Gibson County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States &gt; Tennessee &gt; Gibson County

Parent County
The Tennessee General Assembly created Gibson County on October 21, 1823, out of lands ceded by the Chickasaws in the Jackson Purchase. It was named in honor of John H. Gibson, who served with distinction under Andrew Jackson in the Natchez Expedition and in the Creek Wars.

In 1819 Thomas Fite built the first cabin in Gibson County, which was then part of Carroll County. Luke Biggs, Davy Crockett, and others followed. Settlement progressed rapidly, and residents soon petitioned the general assembly for the formation of a new county, citing the difficulty of getting to the courts of Carroll County.

Commissioners appointed by the general assembly selected a county seat site near the center of the county where Thomas Gibson, a brother of John Gibson, operated a trading post. Initially called Gibson-Port, the name was soon changed to Trenton. County government was organized in January 1824, when the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions met at Biggs's residence. Following terms of the court met in the residence of William C. Love until April 1825, when the first term of court met in a temporary courthouse made of hewn logs.

Record Loss
There was a fire at the Gibson County courthouse in 1941.

Populated Places
Bradford Dyer Gibson Humboldt Kenton Medina Milan Rutherford Trenton Yorkville

Neighboring Counties

 * Carroll
 * Crockett
 * Dyer
 * Madison
 * Obion
 * Weakley

Newspapers
Humboldt Chronicle 2606 East End Drive Humboldt, TN 38343 731.784.2531 web site

Milan Mirror-Exchange 1104 S. Main Street Milan, TN 38358 731.686.1632 web site 

Trenton Gazette 111 E. 1st Street Trenton, TN 38382 731.855.1711 web site

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Family History Library Catalog