Person:Robert Gibson (48)

Robert Gibson was the eldest son of James Gibson, who together with his brother John. inherited the tenancy of Auchenlosh Farm from their father John Gibbison or Gibson who obtained the original lease in 1744. The names of John and James Gibson appear together in the farm rent book throughout the period from about 1780 until 1805. Auchenlosh was a fair-sized property with 10 cottages in addition to the main house according to the census of 1841.

James and John Gibson married, respectively, Mary and Margaret Harries, who may well have been sisters, but there is no proof of this. The surname Harries or Herries is fairly common in Colvend and Southwick and in neighbouring parishes.

Robert and his cousin, John, appear to have continued the family practice of finding two sisters to marry. Unfortunately, Mary and Janet McWilliam were not strong and died aged 23 and 25 in 1812 and 1816 respectively. Both are remembered on Stone 33⁴ in Southwick Graveyard.

Robert married Rachel Dixon or Dickson about 1816 and continued to live at Auchenlosh until about 1820. During that two or three years, two children--James and Margaret--were born. James only lived a few days; Margaret may not have lived much longer. Although Old Parish Register baptisms were available during this time, no records of marriages or deaths (save what is found on gravestones) survives.

In 1820 or so, Robert moved to a farm named Cullinaw in the neighbouring parish of Buittle. In the next few years, two sons named Robert were born and died in infancy, and a second daughter Margaret, the first of his children to live to adulthood, was born. A sixth child, John, was born in 1834. John was still alive at the time of the 1841 census, but no further evidence of John has been found. Robert and Rachel, and all the children with the exception of John are remembered on the stone in Southwick Graveyard illustrated here. This stone is close in location, although not necessarily close in numbering, to the other stones of the Gibson family.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Colvend and Southwick (parish 861), in Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Births & Baptisms. (Edinburgh, Scotland: ScotlandsPeople (National Records of Scotland)).

   22 Jul 1783. Robert, lawful son of James Gibson and Mary Harries in Auchenlosh

2. ↑ Buittle Parish, in Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society. Stewartry of Kirkcudbright census records of 1841 by surname. (Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society, c1998-)
   Enum Dist 2, page 4.

   Cullinaw
   Dixon, Margret, 75, independent
   Gibson, Robert, 55, farmer
   Gibson, Rachel, 45
   Gibson, Margaret, 20
   Gibson, John, 7
   and two male servants

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Southwick Stone 54, in Mitchell, Alison. The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright monumental inscriptions pre 1855. (Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2JL: Scottish Genealogy Society, c1990-)
   Vol 2, chap 8b.

   Robert GIBSON born Auchenlosh, Southwick, 22 Jul 1783, died Cullinaw, Buittle, 26 Jul 1864, children James, Margaret & Robert died in infancy, wife Rachel DICKSON died Castle Douglas 15 Jan 1871 in her 80th year, daughter Margaret died Castle Douglas 31 Jan 1886 aged 62

4.   Southwick Stone 33, in Mitchell, Alison. The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright monumental inscriptions pre 1855. (Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2JL: Scottish Genealogy Society, c1990-)
   Vol 2, chap 8b.

   In memory of John GIBBISON in Auchenlosh died 1762 in his 68th year,
   his wife Jannet Kirkonnald died 1778 in her 70th year,
   son Thomas in Torrs died 1798 in his 63rd year (children: John, Thomas, Helen and Agnes).
   son John GIBSON in Auchenlosh died 20 Jun 1807 in his 80th year.
   son James GIBSON in Auchenlosh died 21 Apr 1808 in his 76th year.
   Mary McWilliam, wife of Robert GIBSON, died 23 Mar 1812 in her 23rd year.
   Janet McWilliam, wife of John GIBSON junior died 21 Jan 1816 aged 23.
   Margaret Herries died May 1819 aged 86 [wife of John who died 20 Jun 1807].

   A photograph of this gravestone is available at the website Stewartry Monumental Inscriptions, Southwick churchyard, along with a number of others belonging to this family.

   NOTE: The family changed the spelling of their name from Gibbison to Gibson during the timeline covered on the gravestone. I saw this stone in 1981. It was perfectly readable. --goldenoldie 14:06, 28 August 2012 (EDT)