James Booth Gibbons, 1889-1966

When James Booth Gibbons was born on September 14, 1889, his father, James Edward, was 32 and his mother, Harriett Ophelia Ward, was 27. He was born in Prattville, Alabama. He married Anne Genevive Walsh on December 21, 1913, in Birmingham, Alabama. They had eight children in 10 years. He died on April 26, 1966, in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 76. He attended the University of Alabama in 1914 and played football that year. He attended but did not finish the University of Alabama School of Law. He worked many jobs including educator, farmer, and carpenter.  He worked for the farm bureau overseeing social security cards. He served as principal of Lawrence County High School in Moulton, Alabama.

Anne Genevive Walsh, 1889-1958

When Anne Genevive Walsh* (Nan) was born on July 11, 1889, her father, Michael, was 22, and her mother, Mary, was 22. She was born in Dundalk, Ireland; lived briefly in Mexico, and came to the United States in 1911. She married James Booth Gibbons on December 21, 1913, in Birmingham, Alabama. They had eight children in 10 years. She died on May 4, 1958, in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 68.

 *When Nan was in convent school in England, she added “e” to her last name. Descendants of Jim and Nan have the name Walsh, sometimes with the “e” sometimes without.

Children of JB and Nan Gibbons

Michael Walshe* Gibbons, 1915-1951

When Michael Walshe Gibbons and his twin brother Robert Faucett were born on May 1, 1915, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, their father, James, was 25, and their mother, Anne, was 25. He had five brothers and two sisters. He was a Master Sergeant in the USAF. He served aboard the USS General Nelson M Walker. He married Mary Evelyn (Jones?). He died on December 26, 1951, in New York City, New York, at the age of 36, and was buried in Arlington, Virginia.  Michael died of lung cancer.

Children of Michael and Mary Evelyn Gibbons
Michael W. Gibbons, Jr.
Linda Gibbons

Robert Faucett Gibbons, 1915-1995

When Robert Faucett Gibbons and his twin brother Michael Walshe were born on May 1, 1915, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, their father, James, was 25, and their mother, Anne, was 25. He had one son and one daughter with Janie Morgan Moore. He had one daughter with Nicketti Tillery. He died on July 25, 1995, in Lanett, Alabama, at the age of 80. He served in WWII aboard an LST in the Pacific in the US Navy. He received a B.S. from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University), an M.A. from the University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. from Tulane University. At the University of Alabama, he was a student of Hudson Strode. Robert published two novels; Bright is the Morning (1943) and The Patchwork Time (1948). He also published several short stories, three of which were published in The Best American Short Stories of 1942, 1943, and 1949.

Also see Robert Faucett Gibbons in the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Children of Robert Faucett Gibbons
J. Whitfield Gibbons, 1939- (see wikipedia)
Anne R. Gibbons, 1947-
JoLee Gibbons Passerini, 1971-

James Booth Gibbons, Jr., 1917-1989

When James Booth Gibbons was born on October 2, 1917, in Alabama, his father, James, was 28 and his mother, Anne, was 27. He had five brothers and two sisters. He had four sons with Kathleen Pearson. He died on December 19, 1989, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at the age of 72, and was buried there. He served in WWII in the Army Air Corps.  Jimmy died of lung cancer too.

Children of James and Kathleen Gibbons:
David Gibbons
James Gibbons
Paul Gibbons
Mark Gibbons

John H Gibbons, 1919-1920
John “Baby Jack” Gibbons died as a young child.
See poem, Baby Jack.

Harriett Ward Gibbons Smith, 1920-2005

When Harriett Ward Gibbons was born on July 9, 1920, in Ashland, Alabama, her father, James, was 30, and her mother, Anne, was 30. She had six brothers and one sister. She had two daughters with George Bates Smith. She had a BS from the University of Alabama and an MS from Tulane University. She was an educator in the field of biology and retired from Delgado Community College in New Orleans, Louisiana. She died on June 18, 2005, at the age of 84, and was buried in Mobile, Alabama.

Children of George and Harriett Smith:
Milanne Smith Sundell, 1943-
Margaret Smith Marston, 1946-

Howard Irvin Gibbons, 1922-1972

When Howard Irvin Gibbons was born on November 2, 1922, in Alabama, his father, James, was 33 and his mother, Anne, was 32. He served for 5 years in the Army during WWII in the European Theater of Operations. He married Mary Anne Wagner in Virginia. They had four children during their marriage. He worked as a journalist at Newport News Daily Press and Hampton Bureau. He worked for NASA. He died on April 20, 1972, in Harris, Texas, at the age of 49.  Howard had two types of cancer.  (Mom and I were thinking we saw him on our big trip in the summer 1972.)

Children of Howard and Mary Ann Gibbons:
James Howard Gibbons
Robert Bruce Gibbons
Anne Claire Gibbons Eisner
Mark Hudgins Gibbons, 1959-1959

Claire Mary Gibbons St.Clair, 1924-2006

When Claire Mary Gibbons was born on October 16, 1924, in Vernon, Alabama, her father, James, was 35, and her mother, Anne, was 34. She had one child with Jackson Bedford Ross and three children with John Robert St. Clair, Jr. She worked various jobs including secretary and housewife. She was active in the Murfreesboro Little Theater with many starring and supporting roles. She died on April 5, 2006, at the age of 81.

Children of John and Claire St.Clair
Howard Jackson Ross, 1943-
Mary Susanne St.Clair Hebden, 1947-
John Robert St.Clair, III, 1951-
Dorothy Claire St.Clair Essex, 1954-

Elliott Graham Gibbons, 1925-1987

When Elliott Graham “Bud” Gibbons was born on November 11, 1925, in Vernon, Alabama, his father, James, was 36 and his mother, Anne, was 35. He graduated high school at 14 and started college at 16. Completed a semester in Wisconsin. Dropped out (“not mature enough”). Brief marriage to Mary Frances Murphy at 17. Joined the Air Force at 18; served in WWII as a Corporal. He was a blister gunner on a B___ plane. Shot down in the Philippines, but this could be a “Gibbons tale.”  Post war college and law school at University of Alabama. He met Linda Gorenflo and had two daughters, Leeann born 1950, and Irma Du Kate born 1952 (in Germany). Served as a First Lieutenant in JAG office as an attorney for the State in Heidelberg, Germany. Divorced. In 1954 while still in Heidelberg, Bud met Bernice (Betty) Henrietta Weil. Married on February 16, 1957, in Flushing, New York. Moved to Mobile, AL, where he worked as a middle school social studies teacher at Barton Academy late 50s, early 60s and Betty worked as assistant to a colonel at Brookley Field until 1967. Bud joined the law firm of Ben Stokes as attorney, creating the Gibbons and Stokes Law Firm.  As an attorney, he argued and won a case at the United States Supreme Court in 1969, Boykin vs The State of Alabama. Was legal representation for the Firefighters Union of Mobile. Served as President of Rebel Little League. He died on June 13, 1987, in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 61 of metastasized bladder cancer. He was cremated and his ashes were divided in 1988 and scattered in two places: with permission at the original Yankee Stadium and off of Bald Rock, Cheaha State Park, Alabama, the original site of the Gibbons-Walsh(e) Family Reunion.

Children of Bud and Betty Gibbons:
Doria Desaix Gibbons, 1960-
John “Jack” Duroc Gibbons, 1962-
Thomas Jefferson Lannes Gibbons, 1967-

 Aileen Constance Graham, 1926-

When Aileen Constance Graham was born on November 16, 1926, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, her father, Thomas, was 30, and her mother, Clare Walsh O’Conner, was 30. At the age of 3 her mother Clare went back to Ireland to get her 2 daughters from her previous marriage.  The great depression hit and Clare stayed in Ireland.  Aileen was taken to Tuscaloosa, AL from Birmingham, AL where she joined the Gibbons Walsh family. She had two daughters and two sons with Leo Francis Holden. She lives in Winter Park, Florida.

Children of Leo and Aileen Holden:
Christopher Holden
Michael Holden
Sheila Holden Lealaitafea
Monica Holden Kinas