Biographical Sketch of John Gibbon from The History of Chester County by Futhey and Cope (1881); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** John Gibbon was the founder of one of the largest families of Chester County, and one of the earliest settlers under the proprietary. His name is found in Proud's "History of Pennsylvania", among the eminent persons of The Society of Friends, who settled near Chester in 1681, migrating from Warminister, Wiltshire, England, where his family resided, as appears by The church records, as early as the middle of the e16th Century. He and his wife Margery were among the best-educated Friends and appear to have been in very comfortable circumstances. He was an original purchaser of 2 tracts, one in Thornbury and one in Bethel, and he lived in the latter, becoming one of the largest land-owners in the county. He was one of the jurors impaneled for the trial of Margaret Mattson on the indictment for witch craft, which took place before W. Penn at Phil. in 1683-4. There is a tradition in the family that he framed the compromise verdict which prevented a disagreement of the jury. John and Margery both lost their membership in the Soc. of Frieds when the latter bacame involved in the Keith controversy. She was a fearless and resolute woman and for this whe was diswoned. John survived his wife and died on his Bethel plantation. He left 2 sons, James and John James married Ann, dau of George Pearce of Thornbury, ant they moved to Westtown to land, the gift of his father. He was a rep for chester co to the Pa Assembly 1717-1719. They had 3 children, one was joseph, the father of Hannah.