The Creator someday. Until then i'll be at http://www.countycrier.com hacking away day and most nights... Giberson's Gold by D.P.StewartCopyright 08/03 Barque & Byte Publishing Miramichi, N.B. Canada “Giberson’s Gold†The LegendBy D.P. StewartPrivateer or Pirate, was there a difference between the two?Activities while on the high seas were carried out in the same manner, chase down smaller unarmed or underpowered vessels and confiscate the ship and its cargo.Pirates did this without the sanction of any government or country thus were robbers and did not have to share their prizes.Privateers were licensed by their country to carry our pirate activity and usually ended up with a share of the cargo and the vessel itself as reward for their effort.Nova Scotia was a haven for such robbers licensed or not.Closer to the war effort and the revolutionaries, was a certain band of “Tory Refugees†called “The Pine Robbers Of Monmouthâ€. Notorious and feared these Pine Robbers were protected by the British Fleet and Staten Island was their refuge. With its many nearby rivers and bays and the thick stands of timber they were easily un- noticed.Impossible to chase by the larger man-o-warships into the shallower bays and inlets their smaller size and speed made them very wealthy. Of all the feared Pine Robbers one man was said to have wreaked more havoc on the American effort than any other. His name was John Giberson. He was ferocious in his efforts as a desperado with hiding places in caves along the shoreline and remote swamps. Networks of rivers and small inner bays like Raritan and Sandy Hook were to his advantage.During the conflict of The Revolutionary War Gibersons fought on both sides. Gibersons in West Jersey were loyal to “Earl of Sterling†under the command of George Washington. The Gibersons of old East Jersey tended to side with the British in New York. John Giberson was a Private in the Kings American Dragoons, a loyal American Calvary unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Thompson. He was recruited in Long Island, Monmouth County, New Jersey where he was born in 1762.The KAD (Benjamin Thompson Unit) was dismounted and dispatched to the Saint John River in the spring of 1783. The Regiment included the 267 men, 45 women, and 52 children less than ten years of age and 40 servants. The ship Lady Adventure landed with the 400 passengers and began to settle the Beaver Harbor (Saint John). Word from authorities in Halifax had decided to move them further inland, under protest they moved upriver to the district of Prince William and build their huts and shelters of their own accord.The following year saw a visit to the settlement. General Fox and his secretary mustered the regiment for its last time. Disbandment was official on October 16, 1784.The once notorious Pine Robber was now to be a New Brunswicker.John Giberson a United Empire Loyalist married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of a Loyalist soldier and moved further up the Saint John River to a land grant of 430 acres at Peel, above Woodstock, Carleton County. They had ten children. The 1851 census of Victoria County showed 33 Gibersons registered. James, second born son of John and Betty moved upriver to Andover.His brother Frederick traveled further up the Tobique to Arthurette and was certainly one of Tobiques first settlers. George Giberson now owns his original house on the bogan. Note:(1984 was the 350th anniversary of Lubbert Gysbertszens and his families arrival from Nederland’s to what is now Albany. In 1634 it was known as New Amsterdam and the towns name was Rensselaerwyck. Lubbert was under contract to Killaen Van Rensselaer as a wheelwright.)James was said to be seven feet tall, he married Maryann Bradley in 1813. They had 12 children between the years of 1814and 1840. James is said to have done most of his farm work while on his knees, wearing home made leather pads to protect his lame legs. On his knees he stood as tall as the average man.The Free Christian Baptist Church was organized in Campbell Settlement (Now Arthurette) with ten of the thirteen founding members being, of the Giberson family. Daniel Giberson was born 1828 and eloped with Ellen Campbell to Perth and were married against her stern fathers wishes. Ellen was 14 Daniel was 28.George Giberson another of the twelve children, born June 15, 1834 was the creator of the Giberson Gold Legend. This legend lives on to this present day in the Plaster Rock area and the Wapske River. Georges Giberson was a lumberman and owned the first steam-powered mill at Three Brooks near an Indian Camping Ground. The residents, Maliseet First Nation people, were people he was friendly with. It has been told that George had found a deposit of gold on or near the Wapske or Riviere de Chute watersheds in an area known as Moose Bogan during a spring river drive in 1846. No research will support a definite date as to the specific year of Georges said find of the gold. Most will lead one to the earlier part of the decade when George was in his early twenties. In 1846 George would have been twelve years old so the 1850’s are more likely the correct era.Many versions of the legend have been told, but all tell of the same gold, and the same area of the Wapske River is always mentioned. Geological studies will not support this location as a possible source. Further up the Tobique on the Serpentine, (a tributary) and Bubar Brook areas revealed deposits of semi precious stones (amethyst, topaz, opals) and quartz veins. ‘Gentleman Jim†or “Telephone Jim Scott†drove the legend deeper and is said to have gone insane in his search for the source. This area would be a more logical location to support the legend as the Wapske is at much lower elevations and is more a swamp and bogan area than further upstream.As the legend goes, George took his find of gold to St. John to have it assayed and to deal with his creditors but died after contacting “sailors disease†and never returned to reveal his secret. Thus driving a few to search and add to the legend during their quest.Others tell the story as such, George Giberson was well known to the Wapske having carried on lumber operations there for several winters. Rafting his logs downriver to St. John during the spring drive was quite an effort, but George was an industrious spirit and took on the chore himself that year. With an Indian guide and his sack of rocks he floated the Tobique to the mouth where it empties to the Saint John River and on to Saint John or Beaver Harbour. This version supports the idea of George retuning to Wapske the following spring after spending the winter in Colorado. He could never find the uprooted tree again and its precious gold rocks. This drove him to drink and insanity.His family being of Black Sock faith and Temperance belief were soon to dismiss him as crazy. George was outcast.As time and generations went by the Giberson family continued to grow in the upper reaches of the Saint John River Valley and Tobique. On the upper Tobique at Riley Brook in the 1870’s a peddler noticed a rock being used as a doorstop at a family store and inn. (Giberson Family)After closer inspection the man offered five dollars for the rock, which was accepted by the storekeeper. He was told that George Giberson gave the rock to the children during a visit there. The peddler (or geologist in another version) returned the following year inquiring about the rock and if it was possible to attain more of such beauty. The children gathered many similar rocks for the gentleman but none were to his satisfaction and he left to return to Colorado.At the turn of the century and early 1900’s mining companies from Colorado did surveys in the Serpentine region and an old gold crusher can still be found in decay. These are the surveys and assay reports that support the finding of the minerals and precious stones in that area.Johnny Stewart was a railroad builder who came to the area to build the local rails between 1908 and 1915. He took a keen interest in the legend thus sparking many of the employed men and locals to search again for the elusive treasure. Johnny Stewart went as far as to hire two Mediums to travel from Revere Beach near Boston to conduct a “Séance†to help in his search for Gibersons Gold. After this, Stewart was known as more of a promoter than a prospector.Randolph Jamer worked for Johnny Stewart and then as a Customs Officer, dismissed the story as only legend when interviewed by Janet Baird while in his mid seventies in 1965.Some family members still dismiss George Giberson’s legend as foolishness but many still entertain the idea as a unique amusing addition to their family tree. (Janet Baird interviews and Nadine Giberson Nyborg’s publication on June 30, 1984 for the N.B.200 Bicentennial.)Recently here in Miramichi, Gibersons Gold has come to the attention of County Crier.As a child I spent many summers at the family (Stewart) camp at Two Brooks and had neighbors by the name of Giberson. I first heard the legend about 1963 from my uncle Graydon Porter then again from Henry Padget. Both men were well known in the Upper Tobique region, Riley Brook and Two Brooks areas. Both considered it only legend but knew numerous versions of the legend along with many other interesting lumber camp stories, tall tales and songs.Local songwriter Bruce Hubbard has recently written a song Giberson Gold. Reading through assay records and reports contained in a Geological Mineral Survey of Eastern Canada sparked his interest. His knowledge of the legend was very limited when he composed his song. Another addition to the legend over one hundred years later!This song sparked my interest in the legend once again.My first birthday was celebrated two blocks south of the Historic Water Street Business District at the corner of Wellington & Cunard Streets. Since then my family have lived at Englands Hollow, Water Street (opposite Middle Island) and Hill Street.My roots and recent interest in genealogy and computers have given me access to information so as to provide this unique historical circle of story.Another Miramichier whom is a Giberson descendant has provided research documents to me. Her shop is located in the Historic Water Street Business District of Miramichi City. Her name is Emily Hanscomb and the shop is Her Clothes Closet. Across the street at Salt Water Sounds Paul McGraw is working on Bruce Hubbard’s song about Emily’s family. Just up the street on the corner of Cunard & Water at the Old Town Diner, Larry Porter is the son of Graydon Porter! So, is that a bit of History? I hope that this is not the rest of the story!Squire your County Crier ©Tuesday, August 05, 2003 Barque & Byte PublishingPrinted copies of this or any of my writing is available from County Crier & Barque and Byte Publishing and shall be available as a monthly publication starting in September.On the outside of town down a little side track, Lived a man and his horses in a makeshift shack. He held his big red neck and a cold black heart, He fought for fun and drank his whiskey from a jar.Worked long days on a pure dirt farm, A lot night’s spent fiddling out in the barn. With his crooked hornpipe and a sour mash stew, He played like the Devil and howled at the moon.In the stalls all freshly bedded and hay for one and all, Draught horses stood in silence amidst their master’s songs. Their temperament was mighty as exhibited each year in the fall, As the county folks traveled to wonder in their awe,With bridle silver harnesses and black leather matched their coats, Three teams of midnight darkness stood gleaming in the sun. His six-foot stance beside them made seven ancient beasts, The thunder of the horse’s hooves was an echo of his voice.The tartan shield was adorned on the forehead of each steed, And on his massive fingers three rings of golden knots. Each one was empowered with the spirit of the beasts, And with his ancient languages and barking of commands,The steeds would perform in symmetry a beauty to behold, Or rise up striking earthquakes on his whispered breath so cold. With long black robe and riding boots matching hat his beard in braid, He spoke the gypsy tongue they said but no one knew his name.His father had been a clansman; he lost his mother as they came, On a schooner out of Glasgow they sailed working for the crew. Mother took the fever on the third day out; on day eleven they blessed her soul, And to the sea she went to rest, he stood there with his father proud.No tears were shown in their remorse but bitter tongues were bit, Her loss was all the world to him no love could take her place. So when they finally homesteaded in this new frontier and land, They built a little father down the often trodden path.His dream of having came here for were now master and his son, He schooled the boy until his death one cold winter moonlit night. So now he knew the power of the ancients mysteries and the language Of the horses and the voices of his knotted rings and amulets.