Thursday, August 22, 2013

Almon Gibbs And Chloe Spafford


Jim's Photo Of Fort Meigs (Reconstruction)

"...the fort [Fort Meigs], which had been in charge of Lieut. Almon Gibbs and about forty men, was abandoned. For the convenience of the fort and any stray settlers, Gibbs had, the previous year, May 9, 1814, been appointed postmaster and the office was named Fort Meigs. When Major Spafford left in 1813, Miami post office was discontinued. After the fort was abandoned in 1815-16, Gibbs quit the army, crossed to the other side of the river, and went into trade, taking the post office with him." [Source]

From A register of officers and agents, civil, military, and naval in the service of the United States ...


The City of Maumee, Ohio's website mentioned Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs and the house they owned at 209 W. Harrison Street, as follows:

One of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture is this two-story home.  The house is thought to have been completed by Chloe Spafford Gilbert Gibbs, of the pioneer Spafford family and widow of Almon Gibbs, a quartermaster at Fort Meigs in 1814, who, in partnership with Horatio Conant, operated a retail business below East Harrison Street and was prominent among the early founders of Maumee.  

Following the war, Almon Gibbs, a native of New York, was the postmaster at Fort Meigs, Ohio (now Perrysburg, Ohio).

This website has a picture of the envelope addressed to Cyrenus Gibbs of Harperfield, New York, from Almon Gibbs.

Gibbs was also a prominent Mason in the area.

Chloe Spafford, who married 1st Stephen (or Leister) Gilbert, briefly taught school in Cleveland, Ohio.  The story of Mr. Gilbert's drowning death in 1808 can be found here.  

Source

Amos Spafford's daughter, Chloe, married 2nd Almon Gibbs (see Amos Spafford post here).


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