Nicholas Gibson

Probably the 2nd most famous of our Burford/Gibson/Gard ancestors, Nicholas Gibson was the son of John Gibson (see previous post). There are a plethora of articles on the internet about Nicholas Gibson, and they all differ in many important details, starting with his date of birth. Nicholas Gibson's date of birth is sometimes stated to have been 08 May 1777, but it is recorded elsewhere (including his tombstone) as 1765. I favor this earlier date for several reasons. First, his mother, Anne Gibson, daughter of Chief Shikellamy, was killed at the Yellow Creek Massacre, which took place in April of 1774. 

Secondly, Nicholas Gibson is said to have been captured by Indians when he was eight years old. If he was born in 1765, he would have been 8 years old at the time of the Yellow Creek Massacre, which would be the probable occasion of his abduction. (One source stated that he was sold back to white settlers at age 16, for the price of a barrel of whiskey.) There is some doubt as to whether this story is true or not. Many supposedly legitimate documentations of Nicholas Gibson's life do not include the story of his abduction at all. (And, as previously mentioned, many "reliable" sources insist he was not even born at the time of the Yellow Creek Massacre.)

Lastly, Nicholas served in the Revolutionary War as a private in the Virginia Militia. If he had been born in 1777, he would have been too young to serve in that war.

So... make of that what you will.

* * *

Nicholas married Lydia Sink in 1795 and they had 11 children, one of whom was James W. Gibson, the father of Smith Gibson. Smith Gibson was the father of Asa Gibson. Asa Gibson married Adaline Lucretia Gard and was the father of my great grandmother, Lora Gibson Burford.

PHOTO: Nicholas Gibson and Lydia Sink Gibson

I don't have a picture of James Wilson Gibson.

PHOTO: Smith Gibson and his 2nd wife Emily Stanley (front), Asa Gibson and his wife Lucretia Adaline Gard Gibson (back)

PHOTO: Lora Gibson Burford and Alexander Oscar Burford