Week 26 (June 25-July 1): Slow

Homesteaders proudly showing what they've accomplished, western Nebraska, 1890.

Though there are no trees apparent in this photo, there's firewood strewn around on the far left behind the cottage. And the windmill may also have been built of wood, as well as the barn and cottage, and probably an outhouse.

This photo works under the prompt of "slow." It took many hours of sweat and working to build all of this. I'm glad a traveling photographer got them to bring out the chairs and memorialize the homestead.

My ancestors: Col. James Gibbs and Anne Barnett Johnson Gibbs.

When soldiers fought in the various early wars of America, they often were paid in land that was available (according to the surveys that European settlers had made). 

My 4 times great grandfather, James Gibbs moved from VA to SC; they arrived in Union Co SC, then Old 96th district, before the Revolutionary War, building their first home near the Lower Fairforest Baptist Church. His father, John York Gibbs had recieved a land grant of 500 acres on Fairforest Creek in 1768. James received a grant of 640 acres on the Fairforest in 1772. Then they both served in the Revolutionary War.

Here's a partial repost of his life and descendents, Col. James Gibbs:

Graves of James Gibbs (1740-1794) and Anne Barnett Johnson Gibbs (1740-1831)

Gibbs Cemetery

Union County, SC,
It's about 2 hours drive from where I live to Union, SC the town.

The private cemetery has my grandfather's grandmother's grandparents buried there: George Rogers' grandmother was Lucinda Benson Gibbs Rogers, whose father was Hiram Gibbs, her grandfather was James Gibbs and grandmother was Anne Barnett Gibbs, whose tombs are seen in the photo above.

Both the city of Union and Union County received their names from the old Union Church that stood a short distance from the Monarch Mill. When it was first founded, the city of Union was known as Unionville; later the name was shortened to Union. The county's first white settlers came from Virginia in 1749. Union County's population grew the fastest between 1762 and the start of the Revolutionary War. Settlers built log cabins and cultivated tobacco, flax, corn and wheat. Union was one of the first towns settled in the area and was untouched during the Civil War because the Broad River flooded and turned Sherman’s troops away from the town.  (Wikipedia)

The will of James Gibbs (see below) leaves his plantation to Hiram, his son...but Hiram left for Mississippi with Lucinda and the Rogers around 1850.  Lucinda and the Rogers kept going (after a while) to Louisiana then Texas. So Hiram is buried in Mississippi, but his wife, Sabra Wilbourn Gibbs  made it all the way to Huntsville, TX.

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Will of Col. James Gibbs

His estate papers were found in Box 1, package 55. Zacharias Gibbs was the executor. His will was signed 8 Aug 1793. Recorded in Will Book A, p.19-20. An estate sale was held Nov 1794 and another in Oct 1795. Sale papers filed 4 Jan 1796.

The will stated his land was to be divided among the 3 youngest boys- Hiram to have the plantation. Daughter Agatha to have 1 shilling sterling. Mr. Jesse Connell and son Zacharias to manage the estate with his wife. Wife to receive 1/3 of estate, after debts paid. He desired to be buried in his own garden. The Negroes were not to be sold but rather kept on the place until the 3 youngest children were raised. Children all to have an equal part of the property, but Agatha. Oldest son Zacharias to have the cool spring land in Spartinburgh. Son John should have his negro Joe after the death of James' wife and Hiram comes of age. Daughter Susanah to have young negro June. Zacharias was to make title to all the land James had sold in Georgia.
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Gibbs Cemetery
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 34.68970, Longitude: -81.72690
 go to :
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=crMap&CRid=70116

  there are 12 internments in this private cemetery.

Gibbs, Anne "Ann" Barnett b. Nov. 30, 1740 d. May 23, 1831	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gibbs, James 98812066 b. 1740 d. Aug. 7, 1794	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gibbs, James 100852451 b. Feb. 11, 1812 d. Sep. 19, 1842	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gibbs, Rev John 100849211 b. May 16, 1810 d. Aug. 23, 1880	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gibbs, S 112593185 b. unknown d. 1816	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gibbs, Zachariah100842912 b. May 24, 1772 d. Dec. 6, 1814	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Gregory, Infant 112593260 b. Sep. 14, 1853 d. Sep. 14, 1853	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Robinson, Berry F 112593308 b. Jan. 15, 1836 d. Jan. 18, 1836	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Robinson, M Priscilla Gibbs100848210 b. 1806 d. Aug. 9, 1836	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Robinson, Sarah A100854727 b. 1826 d. Sep. 19, 1830	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Sparks, James Franklin100855076 b. Jul., 1842 d. Apr. 4, 1858	Gibbs Cemetery Union County South Carolina, USA
Sparks, Mary Mayberry Gibbs 100852922 b. Jun. 25, 1814 d. Mar. 1, 1884

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father of Sabra Ann Wilbourn Gibbs, (w. of Hiram Gibbs, she died in Huntsville TX.)

Elijah Wilbourne (Wilburn) b. 1763, Sandy Creek, Randolph County, NC
d. 1819 Union Union County, SC

fantastic early photos of mills and Baptist ch in Sandy Creek, NC...maybe something to do with the Wilbournes.
http://randolphhistory.wordpress.com/tag/sandy-creek/

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Today's quote:

 

What you seek is seeking you.

RUMI