The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-01-10
A NOTABLE GATHERING.
Pioneer Women of Big Creek Meet
Around the Festal Board at
the home of Capt.
A. p. Gibson.

A pastor IN MS duties meets with
many pleasant experiences and happy
surprises as well as disappointments.
1t was the writer's chap" to meet
with one of these happy surprises last
Thursday, January 2, 1902, at the
home Of Capt. A. p. Gibson, on Big
Creek. Dropping in at the noon hour,
| found seated around the family
board, which was fairly grooming
with the good things OF the land, nine
invited guests, heads all silvered DER
with the SHOWS OF many winters; faces
lined and lurrowed by the hand Of
tine: hands tOil-wOrn and wrinkled,
vet beautiful because of the fruit they
bore; and peace resting over each
that betOkened that the race was al
most run; that each was conscious of
the cha nge soon to come when the
curtains of night should be drawn by
the grim reaper and the mysteries Of
the beyond unfoided. 1t was gath
ering of the pioneer women Of Big
Greek valley and the company con-
sisted Of M g. Gilmore, NOoner. Bar
bee, HI ns)n, WisbOrg, Reed, Gibson,
and Evans, who ga3hered with Capt.
G bison and wife, had settled upon
Big Creek prior to 1870. The invited
guests are all widows. their husbands
having crossed the range to return no
more.
When these estimable ladies with
their husbands settled upon Big
Caeek, Chanute was thing of the
future. Little did they dream that
few miles west OF them was the site
upon which in coming days should be
located one Of the principal cities of
the great commonwealth Of Kansas,
whose oil and gas should attract the
capital of the land. Usage City was a
name familiar at that time aud con-
sisted of double log house in one end
of which was store and the other
residence. For some time Sedalia,
Mo. was the nearest railroad station.
and oX-teamS were used in freighting
as well as being the principal motar
power upon the farm.
All these ladies in their youth had
learned to play upon such musical in
struments as the LOOM and spinning
wheel, and did such fancy work as
carding, knitting and weaving, and as
a means of recreation would make
hand upon the farm.
The host, Capt. Gibson, is the only
man Of the early settlers prior to 1870
that remains in Big Creek valley to
see the blooming of the plants their
hands SO tenderlY nourished. and the
greater number of his fellow pioneers
have passed away. He was born near
indianapolis, Ind, in 1897. When five
years Old his parents moved to Keiths-
burg, Ill where he spent his boyhoud
upon the farm In 1858 he crossed
the plains to Colorado and was one of
81 who first 'stuck" claims in Call
fornia Gulch, now known as Lead
vile. He made four trips across the
plains and at the breaking out of the
Civil war he was in st. Joe, Mo. When
hearing of the firing upon Fort Sump-
ter he went home and enlisted as a
private in the 4ith Illinois regiment,
He was with Grant from Fort Donald
son to Chattanooga, and with Sherman
from this point to the close OF the
war. He was promoted to Captain
and still has his army sword. At the
close of the war in '65 he was married
and came to Kansas in 1870, settling
on the quarter section now known as
the home place. His first house was
built of logs, but it has been replaced
by a commUdious modern dwelling.
In the early days the Captain had a
yoke of oxen and desiring to market
them he put them in log stable to
fatten and when they were ready for
market he found that the oxen could |
not pass through the door, so it be- |
came necessary to remove one side OF |
the stable.
The hostess, Mrs. Nettie Gibson,
was horn near Watertown N. V, in |
1899. At the age of five years her par.
ents moved to Rock Island, Ill. where |
she remained until her marriage to |
Capt. Gibson In 60. or this union |
were bora three boys and two girls, |
only two of whom are alive, Mark and |
Ruth. Mrs. Gibson is woman whose |
influence has been strongly marked |
in the home and community.
Mrs. Glaphry Gilmore was born in |
Howard county, Missouri, in 1923. She /
lived in Pettis and Johnson counties, !
being married in the latter in 1856. |
Five children we're born, three boys |
and two girls. the buys still living. |
In 1864 they came tn Kansas and In |
'65 settled upon land where she now
lives. They came ia an Ox-wagon and |
their first house was buiit ~ sniff 1