Person:John Gipson (4)

John Gipson was apparently the guardian of 3 Skimerhorn children (Alvey, John and James) who were living in his household in the 1880 census^[4]. At least one of those children (John) later used the surname Gipson. See further notes on the page of John Skimerhorn/Gipson for speculation on the parentage of these children.

The allocation of John's children to his wife Emeline and her sister Rebecca might not be correct. Both Emeline and Rebecca claimed to have 6 living children in the 1900 census, but all 13 of the known children allocated to the 2 mothers were living in 1900. Emma appears to have been Rebecca's daughter, as she was married under the name Skimmerhorn (and family tradition appears to identify her mother as Rebecca). Assuming that all the children younger than Emma were Rebecca's, that gives her at least 7 living children in 1900. If Harriet was also her daughter (as suggested by the alternate name Skimehorn on her page), then Rebecca had 8 living children, and Emeline is short one living child. Emeline's additional child could be a child born shortly after the 1880 census who does not appear with either parent in the 1900 census, or it could be Harriet. Further research is required.

Five Gipson brothers were in Civil War. John, Levi and another were in same Cavalry unit. 4th Tn (Murphys) but brother Issac fought for US.

I would like to respond to the information provided above. My Grandmother was Lee Ellen Skimmerhorn/Gipson Proctor, Rebecca's daughter. We had numerous conversations about her family throughout the years and she never waivered from what she told me time and time again. My Grandmother Lee stated her father was Jack Gipson, her mother was Rebecca Skimmerhorn, Jack's third wife. She always said she was one of 23 of Jack's children. She told me on many occasions that both of Jack's first two wives had 8 children each and her mother had seven children. She said she only knew one or two of the first wife's children because they were so much older and most had moved on by the time she came along. She did however know most of Emeline's children and referred to them as half brothers and sisters. I know that throughout their lives the daughters of Rebecca remained fairly close. I remember Hat, (they have her listed as Harriet, but her name was Hattie and they called her Hat), Emmer, Doll, Liza, Mary and Uncle Joe. My Grandmother never mentioned a Maude and I'm sure Della was a half sister probably belonging to Emeline. My grandmother never mentioned that Emeline and Rebecca were sisters, perhaps she never knew. I hope my grandmother's account of the facts as she knew them may help clear some of the confusion. G.M. Proctor 12/29/2017

Thanks for the input - it confirms some things. I have fixed Hattie's name. A couple of us who have been fixing these records are volunteers, not related to the family, so we have no more information that what can be provided by people like you and various records we can find online.

I am curious - you mention sisters Liza and Mary (and I assume you refer to 2 different women), yet the records show a Mary Elizabeth and no separate person named Liza. Maud died in 1920, which may be why your grandmother never mentioned her.

Incidentally, I think I found Della and Joe in the 1910 census, living as step-children of James Proctor in Hopkins, Kentucky. Their mother is Beck Proctor, age difficult to read (transcribed as 30), claiming 11 children, 10 of whom were living, married for the first time about 1907. I assume this is Rebecca Skimehorn. If she was only counting children she bore, then maybe Alvey, John and James Skimehorn (all born before 1880) were her children and there was another who died. Alternately, she may have been counting some step-children. At any rate, if Della was not her biological daughter then she may have been the daughter of an unknown woman, but (based on the census records) raised by Rebecca. I have not moved her out of the John Gipson/Rebecca Skimehorn family yet, just in case she was the woman you called Liza - seems a stretch, but you never know. Let us know if you have any additional info that would help. Thanks.--DataAnalyst 16:34, 30 December 2017 (UTC)

After reading your post I called my Aunt Margie who still lives in Madisonville. She is the last of the 9 children of Charlie and Lee Ellen Proctor. My Aunt confirmed what I thought, that Della and Maude were most likely half sisters. She also confirmed that Aunt Liza lived most of her life around Nashville, TN and always went by Liza or Eliza Gipson and never married to anyone's knowledge. There is a photo of my grandmother, Liza, Emmer and Mary that I will try to upload for you. On your other inquiry, James Proctor was my Grandfather Charlie's older brother, the Beck Proctor you referred to was Rebecca Kimmeynan not Rebecca Skimmerhorn/Gipson. I have no idea why Joe and Della were in the household of James Proctor. Aunt Margie suggested it might be a situation where Jack Gipson had more mouths than he could feed and care for and our Uncle Jim took them in to care for them. That was not an uncommon practice for the Proctor family, it continued up into the next generations, mixed Proctor relatives in different households. Uncle Joe Gipson lived and died in and around Phoenix, AZ according to Aunt Margie. I remember him on his visits back to Madisonville. As far as the confusion on the different census reports the names, ages, relationships and all the different people coming and going throughout those 30 years never adds up. I tend to think perhaps Jack Gipson was crazy like a fox and was trying to hide the fact he was in a polygamist relationship with Emeline and Rebecca. So leaving out a child and/or only listing the children that were present when the census taker showed up and inventing phony relationships were perhaps intentional. I know that my Grandmother always maintained she lied about her age when she was married, she was actually only 13. I also know that Aunt Mary married when she was 14 or 15. So Jack had no problem marrying off his underage daughters. Being deceptive on a US Census was probably also not a problem for a former Confederate Cavalry Trooper. G. M. Proctor 12/31/2017

1. ↑ 1850 census goes here.
2. ↑ 1860 census goes here.
3. ↑ Hopkins, Kentucky, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1870; Census Place: Nebo, Hopkins, Kentucky; Roll: M593_471; Page: 64A; Image: 42955; Family History Library Film: 545970
   -----
   
NAME AGE POB
John Gibson 50 TN
Emeline Gibson 26 TN
Angeline Gibson 18 TN
Lucinda Gibson 16 IL
Mariah Gibson 14 IL


4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Hopkins, Kentucky, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1880; Census Place: Court House, Hopkins, Kentucky; Roll: 420; Family History Film: 1254420; Page: 307B; Enumeration District: 191; Image: 0619
   -----
   
NAME AGE ROLE POB FPOB MPOB OCC
John Gipson 56 HOH TN TN TN Farmer
Emeline Gipson 38 wife TN TN TN keeping house
James Gipson 9 son TN TN TN at home
Henry Gipson 9 son TN TN TN at home
Mary Gipson 6 dau TN TN TN at home
Eli Gipson 4 son TN TN TN at home
Sampson Gipson 1 son TN TN TN at home
Rebecca Skimerhorn 25 sil TN TN TN widowed ; at home
Alvey Skimerhorn 6 sil TN TN TN at home
John Skimerhorn 5 bil TN TN TN at home
James Skimerhorn 3 bil TN TN TN at home
Wilson Eyepock 7 neph TN TN TN at home


5. ↑ Hopkins, Kentucky, United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M94N-BQZ : 20 January 2015), Jno W Gibson, Magisterial District 3, Court House (excl. Madisonville city), Hopkins, Kentucky, United States; citing sheet 19A, family 345, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,528.
   -----
   
NAME ROLE GENDER AGE BDATE POB FPOB MPOB
Jno W Gibson Head M 81 Mar 1819 TN SC TN widowed ; farmer
Arkansas Gibson Dau F 13 Mar 1887 KY TN TN
Mary E Gibson Dau F 11 Mar 1889 KY TN TN
Maud Gibson Dau F 8 Jun 1891 KY TN TN
Lee Gibson Dau F 7 Jun 1893 KY TN TN
Della Gibson Dau F 5 Sep 1895 KY TN TN
Joseph G Gibson Son M 1 Nov 1899 KY TN TN
Emma Clayvorn* Dau F 15 Dec 1885 KY TN TN
Nick Clayvorn* Son-in-law M 41 Nov 1859 KY KY KY
Rebecca Skimehorn Sis-in-law F 43 Nov 1857 KY KY KY single [sic] ; mother of 6 living children
George Croxten Boarder M 7 Sep 1893 KY KY KY

   -----
   [cos1776 Note: although census states John Gipson is widowed, wife Emeline (also listed as widowed) is listed in the household of son James Gipson in McClean county, Tennessee.]

   "Clayvorn" should be "Croxton" or "Crookston".

6. ↑ Butlersville and Thomas, Allen, Kentucky, in United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T624).

   in the household of William C and Birdie Bryan:
   grandfather: John Gipson, age 89, widowed, born in Tennessee

   This might be him, but I haven't yet found who William Bryan's parents were.

7. ↑ Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1963 [database on-line].

   Name: John Gibson
   Gender: Male
   Race: White
   Age: 93
   Birth Date: 22 Aug 1818
   Birth Place: Jackson, Tennessee
   Death Date: 15 Jun 1912
   Death Place: Simpson, Kentucky, USA
   Father: Bice Gibson [Tobias Gipson]
   Mother: Woolbright

8.   POSSIBLE MATCH - for review.

   Information found on Ancestry.com
   ID: I01057
   Name: John William GIPSON
   Sex: M
   Birth: ABT 1831 in Jackson County, TN
   Death: BET 1910 AND 1916 in White Plains, Hopkins County, KY
   Note:
   From "Tennesseans in the War with Mexico"
   John Gibson Pvt Co. B 4th Inf
   Rendezvous 10/7/1847 at Gainesboro
   Age 18
   Discharged 7/31/1848 at Memphis
   
   Possible Civil War Military Experience
   1. Sgt. 4th Murray's Cavalry Co. E
   Enlisted Aug 22, 1862 at Dixon Springs by Whorton
   Missing at Battle of Murfreesboro (Battle of Stones River)
   
   Sgt. 22nd TN Inf Battalion
   Jan & Feb 1863 "Missing in Battle of Murfreesboro Returned since last day of muster"
   March & Apr 1863 Present
   
   2. Private 4th Murray's Cavalry Co. E
   Enlisted Aug 22, 1862 at Dixon Springs by Whorton
   Present January 23, 1863
   
   Private Co. K 22nd TN Inf Battalion
   Absent without leave since Feb 22, 1863
   March and April 1863 Present - Under Arrest