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Gibson was the second Indiana Territorial Governor. He was born in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, on May 23, 1740. He received an exceptionally good education.
When he was only 18 years of age, he took art in a British expedition against
the French at Ford DuQuesne (now called Pittsburgh). The expedition was a
successful one and resulted in the capture of the fort. After peace had been
declared, Gibson settled there and began business as an Indian trader.
At one time, he, with other white men, was captured by Indian savages and was condemned to be burned at the stake. His life, however, was saved because an aged Indian squaw, who had lost a son in battle, took a fancy to young John Gibson and he was adopted into her family. He remained among the Indians for several years. Gibson learned their language and became very familiar with their manners, habits and customs. He married a sister of the famous Chief Logan; his wife was one of those killed in the massacre, which occasioned Logan's warfare and celebrated speech. Their mode of living, however, proved to be very distasteful to him and when a suitable opportunity presented itself, he escaped and resumed his former occupation of trading.
With the breaking out of the American Revolutionary War, he was appointed Colonel and raised a regiment of troops. Some time later, he was placed in command of troops on the western frontier. With the ending of the war, he returned to Pittsburgh to again resume his former occupation of trading with the Indians. In 1778, Gibson was elected a member of the convention that made the first Constitution of the State of Pennsylvania. He was Judge of the Common Pleas Court of Allegheny County for several years. AT the same time, Gibson was serving as General of the State Militia. The United States Congress in 1800 passed an act dividing the Northwest Territory and creating Indiana Territory. With the passage of this act, President Jefferson appointed John Gibson as its Secretary.
He started at once for the territorial capital at Vincennes and arrived on July 1, 1800. He commenced to organize the Territorial Government, appointed several officers, and did other things in the direction of creating a civil government. He continued in this capacity until the arrival of Governor Harrison the following January.
As Gibson had a very thorough knowledge of the affairs of the Indians, he was able to fill the office in admirable manner. General Gibson was a very shrewd and capable man and enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all those who knew him. When Governor William Henry Harrison retired, General Gibson became acting Governor and served until 1813, continuing also as Secretary. He held the office of Secretary throughout Governor Posey's administration, that is, until Indiana became a state.
Gibson continued to live for a while at Vincennes, later he moved to Pennsylvania and died not far form the City of Pittsburgh, on April 12, 1822, at the age of 82 years. He was buried in Allegheny Cemetery, North Side, Pittsburgh.
An exhaustive but futile search was made to secure the picture of Governor John Gibson and it is believed there is no available picture in existence. In our effort to secure this picture we have correspondence form the Secretary to President Herbert Hoover; Historical Adviser of the Department of State in Washington' Secretary of the Interior; Library of Congress, Fine Arts Division of Washington; Frisk Art Reference Library of New York City and other libraries and many interested individuals.
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