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Editor's Note:
Readers of The Kentucky Explorer have been introduced to the
Rev. John J. Dickey in past issues. Remember that he was a traveling
preacher throughout the eastern part of the state during the
years between 1880 and 1925. He helped to establish numerous
churches and at least two colleges. He was also a teacher and
a newspaper editor. However, his most enduring gift to us today
may well be his diary that he kept faithfully during some 50
years of his later life beginning in the 1880s. In all, over
6,000 pages written in his own hand make up this interesting
digest.
In this journal of his, Dickey often wrote down accounts of events
daily. Much of the material concerns his day to day life. However,
during the late 1890s he began to gather family history on various
families he met in his travels. We are offering these interviews
to our readers in the hope that they will be appreciated in the
sense that Rev. Dickey intended. These interviews were written
word for word as they were given to Rev. Dickey. Nothing has
been changed.
Abijah Gilbert
July 12, 1898
I was born February 25, 1815, in Clay County, Kentucky. My father
was John Gilbert. He was born in North Carolina. His brother-in-law,
Stewart, was in the Revolutionary War. My father had Stewart's
discharge papers when he died. He brought (bought) it with the
expectation of getting a pension on it. Some attorney wrote proposing
to work it up, and I sent the paper to him but never got it back.
My father's father was in the Revolutionary War. Jarvis Jackson,
I think, or some other Jackson from London, came to my father
and wrote a sketch of his life. I do not know what became of
it. I have heard my father say often that he was a youth when
the Revolutionary War was on. He claimed to be 111 years old
when he died. He was the first settler in Clay County. He came
as a trapper, hunting beaver. He caught the beaver at the mouth
of Longs Creek where there was a dam. His brother, Felix, and
William Hudson came to Clay County a little later. He gave them
both land. I do not know when he came to Kentucky. My father
lived near Cumberland Gap in Tennessee before he came to Kentucky.
Mrs. Martha
Jane Gilbert
I was born in Lee County, Virginia, February 1818. My father
was Robert Gibson. My mother was a daughter of Gen. James Renfro
who lived and died at Cumberland Ford. He came from Virginia
to Kentucky at an early date. He owned a great deal of land.
He reared a large family, nine daughters and two sons. One son,
James, was killed by a falling limb. The other son, William,
lived and died in Missouri. Father Gilbert was the most saintly
man I ever knew. God seemed to bless his ministry to the salvation
of the souls.
Incidents
He was preaching. At the close of the service, he was impressed
that there was someone present who would never have another opportunity
to be prayed for. He gave an invitation, and a man from the rear
of the house came forward. He prayed earnestly for him. Before
morning, he was sent forth to visit him. When he reached the
house, he was drawing his last breath.
Another Incident
He said to Mrs. Ambrose, "Have you ever had any thought
of your eternal happiness?" She abruptly left the room without
making any reply. A few months later, her husband, who was a
minister, wrote to him that his wife had obtained a hope and
wanted him to come and baptize her. She told him that she had
no peace after that until she found the Savior.
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