John Tibbals, Jr.

John Tibbals, Jr ...... Birth: Apr. 4, 1760 Granville Hampden County Massachusetts, USA Death: Sep. 7, 1800 (inscription says 9/6/1800) Granville Hampden County Massachusetts, USA

Born April 4, 1760, in Granville, Massachusetts, John Tibbals, Jr. was the first child of John & Olive Rose Tibbals. His brother David was born on November 24, 1761. Less than a year later (October 19, 1762), John's mother died and was buried in the Old Historic Cemetery in Granville Center where her stone was mistakenly cut "Tibets".

Left with 2 young sons, John's father married his 2nd wife, Olive Pratt on August 22, 1764; nine children were born to this union. John was 6 years old when his half-brother (Samuel) was born. Samuel lived less than 2 months (April - June, 1766). John's half-sister (Olive) was born in 1767 and over the next 15 years, seven more children were added to the family: Moses; Daniel; Amos; Anna; Lincoln; and Norman. The last child (Alfred) was born July 13, 1782 and died December 23rd of that same year.

We know little about John's childhood - only that he was the eldest child in a growing family. From Revolutionary War records we do know that he served in Massachusetts Militia (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolution). On May 6, 1777, at age 17, John marched to Ticonderoga and returned to Granville June 14, 1777. Then, on Jun 16, 1778, he reported to Fishkill, New York. In these records, he is described as "…stature five feet, seven inches, complexion light, hair light, residence Granville, engaged for the town of Granville…" (pp. 721 and 728).

In 1913, John's grandson, William Franklin Tibbals (Uncle Frank) told the following story of his grandfather. Uncle Frank told it in the words of his father, William John, who often told the story around a campfire as the family was traveling from Granville, Massachusetts to Hartford, Ohio in the early 1840's.

"Your grandfather had fought in the War for Independence from England. He received little pay but once either on his return from an enlistment, or later when he went back to army headquarters, he received his pay in silver dollars. These he carried in a muslin pouch his step-mother had made for him. They were in an inside pocket in his Great Coat.

"Somewhere between Albany, New York and Granville, possibly in some of the very woods we have traveled through, a masked man stepped from behind a large tree, pointing a pistol at him. Your grandfather was a young man and had not yet earned much money in his lifetime. He was not of a notion to give up his bag of silver dollars. However, he said, 'All right, my man. Just don't shoot. I'll gladly give you my bag of money.' The robber seemed to relax and lowered the pistol. Your grandfather reached into that inside pocket, grasping the bag by its neck. With a jerk he brought it out, high into the air and crashing down on the highway man's head.

"Down the man went, dropping his pistol. Your grandfather picked up the pistol, put the sack of silver dollars back in his pocket and went his way. I've seen that pistol, but don't know what became of it."

After the war, John returned to Granville. On December 29, 1784, his father (John Sr.) died of smallpox at age 58. Then, on October 9, 1792, at age 32, John married Dorothy M Cooley, daughter of William and Sarah Mather Cooley. They had 3 children: Timothy Cooley, born about 1793; William John (my 3rd great grandfather), born February 10, 1797; and Olive, who married Stephen Holmes, born June 20, 1800.

Less than 3 months after Olive's birth, John died on September 7, 1800, of "gravil or that which led to consumption." He was buried beside his father, John Sr., and his step-mother, Olive Pratt Tibbals.

Family links:

Parents:

 John Tibbals (1727 - 1784)

 Olive Rose Tibbals (1742 - 1762)

Spouse:

 Dorothy Cooley Tibbals-Graves (1768 - 1842)

Inscription: To the memory of Mr. John Tibbals who Died Sept. 6th D. 1800

Grave Marker - SAR #12 SAR number: 4994

Burial: West Granville Cemetery West Granville Hampden County Massachusetts, USA

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Created by: AJ & Ray Cassel Record added: Nov 30, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 101532844

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