The Family of John Gilson and Betsy Powers of Dunstable, New Hampshire

A Case Study

I jot down story ideas in a notebook as I run across them. In this case, it was an 1836 deed that mentioned the sale of land near the lands of John P. Gilson and John Gilson. Another deed recorded the sale of land by Levi Gilson to Joel Gilson near the land of John P. Gilson. Were they brothers? With the two Johns, was there a father/son relationship?

The first step was to see what other researchers had found. For this, I visit FamilySearch and Ancestry. John Powers Gilson is on FamilySearch as the son of John Gilson and Betsy/Betty Powers, but Levi and Joel are missing. Some of the Ancestry trees have the three men as brothers, but there are no sources listed that confirm the relationship. 

I need a Case Study to pull together the circumstantial evidence to prove or refute my hypothesis that John Powers Gilson, Levi Gilson, and Joel Gilson were brothers and the sons of John Gilson. 

Watch out for rabbit holes. Jeremiah Gilson appears on some of the deeds and he is probably the brother of John Gilson, but that’s an idea for a future project. And John Gilson receives property from the estate of David Gilson who was probably his father. Again, not part of this project so I had to fight the urge to investigate.

Scale at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History not on display catalog number 297583.058

The Family of John Gilson and Betsy Powers of Dunstable, New Hampshire

John Gilson married Betsy Powers on 22 September 1791 in Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts.¹ 

Their first known child, Betsy/Betty Gilson, was born on 27 February 1792, in Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.² She married Asa Hazen on 30 August 1812 in Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, and after Asa’s death, she married Azeal Gowing of Jaffrey, Cheshire, New Hampshire on 9 October 1814 in Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts.³ On  9 July 1838, Azeal Gowen (sic) of Jaffrey “in the right of my wife and I Betsy Gowen wife of said Azeal in my own right…” sold John P. Gilson 1/6th “part in common and undivided of a certain farm situate in Nashua known as the Adams farm being the same on which the late John Gilson father of the said Betsy and John P. lived as his homestead at the time of his decease.”⁴ 

John P. Gilson, the son of John and Betsey Gilson, died on 16 June 1869 in Nashua (formerly Dunstable), Hillsborough, New Hampshire at age 75 years, 4 months, and 1 day.⁵ 

On 26 July 1831, John P. Gilson sold the Nashua Manufacturing Company the land in Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire that he had “purchased of my Father John Gilson…Beginning at a stake & stones on the north side of the road leading from Joel F. Gilsons to Benjamin Robbin’s, being the southwest corner of land formerly owned by Jeremiah Gilson...And I Rebecca Gilson wife of the said John P. Gilson in consideration of the premises do by these presents relinquish, release and quit claim to the said Nashua Manufacturing Company all my right of Dower & power of Thirds in the lands…”⁶

On 28 August 1827, John Powers Gilson of Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire sold Charles Blood land “in the Southwesterly part of Dunstable in the Said County of Hillsborough…In Witness Whereof I the Said John P. Gilson with Rebekah my wife in token of her Consent and relinquishment of her right of Dower…”⁷ Since John’s middle name was a surname, his mother’s maiden name was probably Powers making him the son of John Gilson and Betsey Powers.

John P. Gilson of Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire was married to Rebeccah Spaulding on 6 March 1818 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire by Rev. Eli Smith.⁸ 

Immediately after Betsy (Gilson) Hazen Gowing sold her interest in John Gilson’s homestead, Levi Gilson of Brookline, Hillsborough, New Hampshire also sold John P. Gilson his right to the land “on which John Gilson late of said Nashua father of said Levi and John P. lived…I Lucy Gilson wife of said Levi in token of release of Dower in said premises…”⁹ Levi Gilson and his wife, Lucy Sawtell, were married on 6 October 1822 in Brookline, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.¹⁰

Also on 9 July 1838, Betsey Gilson of Brookline sold John P. Gilson of Nashua “all that tract of land or parcel of land in which was set off and assigned to me as my dower in the homestead farm of my late husband John Gilson–said farm being situated in the southwest part of said Nashua & Known as the Adams Farm…”¹¹

On 25 December 1832, John P. Gilson of Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire acquitted the  Nashua Manufacturing Company “from all claims for flowage or damage done to the lands described in an instrument signed by said Joel P. Gilson to the Nashua Manufacturing Company dated October the thirteenth A.D. 1828…the time of the purchase of the same from my Father by my brother Joel P. Gilson.”¹²

Rufus Winn and his wife Bridget on 18 March 1837 sold John P. Gilson “one sixth part undivided of the Homestead Farm which was of John Gilson deceased situated in said Nashua…”¹³ Betsey (Gilson) Hazen Gowing had also sold a 1/6th interest in John Gilson’s homestead in Nashua, suggesting both girls were sisters and had inherited their 1/6th portions upon their father’s death.¹⁴

Bridget Gilson was living in Peterborough, Hillsborough, New Hampshire when she married her first husband, John Quinn, who was living in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts.¹⁵ The ceremony was performed by Rev. Eli Smith in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire on 7 June 1827.¹⁶ Bridget (Gilson) Quinn married Rufus Winn on 16 June 1835 in Dunstable, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.¹⁷ And Bridget (Gilson) Quinn Winn, the daughter of John Gilson and Betsy Powers, married third, Samuel White, at age 60 on 22 June 1869 in Nashua, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.¹⁸ 

It appears Betsey, John Powers, Levi, Joel P., and Bridget were siblings and the children of John Gilson and Betsy Powers.

• Betsey (Gilson) Hazen Azeal was the daughter of John Gilson and Betsy Powers, was the sister of John P. Gilson, and sold her 1/6th interest in John Gilson’s homestead to John P. Gilson.

• John Powers Gilson was the son of John and Betsy Gilson and was married in Hollis by Rev. Eli Smith. He was the brother of Betsey (Gilson) Hazen Azeal, Levi Gilson, and Joel P. Gilson.

• Levi Gilson was the brother of John P. Gilson and sold his interest in John Gilson’s homestead to John P. Gilson.

• Joel P. Gilson was the brother of John P. Gilson.

• Bridget (Gilson) Quinn Winn White, the daughter of John Gilson and Betsy Powers, sold her 1/6th interest in the homestead of John Gilson to John P. Gilson, and traveled from Peterborough to be married in Hollis by Rev. Eli Smith who had performed the marriage ceremony for John Powers Gilson and his wife nine years earlier.

• Betsy (Powers) Gilson sold her dower in the homestead of her late husband John Gilson to John P. Gilson.

1. Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts Record of Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Intentions, vol. B, 1747–1802, the book is not paginated but page numbers appear in some sections, marriage of John Gilson and Betty Powers, 13 [crossed out and replaced with 22] February [crossed out and replaced with Sep] 1791; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2495/images/40143_264818__0001-00088 : accessed 15 November 2024), image 209; Dunstable Town Hall, Massachusetts.

2. Nashua, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, vol. 1, 1673-1840, second part labeled Dunstable in the Province of New Hampshire Book for Recording Marriages, Births, and Burials, folio 43 back, birth of Betty daughter of John Gilson, 27 February 1792 [faded]; imaged, FamilySearch  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899K-ZCSG : accessed 15 November 2024), image 83; New Hampshire State Capitol, Concord, New Hampshire.

3. Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts Record of Births, Marriages, and Deaths about 1679–1844, second part labeled Dunstable in the Province of New Hamsphire Book for recording Marriages, Births, and Burials, folio 12, marriage of Asa Hazen of Groton and Betsey Gilson of Dunstable, New Hampshire, 30 August 1812; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8979-M4J4 : accessed 15 November 2024); Dunstable Town Hall, Massachusetts. And, Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts Town & Vital Records, Proceeding & Misc., Marriages & Intent, Births, and Deaths 1707–1890, 53, the book is not paginated but page numbers appear in some sections, marriage of Azeal Gowing and widow Betsey Hazzen, 9 October 1814; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9979-MHZ5 : accessed 15 November 2024), image 445; Dunstable Town Hall, Massachusetts.

4. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 198, 1838–1839, 60–61, Gowen & ux to J. P. Gilson, 9 July 1838; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRZ-M264 : accessed 15 November 2024), images 367–368; Hillsborough Registry of Deeds, Nashua, New Hampshire.

5. Nashua, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, Deaths, 1858–1877, folio 31,  John P. Gilson, 16 June 1869; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-JRYB : accessed 15 November 2024); Nashua City Hall, New Hampshire.

6. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 168, 1831–1832, 49–50, Gilson J. P. Release to N. Manufac. Co., 26 July 1831; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRH-6J4R : accessed 15 November 2024), image 370; Hillsborough Registry of Deeds, Nashua, New Hampshire.

7. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire deeds, vol. 152, 1827, 227-228, Gilson to Blood, 28 August 1827; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRH-N98Q : accessed 15 November 2024); Hillsborough Registry of Deeds, Nashua, New Hampshire.

8. Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, vol. 2, 1733–1887, second section, 38, marriage of John P. Gilson of Dunstable and Rebecca Spalding of Hollis, 6 March 1818; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99K-H6DK : accessed 15 November 2024), image 220; New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics, Concord.

9. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 198, 1838–1839, 61–62, Gilson to Gilson, 9 July 1838.

10. Brookline, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, Marriages, Births, and Deaths, 1758–1907, 73, marriage of Levi Gilson and Lucy Sawtell, 6 October 1822, copied from the “old book,” imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899K-HKC : accessed 16 November 2024), image 554; New Hampshire State Capitol, Concord.

11. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 198, 1838–1839, 468–469, B. Gilson Assin’t of Dower to J. P. Gilson, 9 July 1838.

12. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 171, 1832–1833, 392, Gilson to Nashua M. Co., 25 December 1832; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRH-FSP3-9 : accessed 16 November 2024), image 212; Hillsborough Registry of Deeds, Nashua, New Hampshire.

13.  Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 189, 1836–1837, 625–626, Winn & Wife to J. P. Gilson, 18 March 1837; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRH-D3LP-J : accessed 16 November 2024), image 326; Hillsborough Registry of Deeds, Nashua, New Hampshire.

14. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Deeds, vol. 198, 1838–1839, 60–61, Gowen & ux to J. P. Gilson, 9 July 1838.

15. Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, vol. 2, 1733–1887, second section, 48, marriage of John Quinn of Lowell, Massachusetts to Bridget Gilson of Peterborough, New Hampshire, 7 June 1827.

16. Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, vol. 2, 1733–1887, second section, 48, marriage of John Quinn of Lowell, Massachusetts to Bridget Gilson of Peterborough, New Hampshire, 7 June 1827.

17. Nashua, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Town Records, vol. 1, 1673-1840, second part labeled Dunstable in the Province of New Hampshire Book for Recording Marriages, Births, and Burials, folio 17 front, marriage of Rufus Winn of Dunstable, New Hampshire and Bridgett Quinn of Hollis, 16 June 1835.

18. Nashua, Hillsborough, New Hampshire Marriages, vol. 3A, 1866–1878, folio 78, marriage of Samuel White and Mrs. Bridget Winn both of Nashua, 22 June 1869; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XH-NGWV : accessed 16 November 2024), image 46; Nashua City Hall, New Hampshire.