Thomas Gibbs

  General Notes:

Thomas3 Gibbs (Thomas,2 Thomas1), born 28 Jan. 1678/9, died in Sandwich, testate, probably shortly before 26 May 1746.

He married there, first, 23 Oct. 1713 Joanna4 Swift, daughter of William3 and Elizabeth (---) Swift of Sandwich, born there 9 March 1692/3, died probably shortly after the birth of her third daughter in 1717. If we are correct in our hypothesis that her mother married, secondly, 9 Nov. 1716 (as his second wife) John2 Gibbs, the fact that her daughter Joanna was the wife of Thomas3 Gibbs would be consistent with the pattern of other family groups in the Sand­wich of that period. Furthermore, Ebenezer4 Swift, Joanna's young­est brother, married in 1724 Abigail4 Gibbs, a daughter of Benja­min3 Gibbs (see No. 6, above).

The will of Thomas2 Gibbs, dated 23 June 1725, makes this eldest son Thomas3 Gibbs heir to all real estate and sole executor (see above). The latter exhibited the "inventory of the personal Estate of his honoured father Thomas Gibbs … deceased" 22 Jan. 1732/3. In the following May his brother Warren Gibbs gave a receipt for part of his share of the estate.

The page of the Sandwich town records upon which his second marriage was recorded is in part illegible, showing: "… Gibbs Junr 1726/7 Dorothy Jenkins." A careful study of the fragmentary records leads us to believe that this second wife was Dorothy, the young widow of Samuel3 Jenkins of Barnstable, born there 15 July 1697. Amos Otis says this Samuel Jenkins "d. early, without issue" (C. F. Swift, Genealogical Notes on Barnstable Families, 1888, p. 92-3), and Samuel B. Jenkins in his Descendants of John Jenkins (1929) says of Samuel3 Jenkins that he "m. Dorothy ---; d. soon without issue." There was no unmarried Dorothy Jenkins of that period nor did any other woman of the name marry a Jenkins.

This is the Thomas Gibbs "Junr" (No. 47) named as head of a Sandwich Family in 1730 on the list of the Rev. Benjamin Fessenden (op. cit.). Dorothy, wife of Thomas Gibbs, was baptized and admitted 28 Aug. 1737 to the Sandwich Church. On the same day were also baptized the children: "Elizabeth, Joanna and Solomon, of Thomas & Dorothy Gibbs" (Sandwich Church Records). But, as will be seen, only the boy was a child of the second wife. The daughters were then aged 20 and 18, while the eldest daughter, Experience, was then living in Rochester with her husband Nathan Tupper. It is to be noted that the daughter Elizabeth Gibbs had published her intention of marriage to Samuel Muxam 18 Sept. 1736, but we think it evident that she had not yet married him.

The will of "Thomas Gibbs of Sandwich … husbandman," dated 28 March 1744, gives "To my beloved wife Dorothy the use and im­provement of all my lands and other Estate both Real and Personal during her being my widow and to enable her effectually to bring up and support our son Solomon, he being a minor ... to my beloved son Solomon Gibbs his heirs forever, all my Estate both Real and Personal that shall remain after his Mother is done with it, he pay­ing to his sisters ye several legacies hereafter named. To my beloved daughter Experience, £20 [a year after my son comes into posses­sion]. To my beloved daughter Elizabeth and her heirs, the like sum of £20 [to be paid by Solomon within 4 years, etc.]. To my beloved daughter Joanna the like sum of £20 [to be paid by Solomon within 6 years after] …." He made his wife Dorothy sole executrix. Wit­nessed: Samuel Gibbs, Reuben Gibbs, [the Rev.] Benjamin Fessen­den. The will was presented for probate 9 May 1746 when the widow Dorothy Gibbs was confirmed as executrix (Barnstable County Pro­bates, 8:75). The inventory, dated 16 May 1746, shows House, barn & land adjoining - £600. Salt & Fresh meadow - £420. Woodlots - £160. Total: £1,786. 14s. 8d. Appraised by: John Ellis, Mordecai Blackwell, Jn° Freeman. Sworn 26 May 1746 by the widow Dorothy Gibbs (ibid.). She died 21 Dec 1748 (Sandwich Town Records). [Thomas1 Gibbs of Sandwich, Mass. (ca. 1615-1693) by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, NEHGR 123, 1969]

  Noted events in his life were:

• Will, 28 Mar 1744, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. ³¹⁴

Thomas married Joanna Swift, daughter of William Swift and Elizabeth Tompson, on 23 Oct 1713 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA.³¹⁴ (Joanna Swift was born on 9 Mar 1692/93 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA ^314,380.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Alt. Marriage, 22 Oct 1714, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. ³⁸⁰

Thomas next married Dorothy [Unknown] in 1727.³¹⁴ (Dorothy [Unknown] died on 21 Dec 1748 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA ³¹⁴.)