ROBERT AND JANE GIBSON AND DESCENDANTS

According to the Archives at Charlottetown, Robert Gibson, Distiller and Farmer, and his wife Jane McKracken, emigrated from Londonderry County, Northern Ireland in 1819. Their party included:

Female Male

under 16 2 1 No. of passengers paid 4 16-45 yrs 2 1 Church of Scotland 6 45—60 yrs 1 Roman Catholic 2 60 yrs + I

William J .Gibson said several other members of the Gibson family immigrated to Canada at the same time. The story goes that the ship sailed into Charlottetown for some particular reason — maybe fresh water — and Robert Gibson and 7 others decided to stay on Prince Edward Island. The other members of the family continued on to Upper Canada, which had been the destination of the entire group. The families kept in touch for some years but, eventually, all contact was lost.

Robert Gibson obtained 130 acres in Lot 34 - this land had been set aside for church purposes. We believe settlement of Lot 34 began about 1770 when a number of immigrants came from Scotland.

The Census of 1841 shows Robert had 30 acres of aerate land. Crops - 30 Bushel of Wheat, 40 Bushel of Barley, 150 Bushel of Oats, 600 Bushel of Potatoes. Animals — 2 horses, 10 head of cattle, 6 sheep, 5 hogs.

ca. 1905

In the 1881 Census:

Gibson, William 61 William J. 19 Elizabeth 60 Christie 1 7 Jane Ann 21 Alexander 4 mos.

Two of William Gibson’s sons, Robert Vernon and Alexander, moved to California in

“we

-22-

1880. Their sister, Jane Ann, went to California at a later date. She always kept in contact with her family and visited Prince Edward Island in the 1920’s. Her granddaughter, Dorothy Margeton, continues this correspondence and has visited the Island on two occasions, once with daughter, Gayle, and later with her husband, Paul. All contact with Robert V. and Alexander was lost until 1988 when Harry Grady of Lincoln, California who was tracing his Family Tree, and his wife Betty, came to PEI on a tour. Harry knew his grandfather, Robert V. Gibson, was born in Marshfield, PEI. While Betty toured the Island, he spent his time at “Beaconsfield” where he discovered “The History of Marshfiel thus contact was made with his

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Courtesy 01 Dorothy Gibson

The family of William and Isabella. Front row: Isabella (Stewart) Gibson, William Gibson and Helena. Back row I. to r.: Mae, Sadie, Florence,

Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Wylie.

cousin, Dorothy Gibson. Harry and Betty again visited PEI in 1990 when they were welcomed by many relatives.

Christina Gibson moved to the Boston area to work and there married Mr. Powell. On her death, her two small daughters, Jean and Ethel, were sent to Prince Edward Island where they were raised by relatives. Both eventually returned to Boston.

As a young man, Lorne Gibson, moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba where he married Jean Creighton, had two sons and a very successful