Caleb Gibbs

  General Notes:

Caleb5 Gibbs (Barnabas,4 Barnabas,3 John,2 Thomas1), born 15 Feb. 1766, died "1804, aet. 40-50" (Sandwich Church Records).

He married at Nantucket, 8 July 1790, Rebecca Bunker (they were both called "of Sherburn" as the town of Nantucket then was called (Vital Records of Nantucket, vol. 3, p. 541). She died 12 Jan. 1853.

In order to avoid confusion it is necessary to compare the data on this Caleb5 with that of the slightly older Caleb6 Gibbs (see #30 above, John5 Gibbs) whose wife was Experience Battles. Since no probate record for Caleb5 Gibbs has come to light, and in the ab­sence of Barnstable County land records, the following deed is of help in identification: "Wendell D. & Sarah Willis his wife, of Sand­wich … weavers, for $110. paid by Benjamin Burgess" sell "the one fifth part of Real Estate that Caleb Gibbs, late of Sandwich, deceased, dyed seized of ... the dwelling house, homestead and woodland, lying in common with the other heirs of the sd Caleb Gibbs … the widow Rebecca, former wife of sd Caleb Gibbs … the right of re­version of the … thirds which our mother, Rebecca Gibbs shall receive", 24 Nov. 1817 (Sandwich Town Book 1, p. 117, Barnstable County Deed Registry).

This deed makes plain that the father of Sarah (Gibbs) Willis was dead before that date and that her mother, Rebecca, was alive and had not remarried. By inference it would seem that the father died intestate, and that the property was divided among his five chil­dren or their heirs. [Thomas1 Gibbs of Sandwich, Mass. (ca. 1615-1693) by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, NEHGR 123, 1969]

Caleb married Rebecca Bunker on 8 Jul 1790 in Nantucket, Nantucket, MA.³¹⁴ (Rebecca Bunker died on 12 Jan 1853 ³¹⁴.)