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Correspondence about Freeland and Freelanders
One of the best things about having this website has been the
correspondence that has come out of it. Many, many people out
there are interested in Freeland and its past, and some of them write
to me after visiting this website. Some of these correspondents live in
Freeland now,
some used to live in Freeland, and others have never been to Freeland
but their family roots are there. One of my most recent
correspondents belongs to that last category. His name is David
Moyer and he lives in Australia. Here are his note and the photos he
sent (which he gave
me permission to post):To whom it may concern,
Came across your website while searching for my past. Please find attached photo's of Benjamin and Mary (Thomas) Gibbon, my maternal Great, Great Grandfather and Mother, who came from Southern Wales with their children on the ship "Empire State" in 1857.
Benjamin Gibbon, born Llanboidy, Carmarthenshire, South Wales on Nov. 9, 1824 and Mary (Thomas) Gibbon, born Sept. 14, 1892, Wales.
Benjamin Gibbon died on Sept. 14, 1892 and both he and Mary (Thomas) Gibbon are buried in Freeland, Pa. Luzerne Co. If anyone happens to know where they are buried and the death date of Mary, it would be appreciated. Religion unknown but believed to be Baptist.
Also included pictures of their daughter Debra Gibbon, born Eckley, Pennsylvania on April 12, 1859 and married David E. Richards on July 28, 1878 in Eckley Pennsylvania. David E. Richards was born in Talywain, North Wales on May 12, 1851 and immigrated to the area, with his older brother Joseph (age 17) at the age of 14 to work in the mines of Eckley. David E. Richards died at the age of 75 on May 11 1927 and buried in Slatington, Pa. Debra died at the age of 82 on August 11, 1941 and buried in Slatington, Pa. They raised 5 children in the area.
Kind regards from Australia,
David Moyer
I checked the Drasher index of burials in the Freeland Cemetery and wrote back to let him know that Benjamin and Mary are both buried there, along with the tombstone text recorded in the index. If by any chance anyone knows of any other information pertinent to his query, please let me know and I'll forward the information to him.
An update on the upgrading of this website:
I began this website in the late 1990s, and did a major site revision in April 2003. In the summer of 2009 I began another upgrade. All sections of the site have now been reformatted except for the Business section.There are some new categories listed at left, and as time goes on those new pages will be developed. Also, more of the information and photos that readers have sent to me will also be added to the site. This includes the desperately overdue addition of more information on Freeland businesses from various correspondents. Check out my progress on the business list.
Meanwhile, if you happen to notice any broken links or other problems as you are using the site, please let me know so that I can fix them. Thanks!
Note: Photo at top left comes from J. Zubach; identification from Gretchen Collins says that the business on the right in that photo was Merkt Confectionery, run by Charles and Lena Merkt. It was located in the Birkbeck Block on Centre and Main streets.