Week 34: Tragedy #52Ancestors — Making Sense of it All

Okay, now we’re talking. After last week’s poor attempt at comedy, this is much more my speed.

My mother-in-law told this family story about two brothers who married two sisters, but the brothers were killed by an Indian attack in Nebraska.

As most family stories go some kernels of truth exist.

Yes, two brothers did marry two sisters: Fred Gibbons married Catherine Bryant in Douglas County, Nebraska on 2 September 1888; and, William Gibbons married Fanny Bryant in Douglas County on 10 December 1886.[1] However, neither Fred nor William lost their lives in an Indian attack.

Sadly, Fred’s story does end in a different kind of tragedy.

Fred and Catherine, my husband’s great-grandparents, were born in the United States to English-immigrant parents. Fred’s father, Joseph, was a blacksmith and after working for a time as a farm laborer, Fred also became a blacksmith.[2] Another family story tells of Fred and his young family making their way to Arkansas in the late 1890 where he intended to set up a smithy. On the way, they stopped in Monett, Missouri and some townsfolk convinced him that they desperately needed a blacksmith and that he should set up shop there. Again, another family story with a little truth: Fred did settle in Monett and was a blacksmith there.[3] However, the 1900 census shows at least ten other blacksmiths in Monett, including one woman.

Previously a teeny-tiny town called Plymouth Junction, Monett began to grow when the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (the Frisco) decided to vastly expand its rail facilities. The Frisco owned most of the original town and beginning in 1887 built a new freight terminal, passenger station with dining hall, a brick roundhouse, coaling facilities, stockyards, and miles of sidings.[4] Maybe a town growing like this did need another blacksmith after all.

Fred must have prospered, because in July of 1903 he purchased half a share of a hardware store in Monett.[5] I’ve attached a great picture of Fred inside the store. The shelves and counters are chock-full of merchandise. You can see a variety of pots and pans, baskets, ceramic cups and bowls, lamps, tools, and even three potbelly stoves. This picture is especially fun because you can see the legs of the photographer and his tripod. Since this was taken by a professional photographer, I imagine it was taken in celebration of this new venture. However, Fred’s success was short-lived.

On the evening of October 15, 1903, less than three months after he bought into the store, Fred was accidentally shot and killed. That night, a customer named Frank Smith purchased some cartridges for his revolver and while loading the gun, it discharged. The bullet struck the counter, ricocheted, and hit Fred just below his right groin.[6] He died four hours later.

Described by the newspaper as a “prominent” merchant, Fred died at forty-three. He left his wife and three children, including my husband’s eleven-year-old grandmother. He was buried back in Douglas County, Nebraska, where he and his wife met and married.[7]

Only thirty-three when her husband died, Catherine Gibbons married William J. Mein in 1908.[8] They did not have children together, but Catherine took on the name “Grandma Mein” in her later years. I’m not sure how successful their marriage was because at least by 1930 and until his death in 1944, William was living in and working at the county hospital in Los Angeles.[9] Meanwhile, Catherine remained in Monett and identified as a widow.[10] Catherine died in 1948.[11]

[1]Douglas Co., Nebraska, Marriage Records, Volume 12, p. 440, Gibbons-Bryant marriage license, 2 September 1888; image, Ancestry, “Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908,” (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 August 2019). Douglas Co., Nebraska, Marriage Records, Volume 11, p. 207, Gibbons-Bryant marriage license, 15 December 1886; image, Ancestry, “Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908,” (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 August 2019).

[2]1870 U.S. census, Herkimer Co., N.Y., pop. sch., Russia, p. 28 (penned), dwell. 317, fam. 332, Joseph Gibbons; NARA microfilm T9, roll 838.

[3]1900 U.S. census, Barry Co., Mo., pop. sch. Monett Twp., E.D. 11, p. 5B (penned), dwell. 100, fam. 103, Fred Gibbons; NARA microfilm T623.

[4]“Phenomenal Monett: A Little Town That Will Beat All Previous Records,” St. Louis (Missouri) Post-Dispatch, 20 September 1887, p. 3, col. 5.

[5]“Fred Gibbons at Monett,” Cassville (Missouri) Republican, 30 July 1903, p. 5, col. 2.

[6]"Death Due to an Accident," The St. Louis (Missouri) Republic, 17 October 1903, p. 8, col. 3.

[7]Find A Grave (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 22 August 2019), memorial 154443045, digital image, 30 October 2015, by Brad Miller, of Fred J. Gibbons gravestone (Elk City Cem., Elk City, N.Y.).

[8]“Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 August 2019), Mein-Gibbons marriage license (22 September 1908); from “Missouri Marriage Records,” Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.

[9]1930 U.S. census, Los Angeles Co., Calif., pop. sch., Los Angeles, p, 8A (penned), E.D. 19-706, W. J. Main; NARA microfilm T626, roll 163. 1940 U.S. census, Los Angeles Co., Calif., pop. sch., Los Angeles, p, 5A (penned), E.D. 66-663, William J. Mein; NARA microfilm T627, roll 384. In both 1930 and 1940, William was identified as married.

[10]1930 U.S. census, Barry Co., Mo., pop. sch., Monett, p. 1B (penned), E.D. 70-33, dwell. 22, fam. 24, Katherine Mein in household of George F. Rice; NARA microfilm T626, roll not identified. 1940 U.S. census, Barry Co., Mo., pop. sch., Monett, p. 2B (penned), E.D. 5-21, dwell. 46, Katherine Mein in household of George F. Rice; NARA microfilm T627, roll 2083. Ancestry, “California, Death Index, 1940-1997,” listing William John Mein, death date 10 January 1944 (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 August 2019).

[11]Catherine Ann Mein death certificate, file no. 22081, Missouri State Board of Health, Jefferson City; image, Missouri Secretary of State, Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1968 (https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1948/1948_00022081.PDF: accessed 22 August 2019).

Catherine Ann Bryant Gibbons Mein (1869-1948)