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William R Gibbard moved to north central Texas in 1847, settling in what was at the time Henderson County Texas, in the area that became known as "Cedar Grove" in Kaufman County, so named for a large grove of cedar trees on his property. William Gibbard was born 24 Oct 1817 in Bedfordshire, England, son of Edward Gibbard and Mary Kingston, who were married in Bedfordshire 1 Nov 1813. He was christened in Chapel Wesleyan in Luton, Befordshire on 16 Jul 1819, lost his mother when only 10 years of age and came to America when 14 years of age. In Illinois 28 Feb 1843 he married Harriett Sullivan, daughter of Adam Sullivan and Eleanor Blevins. Harriett, who was born in 1827, died in Cedar Grove 14 Jan 1849 and was probably buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery, a burial ground located on what was the Gibbard homestead, a plot of land William donated for the purpose of a graveyard. He is listed in the Texas Land Title Abstracts Record as: Grantee William Gibbard, Certificte 30 Pantentee William Gibbard, Patent Date 30 November 1848 320 Acres, County of Kaufman, File 491, Patent Volume 4 3rd Class Nacogdoches District 1850 Agriculture Census Kaufman County, Texas Gibbard. W. 20 Acres Improved Land / Value of Farm $800. / Value of Implements $150. 1 Horse / 7 Milch Cows / 2 Working Oxen / 15 Other Cattle / 50 Swine Value of Live Stock $230. / 300 Bushel of Corn / Value of Slaughtered $30. William and Harriett had four known children:
After Harriett's death, William remarried to Ellen Elizabeth Newton in Kaufman Co TX on 5 Dec 1850. Ellen was born 22 Aug 1818 and died 15 Jun 1876 and is buried at Cedar Grove next to William. They had children:
William Gibbard was the first Postmaster of Cedar Grove, Texas, appointed 24 Dec 1850. Other than farming his first business was operating a Trading Post on the old Marshall to Scyene Road, which was a stagecoach trail. He also operated an Inn, where Sam Houston, Thomas Rusk, John H Reagan and other Texas dignitaries stayed. When the War Between the States began he served in the Confederate States Army in Co. G 2nd Cavalry of the Texas State Troops, enlisting in 1862. He is mentioned many times in the archived records of Kaufman County, including Kaufman County Commissioner's Court Minutes, as seen in examples here: CENSUS RECORDS 1850 Kaufman Co TX - HH# 230/231 GIBBARD, William, 33, Farmer, $800.00, ENG, 1860 Kaufman Co TX - HH# 417 / 417 1870 Kaufman Co TX - HH# 481 /492 1880 Shackleford Co TX The following is from the 1892 Texas Souvenir  |