Little Barren" whom I knew and many hollows intersecting the two "Barrens."
Recall that in the beginning of this article, I stated that the people were neighborly and helpful. For example, when a neighbor needed rails to fence a plot of ground or logs to be stacked and burned, he would give a rail mauling and log stacking and invite his neighbors. They would come and bring their wives who would prepare a sumptious dinner consisting of corn bread, sorghum molasses, home-made butter, hominy, pumpkin pie and coffee, all of which were raised on the farm, except for the coffee. After dinner was over and dishes washed, the women would gather around a quilt that was already framed and proceed to finish the quilt.
A person traveling through the Barren Territory today, cannot visualize the hardships early settlers had to endure. The log huts have been replaced by elegant modern homes; the primitive farm machinery has been replaced by modern machines. Fields are no longer barren, for by the use of fertilizers and, know-how and by experience, the fields are pleasing to look at - really beautiful now. I will mention that on Little Barren there is a log cabin still standing, which is constructed of hewn pine logs. The writer of this article helped to erect the cabin. There was a man on each corner to notch the logs to fit the log below. The house was for Jonce Bridges and family. He lived there and raised a large family most all of whom are now deceased. The house and farm now belong to the Heavins who are later settlers. The house is vacant except when deer season opens. Clay Johnson and hunting buddies of Bernie, have it rented. I know of only one season that they failed to get a deer.
The Bridges family were among the early settlers. Jonce's father lived there and raised a family. Jonce's father grew tobacco which when ripe he hung in a tall barn and "cured" it with smoke from a hickory fire. His tobacco was bought by settlers near and far. The last of the Bridges tribe to live on Big Barren was John who passed away November 30, 1964. His widow, Ella, lives five miles east of Doniphan on a place that used to be known as Mullins Switch. Her son-in-law, Carl Reddin and family, live with her.
Below the Bridges home at the fork of Running Water and Little Barren there lived Rev. William Gibson and family. They raised a large family; several of the Gibson children live in Ripley County. Earl works in the Doniphan Post Office and Luke is employed a Wrights Leather Factory. It would require a lot of time to write about all the early settlers of Big and LIttle Barren and those who lived in hollows that intersect them; therefore I will have to omit names of some of whom I knew.
Down Little Barren lived Murry Randel whose first wife was Susie Glore, my sister.They had four children. The twins died at birth as did their mother. Only one of their children is now living - Bertha of Searcy, Ark.
The Bridges family of which I spoke about were real old timers. The cabin I told about helping to erect has a chimney and fireplace which I built in 1911. It is made of concrete - the first one built of concrete, that I ever heard about. It stands today without a crack in it anywhere. For a 12 hour days work, I was paid one dollar per day, which was adequate for we grew our own vegetables one dollar then meant more to us than $25.00 today.
"Uncle" Lou Hedrick had a small grocery store and kept the Barren Post Office for some time. His wife "Aunt" Gussie gave the Big Barren Baptist Church a pulpit Bible. The Big Barren Church was originally down the creek near where "Uncle" Joe Camp lived. John Grindstaff deeded a plot of ground to build the church where it now stands. When Paul Heavin bought the Grindstaff place, he deeded a plot of ground for a cemetery. It is near the church house.
As Big Barren Baptist Church was the only church house near, people of different church affiliations came to worship - Methodist, Presbyterians and others. As there were no automobiles, farmers would hitch teams of horses to a wagon and the family would go. After services some would go home with others for dinner. After dinner they would sit around and talk about their crops and other things. The children would go out in the yard to play. If they stayed in the house, they kept still and spoke only when spoken to. It is different now, as they do most of the talking and correct their parents as to details when they were talking. I want to say that I believe people enjoyed themselves better then than they do now.
There were several hollows that intersected Big and Little Barren. In one of them, Coward Hollow, lived the Preacher Halley and family. The children came down the hollow and went to school at the Hardcastle school. Later the Haley children went to school to me. Preacher Halley raised a nice family of children. Also living in Cowards Hollow was Frank Bistol and first wife, both of whom are now deceased. His second wife is still living and her home is in Poplar Bluff.
Another hollow that intersected Big Barren was one called Cave Fork. Living in it were Pete O'Dell and Dutch Forister who had emigrated from Germany. They left a baby girl who was too young to make the journey. Her grandparents intended to come to the United States the next year and they were to bring the little girl when they came, but the next year the United States and Germany were at war and she never got to come. She married and has a family. The elder Foristers are dead, but there are three of the boys living in the vicinity. One of them owns the Forister farm. The O'Dell family moved to Arkansas and never came back. I lost track of them. About the O'Dell family, an amusing incident occurred as told by two hunters who got lost from their camp on Current River and came to O'Dell's about dark and at invitation of Peter, decided to spend the night. There was no light in the house except the light of the fire in the freplace. One hunter said when the fire burned low his old lady would say, "Petah, put on another piece of pine." Next morning for breakfast she had made corn bread which she baked in an oven placed on live coals of fire with coals of fire on the lid. I believe it was called a Dutch Oven. She fried some bacon and had a bowl of grease (hog fat) which was about as greasy on the outside as on the inside. One of the hunters picked up the bowl of grease to pass to the other when it slipped out of his hand and turned bottom side up on the table.
For the sake of brevity and to save time, hereafter in mentioning people, I will not state (except a few times) where people lived. One of O'Dell's boys by the name of Thomas was trying to be a detective. He was uneducated. He was telling me of two men who lived in Van Buren, having a fight. He said one of them cut the other one clear across the stomach and all of his "contestines" fell out!
Andy Day kept a store in Coward's Hollow. He had to haul groceries from Doniphan. Jerome Seymour kept a hotel. His rates were one dollar for supper, bed, and breakfast. He also furnished a stable to keep a team which was part of the dollar charge. (he was a great coon hunter everyone referred to him as "Coonifer Day") Coonifer had not been to town since the war started. He stayed at the hotel and next morning laid down a a dollar as usual. Jerome said, "Another dime please." Andy said "What's that for?" Jerome replied "for tax," to which Andy replied "Oh, I thought maybe the dollar was for my bed and the ten cents was for the seven beans and three teaspoons of kraut I had to eat.
Two of the earliest settlers of which I had any knowledge was Andrew Whitwell who lived at Bennett and kept a general mechandise store. He was the Post Master at Bennett. He also had a large farm to oversee. He was a Primitive (Hardshell) Baptist preacher. He had an unusual way of blinking his eyes when talking. He had two grey hound dogs who could run faster than a deer. They would not catch a deer, but liked to chase them just for sport. He told me they chased a deer that took to a hole of water to get away from the dogs, but the hole of water was frozen over and had a thick coat of ice. The deer fell on the ice. When Preacher Whitwell got there the deer was gone and the hounds had pulled off it's tail and was "capering" on the ice with it.
In addition to the grey hounds, he also kept two red bone fox hounds. After John Whitwell took over the store John Rongey came into the store carrying a Winchester repeating rifle which he stood up in the coiner behind the counter. There were only a few of these rifles in the country. John Whitwell picked up the rifle and went out on the porch to see how it sighted. He saw one of "Uncle" Andrews hounds standing by the side of the road some 30 yards away. John took a bead on him back of his shoulders and said if that was an old buck he sure could have some venison to eat. Then he pressed the trigger. The gun went off and the hound dropped dead. These were his exact words, "Gosh danged, I killed him."
"Uncle" Nace Randel lived on the river at the mouth of BuffaloCreek. I recall a statement I heard him say to wit, "When it rains honey, my cup is always bottomside up."
I could go on and on writing about these people as each paragraph brings back memories. I have only scratched the surface, so to speak. I may have more to say at a later date. Until then I will say so long for now.
Post. Script: I also forgot to mention the James H. Lewis family. Jim's wife, Abbie, kept the Short Post Office for several years. The Short Post Office was kept in a logging camp at the mouth of Goose Neck Hollow. A man by the name of Dorlacque kept it for awhile and then if my memory serves me correctly, it was kept by Will Short. It is rather hazy in my mind. The Post Office was named after Will Short. Perhaps he was Post Master before Dorlacque.
(Article received from Vi Schulte, Broken Arrow, OK. Date of Newspaper unknown.)
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