Gibson-TN-1860

JACK GIBSON/MEIGS COUNTY, TN.

In 1860, the state of Tennessee did a Census, or roll, of slaves.  The census included the name of the slaveholder; the number of slaves; the age of each slave; the sex of each slave; the color; whether or not the slave was a fugitive from state; the number of slaves manumitted; whether the slaves were deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic; and, the number of slave houses.  The roll included slaves living on the property of my ancestor, Hiram Gibson, of Meigs County, Tennessee.  Jack Gibson, a mulatto slave (half white and half black), was listed as a 44 year old male, and he was likely a relative of his previous owner James Preston.

We know that Hiram Gibson of Meigs County, Tennessee, purchased a Negro slave named Jack, age 22, from the estate of James Preston on March 27, 1841, for $760.  A black female, age 35, was listed on the 1860 Slave Census, and she was likely the companion of Jack.  Another black male, age 25, was on Hiram's plantation and he was likely of no relation to Jack.  However, Jack and the female slave listed above had four children on the plantation: a male (age 17), another male (age 12), a female (age 6), and a male (age 3).  After their emancipation at the end of the Civil War, Jack and his family stayed together in Meigs County and continued to sharecrop and work a small piece of their own land near Hiram's property.

The 1870 Census for District 5 of Meigs County included Jack Gibson, age 60, male, black, working as a farm laborer.  His household was number 17 on the list and his property was adjacent to Charles Gibson (age 26), second son of Randolph Gibson, Jr..  Jack's wife was Sarah Gibson (age 39) and their children were as follows:  Samuel Gibson (age 22), male, black, farm laborer; Mary A. Gibson (age 19); Adam Gibson (age 12), male, black, farm laborer; Eliza Gibson (age 9); Nancy J. Gibson (age 5); Charles Gibson (age 6 months); and, another black lady who lived in the household, Mariah Sharp (age 24).

Contributed by: "Ron Gibson" rong@awod.com