GETTING STARTED WITH THE GIBBONEY FAMILY
Back in 2014, we made the decision to start researching our Gibboney family ancestry. At the time, we knew that prior research had been completed on the Gibboney family ancestry once before. As such, we did our best to pick up where the research left off and have now added some additional information where possible.
We start by thanking Kenneth Elmer Gibboney and Betty Jean Gibboney (née Lester) for completing the initial research in 1969 and for doing the hard work (before having the luxury of the internet!) and for uncovering a great deal of Gibboney ancestry in the first place.
We start by thanking Kenneth Elmer Gibboney and Betty Jean Gibboney (née Lester) for completing the initial research in 1969 and for doing the hard work (before having the luxury of the internet!) and for uncovering a great deal of Gibboney ancestry in the first place.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Through our research, we have concluded there is a great deal of information available about the Gibboney family ancestors.
At this time, we have confirmed with confidence, that Thomas Gibboney of Lancaster, County Pennsylvania, born sometime in the 1780's, is our oldest family line ancestor. His parents have not been traced, and much is unknown about his childhood. We also know the Gibboney's originate from Northern Ireland, and likely immigrated to North America before 1780 (before Thomas was born).
Another point of interest for the Gibboney family is the life and service of Thomas Franklin, who served on the Union side during the American Civil War in the 1860's. He was also the Gibboney who eventually migrated from rural Pennsylvania to central Illinois.
It is important to note that there is still a wealth of family history and information to be discovered and interpreted—this is simply a starting point for our very long family history.
At this time, we have confirmed with confidence, that Thomas Gibboney of Lancaster, County Pennsylvania, born sometime in the 1780's, is our oldest family line ancestor. His parents have not been traced, and much is unknown about his childhood. We also know the Gibboney's originate from Northern Ireland, and likely immigrated to North America before 1780 (before Thomas was born).
Another point of interest for the Gibboney family is the life and service of Thomas Franklin, who served on the Union side during the American Civil War in the 1860's. He was also the Gibboney who eventually migrated from rural Pennsylvania to central Illinois.
It is important to note that there is still a wealth of family history and information to be discovered and interpreted—this is simply a starting point for our very long family history.
The Gibboney's Are Scots-Irish
We know the Gibboney family originates from Ireland, but we believe, more specifically, the family is Scots-Irish and had strong ties to Northern Ireland (geographically speaking, not the current political boundary governed by the UK as we know it today).
There are a few of reasons we believe this. Reason #1 - Immigration Timeline & Location: Scots-Irish were originally descended from Lowland Scottish and Northern English families who colonized Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Scots-Irish were also Presbyterian and other Protestant dissenters from the Irish province of Ulster (Northern Ireland) who then migrated to North America during the 18th and 19th centuries. Thomas Gibboney our oldest known ancestor is first documented in North America in the 1780s, which is aligns chronologically to mass emigrations from Northern Ireland specifically. We believe his parents may have been emigrated prior to his birth. |
The Scots-Irish were well documented for immigrating to Pennsylvania and also to Virginia during this time. Upon arriving, many of them used the "Great Valley Road" or sometimes called the "Great Wagon Road" to plant roots on the east coast and throughout the Appalachian Region of the United States.
Thomas is first documented in Lancaster, PA, an early stop on the Great Valley Road close to Philadelphia, which was a large immigration port. See the maps below for more detail.
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According to FamilySearch.org, "after 1744, the Great Valley Road was most heavily used by the Ulster-Irish immigrants called Scots-Irish in America to spread through most of Appalachia bringing their Presbyterian religion".
Additionally, FamilySearch.org found that "Pennsylvania Germans also used the trail to spread into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia". This helps explain Thomas' German wife Sarah Klein's presence in the area.
Additionally, FamilySearch.org found that "Pennsylvania Germans also used the trail to spread into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia". This helps explain Thomas' German wife Sarah Klein's presence in the area.
Reason #2 - Economics:
The second reason we believe the Gibboney's are from Northern Ireland, is due to their ability to finance an emmigration. People from Northern Ireland were, to varying extents, more economically independent than their Catholic neighbors. Many were artisans, shopkeepers, or young professionals, and some worked in the Irish linen trade. We know that Thomas was a shoemaker (cobbler), which perhaps was a trade he learned from his parents or family members. This would have allowed the family to be more 'economically independent' to some degree, making it feasible for the family to finance an emigration from Northern Ireland. |
Reason #3 - Faith:
Most people understand Ireland to be overwhelmingly of Catholic faith, which is true. However, during the 1700's, Irish Catholics mostly lived in central and southern Ireland and could not afford to emigrate like their Northern countrymen and women.
Most people understand Ireland to be overwhelmingly of Catholic faith, which is true. However, during the 1700's, Irish Catholics mostly lived in central and southern Ireland and could not afford to emigrate like their Northern countrymen and women.
History tells us that many Irish citizens immigrated to North America during the 1700's, but not all Irish citizens were allowed to immigrate. During this era, catholic emigration from Ireland to North America was forbidden by law. Most Irish Catholics (who lived in central and southern Ireland) lived on the poverty line and could not afford to pay for their passage anyway.
Because Thomas' family did immigrate, they would have been less likely to have lived in central or southern Ireland or be of catholic faith where it was both politically and economically difficult to make the immigration to North America. In Northern Ireland, where Presbyterians lived and most of whom had Scottish ancestry, were not inhibited in this way. |
As such, it is likely that Thomas was of Presbyterian faith, a sect of Protestantism, which is and has been the most common religion in Northern Ireland for centuries. Being a Protestant, he married Sarah Klein, who was Pennsylvanian Dutch, another faith that leans toward the larger religious umbrella of Protestantism. It is likely that the compatible couple held similar religious values and views.
To this day, the Gibboney family has had a long standing tradition of Presbyterian faith, as of 2014.
It should also be noted that Pennsylvanian Dutch is of German origin, meaning his wife Sarah was likely of German heritage and the Gibboney's could have an early trace of German background as well.
To this day, the Gibboney family has had a long standing tradition of Presbyterian faith, as of 2014.
It should also be noted that Pennsylvanian Dutch is of German origin, meaning his wife Sarah was likely of German heritage and the Gibboney's could have an early trace of German background as well.
But Why Immigrate to North America?
According to the Historical 'Irish Genealogy Toolkit' website, a famine in the early 1740's saw renewed interest in Atlantic passage, and Irish emigration never really subsided afterwards. In 1771-1773, more than 100 ships left the Ulster ports (which is located in Northern Ireland) of Newry, Derry, Belfast, Portrush and Larne, carrying some 32,000 Irish immigrants to America.
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It is very likely this is precisely when the Gibboney Family embarked on their journey to North America. There is a record of an Alexander Gibboney emigrating from Ireland in 1746, and it is believed to be Thomas' father - but there is no additional supporting evidence for this to be the case. Whoever it may have been that traveled to North America, shortly after the immigration, Thomas may have been the first generation Gibboney to be born on North American soil (note that this pre-dates the United States and was colonial times still "under the crown" of the UK).
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Sources Used
Based on Kenneth and Betty Jean Gibboney's previously discovered findings in March of 1969, we sought out a few additional sources to help us uncover even more information about the family. These sources included U.S. Census documentation and various historical websites which have been referenced.
Using these sources, we were able to help connect some additional dots on the Gibboney ancestry, we were able to illustrate an actual “Gibboney Family Tree”, which shows the relationships between family members, important dates, locations and marriage information where possible, and we were able to develop some basic descriptions about the lives some of our family members may have led. It should be noted that the family member descriptions are based on our personal knowledge (when possible), and then on information we discovered directly from a document source, or on information we deduced from a variety of document sources, and in some cases the descriptions have generic assumptions. We did our best to appropriately cite the sources used and to cite when we made assumptions.
Using these sources, we were able to help connect some additional dots on the Gibboney ancestry, we were able to illustrate an actual “Gibboney Family Tree”, which shows the relationships between family members, important dates, locations and marriage information where possible, and we were able to develop some basic descriptions about the lives some of our family members may have led. It should be noted that the family member descriptions are based on our personal knowledge (when possible), and then on information we discovered directly from a document source, or on information we deduced from a variety of document sources, and in some cases the descriptions have generic assumptions. We did our best to appropriately cite the sources used and to cite when we made assumptions.