Old histories of Richmond County, NC and Marlboro County, SC by Gregg, Hamer, Honeycutt, and others  
tell the story of the lst Gibsons to this area, but offer no concrete proof. They state that  Ziba 
and Mary (Bennett) Gibson came to Charlotte County, Virginia from Scotland about 1750. They came 
with their children, Thomas, Nelson and Mary and spoke the Scotch dialect fluently. A legend exists 
that Ziba fled Scotland and changed his surname from McDougal or McGregor. Ziba died in Virginia and 
Mary came with the children to Anson County, NC. Their land was located on Rocky Ford Branch, a 
tributary of Hitchcock Creek about three miles north of Rockingham. It is not known if there were 
relatives of the Gibsons or Bennetts already living there.  There is no proof of any of this early 
history.  It is stated here as information only.
Their children:
1. Thomas Gibson.+	
2. Nelson Gibson
3. Mary Gibson married "Wildcat" Billy Smith.  


Thomas Gibson

Thomas Gibson was born c1735 in Scotland and died before
September 1804 when his will was probated. He married Agnes (?Williams whose father may have been 
Stafford Williams?). On 27 March 1773 Thomas Gibson bought 200 acres on Hitchcock Creek from John 
Williams for 10 pounds. Other land grants include #495 Anson County, 100 acres 29 April 1768; #186 
Anson County, 100 acres 4 May 1769; #149 Richmond County, 100 acres 9 August 1787; and #608 Richmond 
County, 100 acres 6 December 1794. 

Richmond County is in NC and borders South Carolina. Revolutionary War records in Columbia, SC state 
that in 1782 Thomas Gibson, Sr. served as a sergeant for 64 Days militia duty. He received payment in 
sterling on 8 June 1784. 

In NC Revolutionary records Thomas Gibson, Ens., is listed in Lt Colonel's Co., 10th Regiment.  There 
are four Revolutionary Vouchers extant for Thomas Gibson: #246 for Counties of Anson, Montgomery and 
Richmond, unspecified Claim 9 July 1782, Voucher #28 Richmond County for beef October 1782, one with 
no number or district dated 9 February 1785 and #68 no county listed for Continental Line service 
12 November 1781.   His Revolutionary service has been approved on several applications by the DAR. 
The National Archives has no military records on file although he was granted a pension. Their 
explanation is that the military records burned in one of the several fires these records suffered.  
Thomas had died by 1804 when his will was probated.  His wife, Agnes Williams, was a sister of 
Sarah Williams, who married Nelson Gibson.  Their
Children were:  
1.Thomas, Jr.		8.Elisha
2.Stafford			9.Agnes
3.Nathaniel			10.Sarah
4.Elijah			11.James*
5.John				12.Mary
6.Nelson			13.Nancy
7.Francis

*James married Divinity Adams, parents of Shockley

	Thomas Gibson Sr.'s will was probated in Richmond County in September 1804.  This will was 
dated 24 June 1804 and recorded in Will
Book #1, p 99.  The will names Nelson, Francis, Elisha, Agnes Somerland, Sally Somerland, 
Mary Strong and Nancy Mangum.   The five elder sons were not names as they had been given 
land by their father earlier:
Thomas Gibson, Jr. 1789, Deed Book F, p 338.
Stafford Gibson 1793, Deed Book C, p 49.
Nathaniel Gibson 1802, Deed Book F, p 130.
Elijah Gibson 1802, Deed Book F, p 131.
John Gibson 1802, Deed Book F, p 132.  


John Gibson

	John Gibson was born 6 August 1779 and died 30 September 1840.  On 3 February 1801 a marriage 
bond was issued to John Gibson to marry Nancy (Anna) Pearce.  Nancy was born 8 February 1785 and 
died 22 October 1856.  They are buried in Peele Cemetery in Scotland County,  NC.  John and Nancy 
moved in 1803 to the southern part of Richmond County on lands adjoining Green Pond extending to 
where the town of Gibson is now located.  This 200 acres was deeded to him by his father, Thomas Gibson 
14 June 1802.  Legend says they once owned 1200 acres of land and were the parents of 21 children.  
Here is a list of 15 of those children. 

1.Nathaniel P Gibson, Sr.			9.Darby Gibson
2.John A Gibson						10.Ann Gibson m Wright
3.Stephen Gibson m Lucy Ann Hodges	11Sarah Gibson Hannah
4.Jubal Gibson						12.Mary Gibson Livingston
5.Pearce Gibson						13.Betsy Gibson  Martin
6.Thomas Gibson					    14.Honor Gibson Lovin*
7.Elijah Gibson						15.Nancy Gibson
8.Elisha Gibson

* Honor Gibson married Joseph Lovin January 3, 1844 in Richmond County.  
Her children were Ann, Stephen and John.


Nathaniel P Gibson

	Nathaniel P Gibson was the son of John and Nancy (Pearce) Gibson.
He was born c1806 and died after 1870.  He married c 1829 Honor Pate 
Daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Lamb) Pate.  Honor was born December 22, 1812 and died July 7, 1889 
and is buried in Beaverdam Cemetery, McColl, SC. 

Children lf Nathaniel and Honor were:

Stephen Pate Gibson+
John B Gibson, born December 21, 1831, died April 12, 1920.  He married Judith Ann Sanderford on 
November 17, 1859.
Elizabeth Gibson was born 1832.
Nancy Gibson was born 1834.
Daniel Gibson was born 1839.
Mary Gibson was born 1840.
Fanny Gibson was born 1842.

Nathaniel P Gibson, Jr., was born 26 January 1844 and died 13 October 1912.  He married Mary Jane Paul.  
He is buried in Beaverdam Cemetery.

Hannah Gibson was born 1846.
Honor Gibson was born 9 November  1848 and died 25 June 1925.  She is buried in Beaverdam Cemetery.



Stephen Pate Gibson

	Stephen Pate Gibson was born 21 May 1830 and died 5 January 1901.  On 2 October 1854 he was issued 
a marriage bond to  Mary Covington in Richmond County.  Mary was born 25 October 1834 and died 13 May 1903.  
Mary Covington was the daughter of Wesley H Covington and Sarah Jane Pate. They are buried in the Sunderland 
Cemetery.  Stephen served during the Civil War with the "Sons of Mars" company D, 46th Regiment. 
Children of Stephen P and Mary Covington Gibson were:

1.  Samuel C Gibson was born July 1855 and died 27 October 1924 in Scotland County, NC.   He was a 
merchant in Laurinburg selling groceries and wood.  He married Mary E Blue born in June 1855.  
In 1900 Scotland census their children were:
John W Gibson was born August 1882.
Archie L Gibson was born in November 1884.
William K Gibson was born November 1886.
Robert H Gibson was born November 1888.
Ida C Gibson was born November 1891
Flora Margaret Gibson was born 1 November 1896.

2.  Nathaniel C Gibson was born September 1856.

3.  John Wesley Gibson was born 25 Dec 1857 and died 22 September 1918 in Williamson Township of 
Scotland County.   He is buried in Gibson Cemetery.  The Scotland County 1900 census shows the 
children were:
	Mary J Gibson was born February 1883
	Edward Gibson was born May 1888.
	Walter Gibson was born October 1890
	Millard Gibson was born March 1893.
	Mattie Gibson was born March 1896.
	Belton  Gibson was born November 1898.
	Murray Gibson was born 3 July 1901. 

4.  Stephen Covington Gibson+

5.  Robert Gibson was born c1862.

6.  William Gibson was born c1864.

7.  Noah Gibson was born July 1865 and first married on 17 December 1890 Mary Helen Tunstall.  
She was the daughter of W J Tunstall and Helen Permenter.   Mary was born July 1874 and died in 1905.  
She is buried in King cemetery in Laurel Hill, NC.  Their living children were:
	Helen Gibson was born in 1890.
	Mattie Gibson was born April 1896.
	William James Gibson born in 1900
Noah second married Annie Beasley and their children were:
	Daisy Gibson was born 1910.
	Viola Gibson was born 1912.
	Roy L Gibson born 1915. 
Noah third married Sarah Tunstall Bailey sister of his first wife.


8.  George Gibson was born c1868.



Stephen Covington Gibson

	Stephen Covington Gibson was born 8 Oct 186l and died 19 December 1931 in Richmond County, NC.   
In 1889 he married Orilla Buck Tunstall, daughter of Helen Permenter and William James Tunstall.  
She was born 13 February 1873 and died 31 August 1952. 

  Mary Gibson McCoy, Myrtle Bridges' mother peeking overher shoulder, Danny McCoy, ORILLA GIBSON, 
and Hallie Billingley (Orilla's grandchild).  In front is Mary's son
E C McCormick.  Is this Mary Gibson Orilla's daughter?

 Stephen C and Orilla (Tunstall) Gibson's  children were:

1.	David J Gibson was born 17April 1890 , died 28 Feb 1928 in OK.

2.	William Vilers Gibson was born 4 June 1893 and died  19 July 1982 in Florida.  He married 
Laura Belle Holcomb.  They had  W V Jr, Harold Lee, and Verda Jane.
3. James Floyd Gibson.*
4.	Anna Belle Gibson was born 13 July 1898 and died 7 July 1996.  She married J Oscar Billingsley.  
They are buried in Mary Love Cemetery, Hamlet, NC. They had Hallie, Ernest, Freida, Annie L and Bennett.

5.	John K Gibson was born 21 May 1900 and died May 1988 in           
Asheville, NC.  He married Sherlie M and they had  daughter, Alta.

6.	Mary Ellen Gibson was born 28 Feb1903.

7.	Duncan Melvin Gibson was born  12 May 1905 and died  30 June 1979. He is buried Mary Love Cemetery.  
His  daughter is Belinda.

8.	Ida May Gibson was born 29 May 1907 in Richmond County.  She
died in January 1991 and is buried at Centre Presbyterian Cemetery
 in Maxton, NC.  On 23 December 1923 in Bennettsville, SC she
 married James Austin McKeithan son of Moses Augustus McKeithan
 and Rachel Ingram. James A McKeithan was born 25 November
 1904 and died 18 June 1950.  He is buried in Mary Love Cemetery,
 Hamlet, NC. On 25 July 1962 Ida married 2nd Dougald Murdock 
 McNeill.  The McKeithan children:
i.	Juanita O'Neal McKeithan was born 20 May 1925.  In 1941 she first married Robert Hammond.   
On 10th of May 1957 she married second Bill Luther.  Her son Mark Luther and his wife Catherine 
live in Charlotte and have two children Angela and Adam. 
 
ii.	Jacqueline Hope McKeithan was born 13 December 1926. On 9 April 1961 she married Milton Terry.  
Second she married George Wilson.

iii.	Shirley Augusta McKeithan was born 4 April 1928.  

iv.	James Austin McKeithan, Jr was born 23 December 1929 and died 5 February 1935.


v.	Golda Gray McKeithan was born 13 December 1932 ,  She married Robert F Brigman 27 November 1954.

vi.	Charles C McKeithan was born 14 July 1934 and died 5 July 1978.  On 9 January 1955 
he married Marjorie Corbett.


vii.	Mary Linda McKeithan was born 18 November 1948.  On 16 December 1967 she married 
Robert D Reynolds.


9. George Washington Gibson was born 7 July 1909 and died 13 February 1932.  He is buried 
in S Gibson Cemetery, Hamlet, NC.

James Floyd Gibson (1895-1974) and Dora Harding (Gibson) Gibson (1901-1993).

	James Floyd Gibson was born 15 November 1895 and died in Hamlet, NC 27 December 1974.   
On 23 August 1924 he married Dora Harding Gibson at the First Baptist parsonage, Hamlet, NC.  
 Dora was the daughter of Mary Ann Terry and Calvin White Gibson. She was born 26 October 1901 
and died in Charlotte, NC 6 April 1993. 
	James Floyd was 21 years and 6 months old when he enlisted for WI at Charleston, SC on 2 June 1917.  
He had blue eyes, brown hair and stood 5 feet 6 inches tall.  He listed his home as Old Hundred, NC.  
He was enlisted for Co A, lst Infantry, SCNG and sailed on the SS Mercury from Charleston, SC to 
serve in France 29 May 1918 to l March 1919.  He made Corporal on 26 October 1918 while serving 
in Co 1, 118th Infantry.  He was awarded the Victory Medal for his participation in the Somme 
Offensive and Ypres-LYSSS Defensive Sector, British Command. 
	James Floyd Gibson operated Gibson Hardware in Hamlet and was active in the Lion's Club.  
They were members of the First Baptist church,
Hamlet, NC.
Their children:
	Daughter stillborn 28 September 1927, buried in Champ Terry cemetery in Roberdel.
	Stacy Floyd Gibson

Stacy Floyd Gibson, Sr.

Stacy Floyd Gibson was born 18 January 1931 in Hamlet, NC.  On 22 December 1952 he married 
Helen Patricia Brown in First Baptist Church of Hamlet, NC.  Pat is the daughter of
Wilmot Ernest Brown and his wife Elizabeth Gertrude Turnage.  Their children :
Susan Patricia Gibson
Stacy Floyd Gibson, Jr. was born 4 August 1956 in Rowan County, NC.  He died 18 August 1993 
in Charlotte, NC.  His son is James Christopher Gibson.


END NOTES

i Honeycutt, James E and Ida, A History of Richmond County, p. 78.
ii Pruitt, A. B., Land Grants of Anson County.
Hamer, Blanche Gibson, Genealogical Record of Thomas Gibson.
NC Archives, NC Ciolonial and State Records (Raleigh, NC).
NC Archives, NC Revolutionary Army Accounts (Raleigh, NC) Vol XII, p 8, F2, Entry #246.
Clerk of CourtRecords, Richmond County, NC, Will BK 1, p 99.
Register of Deeds, Richmond County, NC.
Ibid.
Cemetery Records of Richmond County.
Estate Records of Richmond County 1772-1933, NC Archives, Raleigh, NC, Bk l John Gibson and 
Estate records of Darby Gibson  October 1854.  These records made available to author by Myrtle 
Bridges.
Beaverdam Cemetery Records of Marlboro County, SC.
Angela Gibson's records (Ms James Tracy, Jr. recorded by Joe McLaurin, Rockingham, NC.
Jordan, NC Troops, A Roster. 
Death Certificate, Register of Deeds Office Scotland County, Laurinburg, NC.
Ibid.
1900 census Scotland County, Stewartsville Twp, Sheet 8, Laurinburg, NC.
Marriage Records of Richmond County, NC.  NC Archives Microfilm.
1900 Scotland County census, Williamsburg Twp, #444.
Death certificate of Richmond County, NC.  Register of  Deeds Office, Rockingham, NC.
Family records of Golda M Brigman, Hamlet, NC.
Death certificate, Richmond County, N.C.
Marriage records of Richmond County, NC.
Death certificate, Mecklenburg County, NC.
WW I Service Records of SC.

August 1, 2007

"Sherwood Gibson was the last child of Orilla and Stephen Gibson.  He 
was born 7-23-1913 and died Feb 15, 1917.  He is buried in the Morgan 
Cemetery in Scotland Co.  It is out in the woods near Crawford Lake.  I 
copied two other names of markers in this cemetery. B F Morgan 6-9-1858 
died 6-27-1937.  Ella Genrette, wife of B F Morgan  11-6-1860 died 
1-27-1947.  Their daughter Bertha Morgan Williams 3-15-1883 died 
6-7-1972.  Aunt Annebell (Gibson/Billingsley) took me to this cemetery 
in the 1980s...Ella and Orilla were cousins"
   
    Apparently according to Golda McKeithan, Annabelle's daughter Hallie 
Billingsley McKeithan is the eldest living relative who remembers 
everything.  Yes, she married Golda's uncle on her father's side and is 
Golda's aunt as well as cousin on the Gibison side...
    Don't know if this helps you...I've not figured out how the 
Genrette's fit into the Tunstall stuff yet...there was a Genrette with 
him and family in the Horry co, SC l860 census?
    Cheers, Z