GIBBONS & THOMPSON FAMILY HISTORY 2007

  

In 1833 Rebecca & Gilbert were young slaves on the Retreat Plantation located in Jefferson County west of Louisville Georgia up the Georgetown Road towards Fenn’s Bridge at that time Gilbert was valued at 187.50 and Rebecca was valued at 100.00.

Gilbert (born 1817) and Rebecca married around 1840 had 11 children but according to the 1900 Federal Census Report only 7 was recorded as being alive.  Their children are:David, Rosilla, Paul, Flora, Jerry, Jack, Pompey,Nancy, and twins Mary & Martha.

The Retreat Plantation was originally owned by Barrack Gibbons who later willed it to his nephew, Alexander Telfair.  Telfair, had a very bad reputation in the county for mistreatment of his slaves.  Although Telfair, was an absentee land owner, he hired as overseer Elisha Cain, who managed his property for over 25 years. After the death of Alexander Telfair, the Retreat Plantation was willed to his sisters Mary and Margaret Telfair, who allowed a family member, W.B. Hodgson to assume management of the plantation.  Mr. Cain continued as overseer for Hodgson until, he was replaced by J.N. Bethea.

In 1864 during the Civil War, the Retreat Plantation was burned by the confederate army lead by Captian Rziha.  After slavery ended in 1865, although it was the custom of many slaves to take the name of their plantation owner, the family chose to go by the last name of Gibbons instead of the Telfair name.

 JERRY GIBBONS

Jerry Gibbons was born approx. 1862.  Jerry married his first wife Elizabeth Lyons December 25 1886.  According to the 1900 Federal Census report for Jefferson County they had been married 13 years with 7 out of 8 children listed.  The children listed were:   Elzina (Aszena, Zina), Turner, Leslie,Mary J, Benjamin, Edna P, David.

Elizabeth’s father’s name was Clabe Lyons born in North Carolina, her mother’s name was Eadie per 1910 Federal Census report for Washington County. Elizabeth’s siblings listed were Jane, Birt, Eliza, and John.  Jerry married a 2nd time to Patsy Hall in 1910, the family was blended with Jerry’s previous children, step children, and children from the new marriage, the names added were:  Jonas, Raeford, Bertha, Sam, Carie and Albert.

After slavery ended, Jerry also worked as sharecropper for Hudson & Hardeman.

PAUL GIBBONS

Paul Gibbons, son of Rebecca and Gilbert, married 1st wife Doll and 2nd wife Betty Thompson, their children collectively were:   Sallie, Rebecca, Mattie, Fannie, Namon, and Willie.

A little known fact is that Sallie & Rebecca were born Triplets, but they are the two that survived.  They are the oldest twins in our family to date.  Paul also was a sharecropper working on the Hudson & Hardeman property.

 Elijah (Elisha) Gibbons

Elijah Gibbons was born into slavery in or about the year 1852.  Elijah married Lonnie Thompson and they had 13 children 3 of which died before the 1900 Federal Census Report for Jefferson County.  They are listed as:  Mulzy-May 1875, Willie (unknown DOB), Wiggins-Aug 1877, Agnes-Dec 1882, Isaiah-Feb 1885, Edgar-Dec 1887, Mary B-Jun 1889, John-May 1893, Roman-Apr 1894, Jessie Nov 1895.

Elijah parents are not known at this time, his known siblings are:

Millie Gibbons, Julia Gibbons, and Ellan Gibbons.  Elijah, after slavery worked as sharecropper on Hudson & Hardeman’s land as recorded in the Jefferson County Tax Digest 1884.  Lonnie Gibbons mother’s name was Agnes Thompson, and her known siblings are: Kelly, Unlimited, and Harmon.

 ROMAN GIBBONS

Roman Gibbons was born in 1894 and was married to Doshie Thompson born about 1894 they had the following children: Beatrice 1918, Edga 1920, Luna 1922, Sarah 1924, Jessie Mae 1923, and Penny.

ELZINA GIBBONS

Jerry Gibbons and Elizabeth Gibbons had a daughter named Elzina (Aszena, Zina) Gibbons born October 1889.  Zena’s first husband was Walter Gibbons; they were married January 26, 1907.  Zena’s 2nd husband was Alford Thompson; they were married on December 23, 1917.  Between the 2 of them they had 12 children: Quincy, Susie, Bealer, Lizzie, Alford, Lily Mae, Jerry, Carroll, Nathon, Dora, Haymen, Frank.                                           

Zena and Walter’s daughter Susie Mae Gibbons-Thompson was born on September 22, 1910.  She married John Henry Jackson born May 10, 1910.  They had 4 children: Minnie Mae, Johnnie Mae, Jonas, and David.  Susie and John divorced. Susie never remarried; however, John did marry a second time to Rosa.  John and Rosa resided in Ft. Lauderdale Florida until his death, May 1975. They had no other children.  Susie Mae resided in Tampa Florida until her death in May 16 1997.

Susie Mae Jackson and John Henry Jackson’s daughter Johnnie Mae was born in Louisville Georgia.  Her parents migrated to Tampa, Florida looking for work.  Johnnie Mae childhood was spent in Tampa Florida.  She met and married her first husband Ronald Mitchell and in later years they divorced.  Johnnie Mae 2nd husband was Timothy Charles Yates they had no children together.  Johnnie Mae is the mother of six children:Caroline, Rhonda, Valerie, Ronald, Reginald and Kimberly.

RAEFORD GIBBONS

Raeford Gibbons was the son of Jerry and Lizzie Gibbons, born February 15, 1905 and died August 23, 2001.  He was married to Patsy Lee Palmer and their children were:Raymond, Nathaniel, Elizabeth, Fannie, William, Juanita, James L., Arthur Lee.

   

This is in no way a complete collection of our family history - some of the dates and names may be a little off.  This is merely an attempt to record what history has left for us, and that is a legacy by which we can reach out to.  I am extremely proud of my roots and what God has allowed me to see through pages of history and the seasoned voices of our beloved elderly family members. 

 Please feel free to contact me with any history you would like to have added (especially pictures) or any corrections.

© Kimberly S. Walker

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Last Updated 11/20/2012