Jesse Britton and Anne Gibson Genealogy

Note: List of children obtained from Jesse Britton’s will (which William Perry Hary referenced) and "The Houseman Family of Frederick County VA and Madison County OH" book. Neither of these has #4 Mary -- she was added from a marriage record in Frederick, VA, where it states that Jesse Britton was her father and bondsman -- Jesse was the bondsman for Abigail too (because they were both under 21 maybe?), and both were married by the same minister: James Walls. I (DLH 2008) am guessing at her place in the birth order, based on the 1790 census too. I (DLH 2008) am guessing she died young, as she is not listed in her father's will, nor are any of her possible children. (In 1810 there is a Samuel Young in Winchester - 01010-10200 and also in 1820, but Samuel Young is a fairly common name). The first six children are by Anna Gibson; the subsequent nine are by Susannah. Information on grandchildren and death dates derived from census data and are subject to error.

In Frederick County (Winchester), VA I found the following marriage records:
Jacob Gibson to Sarah Kemp on 11 Jan 1787
Martha Ann Gibson to Philip Noland on 4 May 1798 (Note: Jesse's second marriage was to Susannah Noland!) -- moved to Berkely, VA ~1810 and then Ohio ~1820
Elizabeth Gibson to Cyrus Farr on 27 June 1803
Sarah Gibson to John Curl on 6 Sep 1814 (since Sarah Gibson is found enumerated in the 1810 census (as a head of household; clearly a widow), this marriage record is likely for the widow Sarah Kemp Gibson)
Susan Mary Gibson to Otho W. Heiskel on 16 May 1837
Lydia A. Gibson to Vance W. Lemley on 8 Nov 1841
Emily Jane Gibson to Thomas Trassell on 9 Dec 1844
Since Anna Gibson married Jesse Britton circa 1782 (PA? VA?), especially the two earlier records are of interest in trying to track down more on Anna Gibson's heritage.

There was a record found for a Thomas Crow (1746 PA/VA-1811 Pickaway, OH) son of John Crow who died 4/1774-10/1775 (will written and probated) in Berkeley, VA; Thomas married a Susannah Britton (1752-1809). Since Susannah was just seven years older than Jesse, and since Thomas and Susannah Britton Crow lived in Pickaway township in Pickaway County (emigrating in the 1790s from Frederick,VA) while Jesse Britton lived virtually nextdoor in Perry township, it was originally thought she might be a sister to Jesse -- however, since her father is known to be Samuel Britton (a Quaker who had no son Jesse) she is some cousin instead, exact relationship unknown since both Samuel's and Jesse's grandfather John's ancestry are uncertain.

allegorical painting of George Washington Crossing the Delaware on Christmas, 1776 by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, 1851

**Genealogist Thomas Bailey found Robert Gibson's 1788 will (under whom Jesse fought in Bucks,PA at age 16) and it lists daughter Mary Britton, friend Nathaniel Britton as an executor, and Joseph Britton as an arbiter. Thomas Bailey assumed this Joseph was Jesse's father and Mary's husband -- while the arbiter is likely to be Joseph Sr (an older person than his own children to settle any disputes), this fact makes it less likely that Joseph Sr would be named if one of his daughter-in-laws was a potential complainant -- I (DLH 2008) think it likely Mary married an unknown Britton, not a child of Joseph Sr. At any rate, it is certain that due to the age difference, Mary would not have married Jesse's father Joseph Sr. The will mentions that the last two children were minors (born in the 1770s), and marriage information for the first namesake and Elizabeth Gibson Armstrong were both in the 1770s. Clearly Robert Gibson was not born in the 1700s, consistent with Mary marrying Joseph Sr -- clearly it is much more reasonable to have Mary marrying Joseph Sr's nephew, such that her father was born in the 1730s, serving as an officer in the Revolution in his 40s (not his 70s; George Washington was only 44 in 1776) and still having children in his 40s (and not his 70s). From a historical viewpoint, it is of interest that Robert's second wife was the widow Elizabeth Keith, and it was her home that General Washington used as his headquarters December 14-24, 1776, before the Battle of Trenton! This was the battle after the famous "crossing of the Delaware" on Dec 25th! Washington and his men surprised the British, winning three victories in the next week, victories that were largely considered turning the tide in the Revolution in favor of the Patriots. Not surprising that our family fought as Patriots, but surprising that they knew George Washington so well! It is also an interesting sidelight that Robert Gibson killed outlaw Moses Doan from Bucks, and the Doan outlaws, who were Tories as well as criminals, tried unsuccessfully to get word to the British about the surprise crossing -- more on the Doan outlaws and more on the Crossing of the Delaware.

It is unknown if Jesse was one of the 2400 troops who crossed the Delaware (at McConkey's Ferry in Bucks County) with Washington; he had enlisted with the Bucks Militia on August 21, 1775 (at age 16!). At any rate, having the commander-in-chief of all the troops in a family home, and being involved in the fight for the same cause, would have made this an historic event in his 17-year-old eyes. This strategic surprise crossing and military win was critical to the Patriot cause. It is well accepted historically that the morale of Washington's troops was extremely low at this time, following several defeats and a retreat across New Jersey, a reduction in troop size from 30,000 to 3,000, and most of the remaining men were expected to leave the army when their enlistments expired Dec 31st. It is of interest that Thomas Paine's historic words were published on December 19 -- his pamphlet "Common Sense" had served to increase support for the Revolution in its early days; Paine's new pamphlet titled "The American Crisis" began with these well-known words: “These are times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." These words were no doubt important to the Patriots in this historic conflict, and the win at the Battle of Trenton encouraged new enlistments as well as reenlistments, and literally turned the tide in the Revolution in the Patriots' favor.

The Brittons themselves, and transcribers of data, have spelled their names a variety of ways in print -- Breton, Brittin, Brittain, Brittaine, etc. Although our branch has more consistently used the Britton variation, there is no concensus of opinion. Some say the name was revised in subsequent generations; some have even said the families used variations for their children by different wives!

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