Robert M. Gibson, b. 22 Nov 1837

LAUGHEAD, MCCHESNEY, HAMILTON, STRAIN, HOYT

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 3/31/2004 at 08:30:03

Robert M. Gibson, a veteran of the late war, who won an honorable military record, retiring from the service with the rank of an officer, and subsequently identifying himself with the great agricultural interests of Jackson County, has been an active factor in extending and promoting them. And while doing so he has been very much prospered, and is now the owner of a good sized, well-improved farm on section 20, Perry Township. This farm is well adapted to stock raising, and Mr. Gibson is very profitably engaged in that branch of agriculture. He has a fine herd of Durhams, full-blooded or of high grades, and he buys and feeds cattle quite extensively, shipping two car loads a year. His hogs are full-blooded Polands, and he is besides interested in raising horses, is a member of the Horse Breeders' Association in Perry, and owns fourteen, some grades, valuable Percherons, and uses four teams in his farm work.

Our subject is of Celtic lineage. His paternal grandfather was born in Ireland, and when a young man he emigrated to America and located in Allegheny County, Pa., where he engaged in farming. Later he moved to Beaver County, in the same State, and there died. The maiden name of his wife was Laughead, and she had several brothers in the War of 1812, one of them being a General. The father of our subject was born in Allegheny County, Pa., in 1803. As he grew to man's estate he learned the tin and coppersmith's trade, and subsequently had a shop in which he worked at it in Beavertown, Pa. He was married in what is now Lawrence County, Feb. 9, 1837, to Martha McChesney, who was born in Ireland in 1809. Her father, Robert McChesney, was born in the same country, and emigrated to America about 1812, and settled in Indiana County, Pa. He afterward moved from there to Lawrence County, of which he was thus an early settler, and where he became a well-to-do farmer before his death, which occurred there in the fall of 1852. The mother of our subject was three years old when she crossed the ocean with her parents to their new Pennsylvanian home. She received careful instruction in what then constituted the essential accomplishments of a good housewife, and became an expert spinner and weaver.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gibson began their wedded life in Centreville, Butler Co., Pa., where he was engaged at this trade three years. At the expiration of that time he moved onto his farm, which he had purchased a short time before his marriage, and built a log cabin, and became one of the first settlers of the place. He improved a farm of 126 acres, and cultivated it until the fall of 1852. He then sold and came to Iowa by wagon, boat, and rail, and located in Perry Township, buying 160 acres of land on sections 21 and 16. He brought his land under admirable tillage, built a good residence, and became quite wealthy, at one time owning about 800 acres of valuable land. He has since deeded all of it to his sons. His life record shows him to be a man of high principles and strong character, who has been an influence for good in this community, where he came as a pioneer nearly forty years ago. In politics he has always stood firmly by the Republican party, and in anti-bellum days was a strong abolitionist. He was an active member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church while in Pennsylvania, and since coming here has united himself with the United Presbyterian Church, he being one of the organizers of the church; he has been Ruling Elder both in Pennsylvania and in this State forty years. Mrs. Gibson, the mother of our subject, departed this life in Perry, in December, 1886, at the venerable age of seventy-seven years. She was a member of the United Presbyterian church, and was always firm in the faith. The marriage of herself and husband was blessed to them by the birth of seven sons, as follows; Robert M., William R., deceased; Samuel M., living in Perry; Thomas J., in Perry; Richard J., in Clinton County; Rev. Josiah H., a United Presbyterian minister in Beulah, Kas.; Joseph L., living in Perry. William R. took part in the war as a member of the 2d Iowa Cavalry, was injured by a horse falling on him, and died after three years service, in July, 1865. Samuel was in the same regiment as our subject, enlisting in 1862, and serving until after the close of the war.

The subject of this biographical sketch was born in Centreville, Pa., Nov. 22, 1837. He was reared on his father's farm, and gleaned his education in the district school. He was fifteen years old when he accompanied his parents to Iowa in October, 1852, coming by team to Cleveland, thence by boat to Detroit, from there by rail to Chicago, and thence by team to Jackson County, crossing the Mississippi River at Smith's Ferry, near Galena, arriving at their future home November 3. Our subject remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years old, assisting his father in the pioneer task of clearing his land and preparing it for cultivation. In September, 1861, his career as a soldier began, as in that month he enrolled his name among those of his country's defenders, enlisting in Company M, 2d Iowa Cavalry. He was mustered in at Davenport, and was then sent to St. Louis with his comrades, and they were engaged in scouting on the track of Gen. Price and Jeff Thompson. The first actual engagement in which the regiment took an active part was at New Madrid. From there it was dispatched to a point fifteen miles above Memphis, and thence by transports up the river to Clifton, and then to Shiloh. May 9, 1862, the 2d Iowa and the 2d Michigan made their famous charge before Corinth. Mr. Gibson's brigade was then sent to destroy railway stores at Boonville, arrived at that place May 28 at night, destroyed all the stores, railway stations, etc., and got back to camp at dark, May 31, they having made successfully one of the most hazardous raids ever undertaken. They had been in the field every day for four months, engaged in skirmishing, and had been posted at Boonville when the fight at that point came off July 1. Then followed the battles of Iuka, Payton's Mill, and second battle of Corinth.

On the 1st of July, 1882, our subject was promoted from the ranks to the office of Sergeant. He fought at the following battles: Yocona River, Water Valley, Coffeeville, Palo Alto, and at Jackson, Tenn., and in the battles of Collierville, Cold Water and Moscow. March 28, 1964, Sergeant Gibson veteranized, was given a thirty-days furlough, and rejoined his regiment at Memphis. He fought near Ripley, at Pontotoc, at Tupello, battle of Oldtown Creek, at Oxford (in the battles of November 8 and 9,) and at School Creek. From November 11 to 16 he was near Nashville shirmishing with the enemy, and he took an active part in the battles at Lawrenceburg, the battle of Franklin, battle of Nashville, and Dec. 15, 1864, on the retreat from Nashville, they had a hand to hand conflict with the enemy. At Nashville his regiment was ordered to charge the fort, the first time such a thing had occurred in the history of cavalry. Nashville was the last great battle in which our subject fought, and after that he and his comrades were engaged in skirmishes with the rebels in Mississippi until Lee's surrender, and also in Alabama, where they served until Oct. 4, 1865, when they were mustered out and honorably discharged at Davenport, our subject as Quartermaster Sergeant.

After his experience of military life on Southern battlefields our subject came home and settled on his farm of 160 acres on section 20, which his father had given him. It was but partly improved, and his was the pioneer task to break the soil, put the land under cultivation, erect buildings, etc. He has put up a good class of buildings. His land is under the best possible cultivation, has a fine orchard and beautiful groves. In the fall of 1885 Mr. Gibson purchased 160 acres adjoining his homestead, only partly improved. He has this all fenced, has put up a substantial barn, windmill and tanks, and has made other valuable improvements. He superintends the whole farm of 320 acres, which is well adapted to stock raising. He has full-blooded and high grade Durhams, and buys and feeds cattle, shipping two car loads each year. His hogs are full-blooded Polands, and his horses, of which he has fourteen, using four teams in his farm work, are, in part, graded Percherons. He is a member of the Horse Breeders' Association in Perry.

Mr. Gibson was married to Miss Nancy E. Hamilton, in Perry Township, March 29, 1866. She was born in Mercer County, Pa., and is a daughter of George and Rebecca (Strain) Hamilton, early settlers of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson's greated sorrow in an otherwise happy married life has been the death of three of the seven children born unto them - Emma R., Elsie A., and Edwin A. Those remaining to bless their declining years are George W., Lawrence R., Wallace R. and Charles H. George, who is in partnership with his father in the management of the farm, married Miss J. Hoyt. The other sons live at home with their parents.

The high eulogium has been passed upon Mr. Gibson that "he does by all as he would be done by," than which no nobler or more deserving praise can be given. His life record as here written speaks as to his worth as a man and a citizen. He is a prominent figure in the social and public life of this township, and his influence is felt in every feasible plan for the moral or material elevation of the community. He has been Township Trustee three years, has been Supervisor of Roads, and has been a member of the School Board for years. He is one of the leading members of the G.A.R. as represented in this county, being Commander of the R.M. Smith Post No. 269, at Andrew. He is one of the Ruling Elders of the United Presbyterian Church at Andrew, and has been Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is prominent among the Republicans of this locality, and has been a delegate to county conventions at various times.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)