by Gibbons, Edward V.

See previous entry: Little Home Histories, Part 37 -- Otho French Home History.

The Gibbons family moved to Belmont County, Ohio from Somerset township in the spring of 1855 as per arrangements with Somerset monthly meeting of Friends for the care of Catherine Flanner who owned a 25 acre farm, and where the first improvement to be accomplished, was the building of the barn by Joseph Williams, brother of Penina. The barn still is in every day use.

The family lived in the old log house where Edward and his sister Lavina were born. This old house was moved back to make room for the large frame house of ten rooms and an attic, with a cellar under the entire house. This house was built in 1868. Although the lumber was shipped from Bridgeport, the heavy timbers were hewed out from local timber and the newel post and hand railing, all hand worked, were made from local cherry and walnut.

A thing of wonder in those times was the cellar dug in sandstone. The walls contain locally quarried stone, 11 ft. 8 inches by 2 feet square. The water well was dug in hard stone. The first man to try it failed and then a neighbor, Jehu Bailey, offered to dig the well until water was found. That well is one of the best wells of soft water in all the country side. The water standing 3 1/2 feet and is self draining, assuring fresh water at all times.

The stone was quarried on the former Crew farm, out on the Ridge east of the new house. One cut of stone was over 40 feet in length. After being cut into shorter lengths, they were hauled with oxen and horses, with large high wheeled carts, to the building site. The old house was moved back but the family continued to live in it while the new house was being built.

Penina never had a stove until they moved into the new house. The cooking and baking always had been done in the open fireplace.

The winter of 1856 was the biggest snow that anyone remembers.

The old house had no glass windows. Greased paper and tallow-dripped paper were used. Later candles were used for lighting and this was thought to be a wonder.

Source: Written by: Edward V. Gibbons, the only survivor of Joseph and Penina Williams Gibbons, late of Warren township, Belmont Co., Ohio.

See next entry: Little Home Histories, Part 39 -- William Green.

For the table of contents and first entry in this series, please see: Little Home Histories, Part 01 -- Table of Contents and Introduction.

This entry is adapted from Little Home Histories in Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio, which was published in 1942. Its publication was coordinated by Robert D. and Beulah Patten McDonald. This entry has been reedited for inclusion in the Pierian Press Fulltext eBooks database, and is included on the Stratton House Inn Website by special permission. This entry is licensed for use ONLY on this Website. It may be used for educational purposes and personal pleasure under fair-use provisions via this Website. Please note that the Stratton House Inn iteration of this entry does NOT include the subject headings assigned each chapter for use in the Fulltext eBooks database.

DATABASE: Fulltext eBooks: Copyright (c) 2002 The Pierian Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ENTRY NUMBER: EBK30013738