Paul Crowell Gibbs, Capt 1832 – 1905

Capt Paul C Gibbs Headstone
Capt Paul C Gibbs family Headstones

 

Ancestry:  Pelham Gibbs, Jr., Capt.;  Pelham Gibbs, Capt.;  Barnabas Gibbs;  Barnabas Gibbs;  John Gibbs;  Thomas Gibbs, “Lion’s Whelp”

Born: July 21, 1832 in Sagamore Ma.

  • Father: Pelham Gibbs, Jr., Capt.; (1795 – 1866) (Pelham Gibbs, Capt. & Temperance Savery)
  • Mother: Mary Crowell; (1799 – 1870) (Paul Crowell & Sally Sears)

Died: August 11, 1905 in Bourne Ma. at 73 yrs, 21d.

  • Buried: Cataumet Cemetery; area C

Occupation: Mariner, US Navy, Justice of the Peace, Notary; (See Notes at the bottom of this page)

Where Lived: 415 Barlows Landing Rd. in Pocasset Ma.

Married: January 23, 1855 in Sandwich Ma.

  • To: Maria Elizabeth Barlow; (1835 – 1893) (Jesse Barlow, Jr., Capt. & Maria Swift (Ellis))

Children: 6

  • 1. Eleanor M. Gibbs; (November 9, 1858 – October 28, 1939); Eleanor lived at Barlows Landing Rd with her father. She died at 80 yrs, 11 mos, 17 d. & is buried in Cataumet Cemetery.
  • 2. Albert Cobb Gibbs; (June 4, 1860 – ?); Married Annie Smith (1856 – 1912) in 1890; Albert was a Mariner; They lived in Brooklyn N.Y.; He & Annie are buried in Cataumet Cemetery.
  • 3. Irving Foster Gibbs, Capt.; (March 31, 1862 – April 11, 1933); Married (1) Mary/Minnie Eliza Davis (1862 – 1901) (Alden P. Davis & Mary L. Stebbins) in Chicago Il. on July 5, 1888 & married (2) Beulah Alice Davis Jacobs (1871 – 1939) (Charles L. Davis & Caroline A. Lane) in New Bedford Ma. on July 2, 1906; Beulah married (1) Adelbert Eugene Jacobs (1864 – 1899) (John H. Jacobs & Julia Welch) in Somerville Ma. on October 31, 1893; Irving, Mary/Minnie & Beulah are buried together in Cataumet Cemetery.
  • 4. George F. Gibbs; (April 2, 1866 – December 18, 1933); Married Belle Swan (1859 – 1941) (Joseph C. Swan, Jr. & Isabella Alexander Field) in Nebraska Abt,1901; George was a Furniture Dealer in Omaha Ne.; He & Belle are buried in Omaha.
  • 5. Sarah Frances Gibbs; (April 12, 1868 – May 22, 1944); Sarah was a member of Bourne High School Class of 1887; She died at 75 yrs, 1 mo, 10 d. & is buried in Cataumet Cemetery.
  • 6. Faustina P. Gibbs Peckham; (November 18, 1872 – 1961); Married Arthur R. Peckham (1866 – 1956) (William G. Peckham & Mary H. Perry) in Pocasset Ma. on November 28, 1892; Faustina & Arthur are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in North Attleboro Ma.; Their daughter Barbara Peckham Delaney & her husband Ernest Harold Delaney are buried in Cataumet Cemetery.

Other Notes:

Taken from “From Pocasset To Cataumet”, A Publication of The Bourne Historic Commission

“The following sketch, in Capt. Gibbs’ handwriting, is among the papers of the E. Harold Delaney family.  Mrs. Delaney was Capt. Paul Gibbs’ granddaughter.
The material is especially apropos. Capt. Gibbs was a coastal skipper but he also sailed around the Horn to California and made numerous voyages between New Orleans and Massachusetts.  He is an example of that combination seaman and businessman a New England skipper had to be.  During his service in the U.S. Navy, his ship, the U.S.S. R.R. Cuyler was at the siege of Mobile Bay; – fourth in line when Admiral Farragut gave the order, “Damn the torpedos. Full speed ahead.”  A captain ashore can’t always resist the sea.  In retirement years, Capt Paul was in demand as a boatman.  He worked one summer for M. N. Richard and several for J. H. Dwinell.
Captain Paul Crowell Gibbs
Autobiographical Sketch
“Born in Sagamore, July 21, 1832.  Commenced to go to sea in April, 1843.  In April, 1854 took command of Schooner Wm. P. Genn.  Jan. 23, 1855, married Maria E. Barlow.  Jan. 15, 1856, went to California and return Nov. 11, 1857.  Aug. 9, 1859, took charge of new Brig, Sarah; Ellis, Cobb and Chandler (owners).  Night Jan 1, 1860, was sunk in collision with Ship, St. Peter, on northerly edge of Gulf Stream.  All hands saved.  A most wonderful escape!  May 3, 1860, took command of Brig, Lourana, until May 1, 1861.  May 4, 1862, Commissioned as an Acting Master, U. S. Navy.  November 12, 1863, resigned and took command of Bark, Franklin, General Benjamin E. Butler, owner.   April 1865, bought Schooner, Choctaw.  Sold Choctaw and bought Schooner, Kate Thomas, Nov. 19, 1866.   Oct. 1, 1870, sold her and Nov 20th took command of Schooner, Senator Grimes until May, 1871, then took Schooner, Addie Murchie Sept. 1, 1873, then Annie Murchie, James Murchie and sons, Calais, Me., were owners of last three.  Sept. 12, 1876, in Brunswick, Ga. took yellow fever.  Lost mate and five men.  Nov. 3, 1876, arrived in New York and gave her up.  (Annie Murchie)”
In the year 1877-78 Captain Gibbs sailed the Schooner, Daniel Webster, for owner John Essery until Feb. 15, when he bought Schooner, Cyrus Chamberlain.  This vessel was succeeded by Schooner, Angler in 1878 and the Lillie Wofford ten years later.  Not happy with this last, he sold her and had his last Schooner, Golden Ball, built to order.  Capt. Paul sailed Golden Ball for two years when in 1892 he “put my son (Capt Irving Gibbs) in charge and retired from the sea.”
Captain Irving Gibbs continued to sail in coastal trade.  He sailed to South America for coffee and to Canada for lumber.  He carried cobblestones from Rockport, Massachusetts, coal from Newport News, Virginia, and codfish and ice to the Bahamas.  It’s said that Capt. Gibbs aboard Golden Ball and Capt. Ed. Barlow aboard Schooner Jesse Barlow had many a race with their cargoes up or down the coast.