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Albert Gibson
ALBERT GIBSON, a veteran of the Civil war who has long been a resident of
Bethel township, Armstrong county, made an honorable record during his army
service and has made an equally creditable showing as a private citizen, He is
a well-to-do farmer, and an esteemed member of the community where he resides.Mr. Gibson was born May 1, 1840, in Pittsburgh, Pa., son of Simon D.
Gibson, and is of English descent. His great-grandfather came to this country
from England with his first wife, and settled near Meadville, Pa. The Indians
attacked them, killing and scalping the wife, who was engaged in milking the
cow at the time, and took him prisoner. Three times he was tied to the stake
for torture, but something always prevented the savages from carrying out
their intentions. The third time the fire had been started around him when he
prayed to the Lord, promising to fast and pray one day every year, and read
the Bible, if he were released. A thundershower coming up suddenly put out the
fire, and the Indians deciding that the “great spirit” did not want him burned
released him. Later they tested him to see if he would remain with them. The
chief had lost a valuable horse and Gibson was given a day’s rations and told
to go find the animal. He knew he would be watched, so at evening he returned.
The second day he was given two days’ rations, and again returned. Then he got
three days’ rations, and walked to the river pretending to look for tracks of
the lost horse, yet knowing that concealed in the underbrush stealthily
following were the Indians. But when he had journeyed a considerable distance
along the river bank he suddenly jumped in, and by diving and swimming under
water eluded the Indians, and eventually reached the fort at Pittsburgh. He
married again, and had children.Israel Gibson, son of the above, was
born in Crawford county, Pa., and came to Butler county, this State, in its
pioneer days. There he married a Miss Gerty, and they had three sons, Hugh,
Thomas and Simon D.Simon D. Gibson, born in Butler county, went to
Pittsburgh to learn the trade of blacksmith, which he always followed, gaining
the reputation of being the best machine blacksmith in the country. He made
the first bolt and irons for the first rolling mills at Kittanning (for Brown,
Gates & Mosgrove), now the Kittanning Iron and Steel Works. He was a large,
powerful man, weighing 214 pounds, with a breast measure of fifty-six inches.
His wife, Susan (McClelland), never weighed over 110 pounds. She was born in
Ireland, daughter of Robert McClelland, and died in December, 1893, having
survived her husband many years. His death occurred in 1859, when he was
fifty-four years old. They had a family of seven children, three sons and four
daughters, three of whom survive at this writing: Margaret T., wife of Jacob
Younkins, of North Buffalo township; Susan, who married Jefferson Jeffries, of
New Kensington, Pa., and Albert S.Albert S. Gibson was about eight
years old when he came with his parents to Kittanning, where he attended
school until 1854. Then his father bought a farm in North Buffalo township,
where the boy remained for some time, helping with the work and also finding
employment on keelboats on the river, hauling ore to Pittsburgh, and rafting
on the Clarion river, and on Toby creek, until he entered the army.On
Sept. 11, 1861, Mr. Gibson enlisted at Kittanning in Company K, 78th
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Col. William Sirwell, was sworn in at that
place, and saw an unusual amount of active service in the three years and more
of his service in the Union army. He was in the Atlanta campaign, and at the
battle of New Hope Church was shot in the body, the bullet lodging against his
spine, where it still remains. He was again wounded, at the battle of Stone
River, in the ankle. He fought at LaVergne, Tenn., was at the battle of
Chickamauga, and took part in numerous skirmishes, doing his duty faithfully
on every occasion until he received his honorable discharge at Kittanning Nov.
4, 1864. True to every obligation as a soldier, he did his full share in
preservation of the Union. After the war Mr. Gibson rafted and piloted on the
streams before mentioned, never engaging in farming until he settled on his
present property, a valuable place of 115 acres in Bethel township, which
shows the intelligent care of a thrifty, up-to-date farmer. His successful
methods have entitled him to rank among the progressive agriculturists of his
section.On April 19, 1892, Mr. Gibson was married to Sarah E. Brown,
of Armstrong county, and they have two children, one son and one daughter:
Edith Viola, born Nov. 11, 1893 and Robert C., who was born Jan. 20, 1896.
Mrs. Gibson is a daughter of Thomas F. and Mary C. (Claypoole) Brown, of North
Buffalo township.Mr. Gibson was a charter member of North Buffalo
Post, G.A.R., and is now a member of John Croll Post, of Kittanning. He also
belongs to the P.O.S. of A., Washington Camp, No. 696.Source: Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed January 2012 by Sara Stewart for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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