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| "My G-G-G-Aunt
Martha Autney Beard and her husband Russell Lewis Sartain at their
house in Gibtown" - Charles E. Seay |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Original settlement
in the region was loose and went by the name New Hope City
until the 1870s. A townsite was platted in the early 1889s and its
location in the corner of the county made it a commercial center for
Jack, Wise
and Parker Counties.
Gibsons success reached the point where it rivaled the county seat
- or at least some people thought so.
Gibtown had a population of 400 in 1896, but when it was bypassed
by the railroad in 1898 - hopes were dashed. Businesses and citizens
were drawn to Jacksboro and the
town went into a decline. The post office closed in the 1920s and
the population figure was listed as 25 from the early 50s through
the 60s - thereafter no one bothered to take the census. Gibtown remains
on the TxDoT county map for Jack
County.
Ebenezer Cemetery is 2.5 miles west. |
Gibtown Baptist
Church & Cemetery
Photo courtesy Elwin Jensen, March 2007 |
A former store?
Photo courtesy Elwin Jensen, March 2007 |
The building
11 years later
Photo
Courtesy Dustin
Martin, March 2018 |
Gibtown Cemetery
Photo courtesy Elwin Jensen, March 2007 |
| "My
G-G-G-Aunt Martha Autney Beard was born 23 OCT 1833 in Danielsville,
Madison County, Georgia. Her husband Russell Lewis Sartain was born
24 AUG 1828 in Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia. She died 23
MAR 1913 in Gibtown and he died 24 APR 1909 in Gibtown. They are both
buried in the Gibtown Cemetery." - Charles E. Seay |
A.B.
Kerr and Son Token (front and back) from Muldoon
Photos courtesy Joe Meyers |
Gibtown's
inclusion was suggested by Joe Meyers who sent in a photo of a trade
token that he had discovered at the old site of Gibson.
His letter: "A few years ago I was metal detecting at Gibtown, Texas
in Jack County [and] found a token from the A.B. Kerr and Sons store
in Muldoon, Texas.
It sure would be a great story on how the token made the 300 mile
trip from Muldoon
to Gibtown. Probably by horse and wagon. - Joe Meyers, July 2006 |
Jack
County 1907 Postal Map showing Gibtown
(SE corner of Jack County)
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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