Annie Gibson Anna Mabel "Annie" Gibson Gibson Born: February 26, 1890, Washington County, Arkansas Died: May 8, 1974 Parents Father: John "Bud" Gibson Born November 9, 1861 Died June 30, 1896 Son of William Gibson and Eliza Harrell Farmer southwest of Summers, Arkansas Mother: Hettie Gertrude Alexander Born June 13, 1870 Died August 30, 1942 Daughter of Barclay (Bartley) M. Alexander and Sarah Lane Alexander Early Childhood Annie was born on her parents' farm located about one to two miles southwest of Summers, Arkansas. Her father, Bud Gibson, owned approximately 120 acres jointly with his sisters Mary and Elizabeth Gibson. The farm lay in Section 20, Township 15 North, Range 33 West, one of the earliest Gibson homesteads in the Summers-Cincinnati community. Her childhood changed dramatically when she was only six years old. Bud Gibson suffered repeated episodes of severe depression. Although considered a capable and hardworking farmer, he eventually died by suicide on June 30, 1896. Following his death, nearly all of the livestock, grain, farm tools, and personal property were sold to settle family obligations and purchase his sister Mary's interest in the farm. Stepfamily On July 2, 1899, Annie's mother remarried: John A. Tennant This marriage produced three half-siblings: Ralph Tennant (died in infancy) Roy Tennant Eula Tennant Witt These Tennant children became lifelong members of the Summers and Westville, Oklahoma communities. Brother Annie had one full brother: Robert Hillry Gibson Born May 17, 1892 Married Iva Marie Moore on February 14, 1914 Children: Virginia Ruth Gibson Genevieve Gibson Robert later repurchased his Aunt Elizabeth's share of the original Gibson farm, helping keep the property within the family. Marriage On October 7, 1914, Annie married Harvey Samuel Gibson (September 21, 1878 - May 15, 1963) Harvey was another member of the Gibson family who farmed near Summers. Their marriage united two long-established Gibson branches of western Washington County. Children Harvey and Annie had one child: James Eugene Gibson Born February 2, 1919 James later became the author of the Gibson family history published in the History of Washington County, Arkansas (1989), preserving much of the family's history for future generations. Grandchildren Through James Eugene Gibson and Frances Lucille Waite: James Patrick Gibson Margaret Ann Gibson Beckman Barbara Lea Gibson Gierow Michael Kevin Gibson The family later included numerous great-grandchildren. Life on the Farm Although James Eugene Gibson's memoir centers largely on his father Harvey's farming life, Annie spent nearly sixty years managing the household that supported those operations. Annie Mabel Gibson represents a generation of Washington County women whose lives bridged the pioneer era and the modern twentieth century. Born into an established farming family, she endured the tragic loss of her father at an early age, witnessed her mother's remarriage into the Tennant family, and spent nearly six decades beside Harvey Samuel Gibson on their farm near Summers. While Harvey worked the fields, Annie maintained the home, raised their only son, and helped preserve the family traditions and photographs that today form one of the richest visual records of the Summers and Cincinnati communities. Through her descendants-especially her son James Eugene Gibson, who documented the family's history-Annie's life has become an important part of the documented heritage of western Washington County.