Gibisonville

Gibisonville was laid out by Samuel and William Gibison in 1840. In 1883 there were about 60 inhabitants and W. O. Dawson was the doctor. Businesses included a general store, kept by T.D. Wood, one blacksmith, a wagon shop, nursery, shoe shop and a post office. There were also two churches and a village school.

Laurel Township, Ohio in Hocking County

The first settlement was made in 1812 by three men: Mr. Smith and two brothers named Koons. They moved here to avoid the draft of the War of 1812 and located
on Laurel Creek. Other early settlers were George Kinser, Robert McBroom, Josiah Cantwell, John White, John Fox, Daniel Shesler and Mr. Grim and their families. John White had a mill to produce gunpowder located west of present Gibisonville. One of the first settler deaths was John White's son, killed by the explosion of the powder mill. The first school house was built in 1829 on Laurel Creek, with Robert McBroom being the first teacher. This log school house also served as the polling place for the first election. The first mill, a water run sawmill, was built in 1828 by Levi McCullon on Laurel Creek. The first store was operated by Kennedy Linn.

Journal Gazette,  October 3,1903

                                                                          Gibisonville

    W. F. Hood of Thurston, made our city a flying visit one evening last week.
    Mr. Fred Krinn of Circleville, was visiting relatives and the scenes of other years in our city
this week.
   Miss Nada Whitcraft after a brief absence at Columbus returned home last Saturday.
   George Snyder our village blacksmith is on the sick list.
   Dr. W.T. Walker has been granted a pension of six dollars per month dating back one year.
   Now that corn cutting is over several farmers are taking advantage of the solid roads to haul their winter supply of fuel.
   Mr. Noah Beougher and wife of near Logan passed through our city last week to visit his
brother and family on the west side of the county.
   Dr. J. F. Miller has been on the sick list for several days so much so to be unable to visit his patients.
   James Glenn is on the sick list. Dr. Schwenke of Rockbridge is attending him.
   Mrs. J. S. Toumine visited at Mr. Isaac Johnson's near Morris Chapel while the reverend was
at conference.
   Mr. Henry Saters and wife of near Ewing, were visitors in our city last Thursday the guests of
Dr. Miller and wife.
   Rev. Toumine started to his new field of labor for this conference year, last Thursday
afternoon.

Logan Democratic Sentinel, April 16, 1906:

Gibisonville Society News

    Protracted meeting finished at Pine Grove last Monday night after being in progress a little over a week without any conversions being added.

    Miss Mazie Lama is the proud recipient of a couple of white rabbits which were promised to her by her cousin, Mr. Edwards, of Rockbridge, one of which has the misfortune of being blind, which obstacle is somewhat overcome by the kind regard his mate has in bestowing upon him the greater part of her attention by following him wherever he goes and when scenting danger leads him back to the house by a stick, straw or anything she can pick up suitable for the purpose, which she performs by placing end in his mouth and taking the other end in her own.

    A few nights ago while George Young and Jake Bainter, Jr., were returning from church a light appeared in a field just outside the road and supposing that Joe Huffines who was going their road had just lighted his lantern and turned off to shun the mud, and as it seemed to be moving in the direction they were intending to go they followed and tried to over take it but the faster they walked that much faster it seemed to travel so that they neither gained nor lost ground and that they concluded that it was just a trick of Mr. Huffines. They followed until striking a pine thicket of under brush. This led to a bench of rocks where it disappeared in a canyon below which had the boys continue to follow, they would have been precipitated over a fall of about 90 feet.

    Turning they retraced their steps till they got through the brush when they became bewildered and stumbled around in the dark for several hours without a knowledge of whither they traveling, when they struck an old house partly filled with hay in which without ceremony they took lodging until morning. When they found themselves they were no more than a quarter of mile from the place where they first saw that light.

    Lew Keister was seen on this ridge the other evening moving north through a snowstorm with his cap turned so as to cover his right ear and with his left hand covering the other he was heading toward Jake Bainters.

    Bert Vorhees is practicing on violin. He has already learned to play several pieces, and is now practicing on the well-known piece “ the Girl I Left Behind Me”.

    The Misses Flossie Bainter and Lucy Keller paid Mrs. Margie Neff a visit by whom they were entertained a couple of days last week.

    Mr. Barney Zeigler is the happy possessor of a newborn son, which makes him the father of 19 children, the most of whom are boys and girls.

Democratic Sentinel April 26, 1906

Gibisonville Society News

    Mr. Robert Moore, as an old soldier of this place passed away Monday morning.

    Miss Sarah Peterson has returned home.

    Rachel Rouse, who has been visiting in Logan, returned home.

    Mrs. Joe Brashers is on the sick list.

    Florence Keister is visiting in Lancaster.
    James Keller and lady friend visited his father and sisters Easter.

    Berd Bell visited his mother several days this week.

    J. A. Cupp spent Easter with his family.

    Mrs. S. Ogle is reported better.

    Geo. Evans and wife were Logan shoppers Wednesday.

    Mrs. Ellen Evans visited her daughter, Mrs. T. Hockman.

    Chas. Kline, of this place, and Carrie Bauman, of Columbus, were married last week.

    Mrs. J. A. Cupp and daughter were Logan shoppers Thursday.

    Leona Burgoon, who has been at home for a couple of weeks, returned to Logan.

   The little infant of Sol Kline’s was buried Sunday afternoon.

    Misses Cora Kline and Pearl Kuhn were Logan shoppers Saturday.