My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William K. Gibson traces his ancestry to his great-grandfather, who came from Ireland to America before the Revolution, locating in North Carolina. He married in Ireland, and reared a large family of children, his son George being born December 30, 1763. He removed to Giles County, Tenn., about 1810. His son, James Gibson, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina on the 14th of July, 1792, and grew to manhood on his father’s farm. February 2, 1815. He was married to Jane Dowdel, and in 1836 came to Missouri and located in Lawrence County (then Barry County). His wife was born in South Carolina March 11, 1795, and was granddaughter of Gov. Pickens of that State. She and Mr. Gibson became the parents or eleven children, seven of whom are living. Her death occurred January 9, 1879. The father died July 28, 1872, leaving his family in comfortable circumstances. William K. Gibson was born in Giles County, Tenn., on the 5th of March, 1830, and was reared and educated in his native State. March 10, 1853, he was married to Jane, a daughter of Matthew Lowder, one of the early settlers of Lawrence County. She was born February 25, 1836, and became the mother of eight children: George M., Jane A. (wife of J. B. Roberts), Aletha L. (wife of Fillmore Kirby), Levi M., Henrietta J. (wife of D. W. Childress), Samuel K., Dolly M. and Charley V. In 1857 Mr. Gibson moved to Texas, but returned to Lawrence County in 1859 and located on the farm with his father. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B, Seventy-sixth Missouri State Militia, and served faithfully until ordered out of service in the spring of 1864. He then returned home, subject to recall at any moment, and was recalled during the latter part of the same year. In 1865 he located on his present farm of 280 acres, and began farming and dealing in live stock, and has since made a specialty of the latter business. He has been an active, energetic man, and owns 640 acres of good farming land, with 560 acres under fence. He has a nice, two-story frame residence. He supports the principles of the Republican party.

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This family biography is one of 272 biographies included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Lawrence County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Lawrence County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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