Page 869, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Butler County, Kansas by Vol. P. Mooney. Standard Publishing Company, Lawrence, Kan.: 1916. ill.; 894 pgs.


  HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 869 cont'd

G. W. Gibson, a successful farmer and stockman of Rock Creek township, is a Butler county pioneer and Civil war veteran. Mr. Gibson was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, September 5, 1844. His parents were George G. and Nancy B. (Anderson) Gibson, also natives of Pennsylvania.

G. W. Gibson was educated in the public schools of Pennsylvania and grew to manhood in that State, and when the Civil war broke out he was a boy under seventeen years of age, but on September 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Third regiment, Pennsylvania infantry. He participated with his regiment in the battles of Chickahominy, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, and many other important engagements. At the battle of Plymouth, Mr. Gibson was taken prisoner, in April, 1864, and was confined in the Andersonville and Florence prisons from May 1 to December 10. He was mustered out of service June 17, 1865.

After receiving his discharge from the army Mr. Gibson returned to his Pennsylvania home and took a commercial course, and for three years was in the Pennsylvania oil field. In 1871 he came to Butler county, Kansas, and located in Rock Creek township on the southwest quarter of section 23. He is one of the prosperous farmers and stockmen of Butler county, and now own 640 acres of land.

Mr. Gibson was married March 9, 1873, to Margaret A. Beckner, a native of DeKalb county, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have been born eleven children, nine of whom are living, as follows: Mary, married H. S. Smith, a farmer of Rock Creek township; William Howard, lives in Colorado; Samuel A., Rock Creek township; Ina, married Fred Williams and resides near Cheney, Kans.; Ada, married F. H. Paisley, of Douglass township; George G., Clay township; Charles G., Douglass, Kans.; Clara, married Byron Ray, Clay township, and Harold A., resides at home.

Mr. Gibson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a stanch Republican and has steadfastly supported the principles of that party throughout life, but has never aspired to hold political office.

When Mr. Gibson came to Butler county much of the primitive conditions on the plains prevailed. Game was plentiful and he frequently hunted deer and antelope with success. He has seen much of the development of Butler county and southern Kansas, and posseses an interesting store of early day reminiscences. Mr. Gibson is one of the substantial men of Butler county who has made good.


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