Person:Alfred Gibbs (1)

1850 United States Federal Census

Name: Alfred O Gibbs Age: 6 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844 Birthplace: Michigan Gender: Male Home in 1850: Ada, Kent, Michigan

Household Members: Alfred O Gibbs 6 Antoinette Gibbs 6 Chas M Gibbs 11 Cyntha Gibbs 34 Edmund L Gibbs 7 Job Gibbs 44 Lorenzo Gibbs 9 James A Lampman 7 Richd lampman 9

Source Citation: Year: «i»1850;«/i» Census Place: «i»Ada, Kent, Michigan«/i»; Roll: «i»M432..353«/i»; Page:«i» 270; «/i»Image: «i»523.«/i»

1860 United States Federal Census

Name: Alfred O Gibbs Age in 1860: 15 Birth Year: abt 1845 Birthplace: Michigan Home in 1860: Ada, Kent, Michigan Gender: Male Post Office: Ada

Household Members: Job Gibbs 55 Cynthia M Gibbs 42 Charles N Gibbs 21 Mary L Gibbs 20 Edward L Gibbs 18 Julia A Gibbs 16 Alfred O Gibbs 15 James B Gibbs 11 William Brown 33 Samuel T Welch 28 Isadore E Button 9

Source Citation: Year: «i»1860;«/i» Census Place: «i»Ada, Kent, Michigan«/i»; Roll: «i»M653..550«/i»; Page: «i»0«/i»; Image: «i»166.«/i»

U.S. Civil War Soldiers Records and Profiles

Name: Alfred O Gibbs Age at Enlistment: 18 Enlistment Date: 9 Dec 1863 Rank at enlistment: Private Enlistment Place: Ada, MI State Served: Michigan Survived the War? Yes Service Record: Enlisted in on 23 Oct 1863

                         Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 Jun 1865
                         Mustered out on 11 Nov 1865 at Memphis, TN.

Birth Date: abt 1845 Sources: Record of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65

1870 United States Federal Census

Name: Alfred Gibbs Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845 Age in 1870: 25 Birthplace: Michigan Home in 1870: Ada, Kent, Michigan Race: White Gender: male Post Office: Ada

Household Members: Alfred Gibbs 25 Emma Gibbs 20 Thison [Theron] Gibbs 5/12 James Gibbs 21 Stephen Gibbs 9

Source Citation: Year: «i»1870«/i»; Census Place: «i»Ada, Kent, Michigan«/i»; Roll: «i»M593..681«/i»; Page: 24; Image: «i»38.«/i»

1880 United States Federal Census

Name: Alfred O. Gibbs Home in 1880: Ada, Kent, Michigan Age: 35 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845 Birthplace: Michigan Relation to Head of House: Self («i»Head«/i») Spouse's Name: Emma J. Father's Birthplace: New York Mother's Birthplace: New York Occupation: Farmer Race: White Gender: Male

Members of Household: Alfred O. Gibbs 35 Emma J. Gibbs 30 W. Theron Gibbs 10 Elmer E. Gibbs 5 Paul J. Gibbs 4 Ralph J. Gibbs 2 Maggie Annie Gibbs 1M

                                           THE SHORT LIFE OF ALFRED ORVILLE GIBBS

By: Phillip L Gibbs his Great Grandson

Alfred Orville Gibbs was the fifth of seven children born to Job and Cynthia Miranda Spicer Gibbs. Job and Cynthia migrated from Pittstown, New York to Macomb County, Michigan, near Detroit, in 1844. In 1846, they moved across the state to Otisco Township, Kent County, near Grand Rapids where Alfred was born on 2 January 1846.

Job was a farmer so we can assume that Alfred worked on his father's farm until he was 18 years old. On 12 September 1863, along with his Uncle James, future father-in-law James Van Orden and future brother-in-law, Jonathon Van Orden, Alfred joined the Union Army.

Alfred's physical attributes were described in his Volunteer Enlistment papers as having black hair, light eyes, and a light complexion. He was 6'2" tall and weighed 210 pounds, a vital, healthy young man.

On 23 October 1863, Alfred was mustered into Company L, 10th Michigan Cavalry, and Volunteers. His regiment left their rendezvous 1 December 1863, with orders to proceed to the field in Kentucky. His term of enlistment was for three years. Three months later, Alfred and his company were in Camp Nelson, Kentucky where he contracted Diarrhea that stayed with him until about six months after his discharge in 1865.

The average Civil War soldier believed that his most dangerous foe was the bullet; however, disease was the biggest killer of the war. Three out of five Union soldiers died of disease. Half the deaths from disease were caused by intestinal disorders, mainly Typhoid Fever, Diarrhea, and Dysentery. The remainder died from Tuberculosis and Pneumonia. As in all of the wars our country has fought, the problems of the returning soldier are soon forgotten.

The Diarrhea did not keep Alfred from his duties but on about 10 February, he was stricken with Typhoid Fever and sent to the hospital in Somerset, Kentucky. He remained there with the fever for four months.

In June, Alfred rejoined his company at Knoxville, Tennessee. To remain in the command, he was standing duty, riding and scouting. Alfred's Commander, James Cummings said in an affidavit «i»"That afterwards while on the march from Bull Gap, Tenn. to Greeneville, Tenn. on or about the 25th day of Sept. 1864 while near Rocky Ridge the horse on which said Gibbs was riding fell catching said Gibbs left foot under him crushing it badly." «/i» Alfred was ordered to the Regimental Hospital at Knoxville, but instead went back to Company L Headquarters. He had enough of military hospitals. This would come back to haunt him as the Pension Board first rejected his pension request due to the fact that his injury was not treated at a hospital.

On June 1, 1865, Alfred was promoted from the ranks to Corporal. On November 11, 1865, he was mustered out of the service retaining his Spencer rifle, army revolver, and sword. Alfred returned to Ada, Michigan.

The first six months back on the farm in Ada, Alfred attended school and his health remained poor. He tried working on the farm but found his health so poor that he went to Chicago and enrolled in college for six months. Doctor Carpenter, whom Alfred was seeing for his medical problems, suggested he move south to a better climate. Following the Doctor's advice, Alfred went south to Summertown, Tennessee in September of 1866.

Alfred returned home in July of 1867, as «i»"the state of the country (Tennessee) was so bad.«/i»" He tried his hand at teaching school for about nine months but he couldn't stand the confinement of a school room so he returned to farming.

April 6, 1868, Alfred married Maggie Ann Zargar of Wales Center, St. Clair County, Michigan, which is in the Detroit area. Maggie died in childbirth about a year later. The child died at the same time.

On May 2, 1869, Alfred married Emma Jane Van Orden, the daughter of James and Phoebe Henry Van Orden who had moved to Michigan from Parma, New York (near Rochester). The witnesses to the marriage were Emma's brother and sister-in-law, Jonathon and Olive Van Orden. The marriage took place in the Free Will Baptist Church in Casnovia, Michigan. Their first child, Washington Theron Gibbs (named after a relative of Cynthia's, Theron Spicer) was born in Ada February 19, 1870. In later years, Theron dropped the name Washington and went by W. Theron or Theron W.

Alfred purchased a farm in Ada but he was only able to work about half the time. In April of 1871, his health gave out completely, so he sold the farm. He moved the family to Wilson, Kansas. The first year in Wilson Alfred did not work until he secured the job of Postmaster.

Emma Jane gave birth to their second son, Edmund L. July 11, 1871 in Wilson. Alfred's sister, Mary Gibbs Nestell had been teasing Alfred and Emma «i»"to give her this boy.«/i»" Emma said Mary could have him. Emma says in a deposition for a minor's Civil War pension for her children, that adoption papers were filed in Ada when Edmund was ten years old. Mary raised Edmund and did not tell him he was adopted until «i»"he was grown up."«/i» In 1891, Mary's husband, Lyman Nestell was living in Fairhaven, Washington and Mary «i»"didn't know when he would return«/i»." Edmund was living with his father in Washington. It appears that Lyman was a bigamist and a «i»"con"«/i» man. He was suing the Great Northern RR for $25,000 because his wife died of cancer due to an injury caused by the railroad. The problem was Mary was not dead!

Alfred Orville (Fred) Gibbs was also born in Wilson, Kansas March 28, 1873.

After two years in Wilson, Alfred's health continued to decline, so following the advice of Doctor Lillie Alfred moved the family to Alpine, Colorado. Alpine was a mining town in the geographical center of Colorado at 10,000 feet elevation. There are conflicting stories about the Gibbs' time in Alpine. According to Nell Gibbs, Theron's wife, Alfred built a hotel and was appointed county surveyor, but in Alfred's 1879 Deposition for his Civil War Pension, he says he was Postmaster. However, the postal records of Colorado show that on June 30, 1875 the Alpine Postmistress was Emma J. Gibbs. She had been paid $86.31 as of that date. The Gibbs family is not mentioned in THE OLD WEST SERIES, a history of Colorado.

Another story, which cannot be proven, is that Alfred owned a gold mine. According to Nell Gibbs story, "«i»It was in this town that Theron picked up a piece of ore and when traced to its source, a mine was located. Theron had the privilege of naming it, which he did after the hired girl, Sarah McCormick.«/i»" Colorado mining records were not kept until the 1880's, so this story cannot be proven.

Elmer Ernest and Paul Job were both born in Alpine. By July of 1876, Alfred was a confirmed invalid. The family returned to Ada, Michigan. Alfred's Civil War Pension was rejected 26 February 1878. The rejection seemed to based on the fact that Alfred did not report to the hospital after he crushed his foot under his horse. After receiving affidavits from Alfred, his parents, and his former Company Commander, James Cummings, a pension of $8.00 per month was granted.

Ralph James Gibbs was born in Casnovia on March 5, 1878. Maggie Anna Gibbs was born in Casnovia, Michigan (near Ada) May 6, 1880. She was named for Alfred's first wife, Maggie Ann Zargar. In June, the family moved back to Summertown, Tennessee.

Alfred died September 4, 1881 at 4:00 a.m. of Consumption (Tuberculosis). In lieu of a death certificate a General Affidavit was given by Joseph Patterson, age 58, and his son Marion, age 22. They stated that they were with Alfred during his illness and assisted with his burial. There is a tombstone in the Bailey Cemetery, Vergennes Township, Kent County, Michigan with his name on it. Alfred's parents and some of his siblings are buried there.

Homer Gibbs, son of Ralph Gibbs, took a photo of a tombstone believed to be in Summertown, with the inscription, «i»"Lt. Alfred O. Gibbs Michigan." «/i»There is also a photo of Alfred and written on the back is «i»"Theron's Father, Lt. Alfred Gibbs."«/i» Alfred's war records state that he was a Corporal. Families sometimes "promote" their ancestors.

Emma Jane gave birth to Jesse Marion, the last of Alfred's children on 14 November 1881. In a civil ceremony, Emma Jane married Marion Patterson 14 November 1881. Maggie Anna died in Sandy Hook, Tennessee September 20, 1882. Jesse Marion died on the fifth of December the same year.

Ralph was given up for adoption in 1882. He was adopted by John and Sarah Wright of Willshire, Ohio. The adoption papers were recorded in Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee. Emma's father, James Van Orden was granted custody of four of Alfred and Emma's boys in 1883.

Emma Jane and Marion Patterson had three children, Bessie, Lelia, and Roy. Emma Jane passed away in Ramona, California January 31, 1905 at the home of her son Theron. Bessie was raised by her half-uncle and aunt, Elmer and Gertrude Gibbs. It is interesting that both Ralph and Edmund used their Gibbs name when they enlisted for the Spanish American War.

The Civil War took a strapping, robust, 6' 2" 210-pound teenager and four years later returned a diseased veteran, victim of many of the diseases rampant during the Civil War. He lived 35 years and fathered eight children. One can only imagine the hardships Alfred and his family faced. The distance from Ada, Michigan to Summertown, Tennessee is approximately 650 miles. It is 920 miles from Ada to Wilson, Kansas and 1,310 miles from Ada to Alpine. All of these miles were covered by horse and wagon.

From: The History of the Descendants of Peter Spicer page 343 «i» Alfred O Gibbs (Cynthia7, John6 Cyrus5, John4, John3, Edward2, Peter1) was born Jan.5, 1845. He died Aug. 4, 1884. He married first, April 6, 1868, Maggie L. Zargar. He married second, Emma J Van Orden.

«/i»From: www.fourteenernet.com/history/lakewars,htm

Lake County War

Chaffee County [where AO Gibbs and family settled] used to be part of Lake County until February, 1879, when it was split in half. The dividing line was roughly a few miles noth of present day Granite, which used to be Chaffee County's seat. Prior to this date, some of the most infamous and wild times in the history of the west occurred, especially during what was called, "the Lake County Wars."

Hugh Boon, one of the first postmasters adn a school superintendent in Lake County, said:

    "With a rapid influx of settlers, prospectors and miners, and the rough element that came with the         building of the railroads, things were considerably unsettled; and as in all newly organized territories, the machinery for law enforcement had considerable difficulty in functioning.  More than one hundred homicides occurred during this period without a single conviction; it being almost impossible to get witnesses to swear to the killings."

By: F.R. Paquette, M.D. September 11, 1991 in a letter to Phil Gibbs

"The Lake County war started on the night of June 17, 1874. Elijah Gibbs was accused of killing George Harrington, the postmaster of Centerville, on that night. In Denver, Elijah was acquitted of this charge on Nov. 4. He returned to his ranch; and on the 22 of January, 1875 an unsuccesful atempt was made to lynch Elijah. He fled the area in late Jan. The war continued on for at least another year and resulted in the killing of several men including a county judge. Obviously Alfred must have heard a great deal about these events."

In another letter dated November 22, 1991, Dr. Paquette said: "It is interesting to recall that your grandfather was born 23 days before and about 15 miles from when and where a Vigilante group of some 15 men tried to, but failed when he killed 3 of them, lynch Elijah." We are not related to Elijah.

1. ↑ Cemetery List.
2.   The Gibbs Family Record.