THE GAMBLES OF CROSS CREEK TWP., JEFFERSON COUNTY, OHIO
-
On 5 Mar 1917, - Albert Dennison Gamble married Dorothy Jean Lighthizer in Wellsburg, Brooke County, West Virginia. Dorothy listed her age as 21, although she was only seventeen. Dorothy's aunt, Ella Lighthizer opposed the marriage and subsequently the couple ran away to the West Virginia border to get married. Albert met Dorothy through her brother Frank Lighthizer. Albert Dennison Gamble was the son of John Williams Gamble and Edith May McNeal. The Gambles were early pioneers in Jefferson County, Ohio, and first appear on the 1830 Federal census of Ohio in Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County. The earliest known Gamble, William was married to Martha, and lived adjacent to her uncle, Thomas Williams, a veteran of the War of 1812.

William Gamble was born in Ireland in 1790. William Gamble immigrated to America and enlisted as a private in Capt. John Barrickman's Company, First Regiment, Second Brigade of the Pennsylvania Militia commanded by Brig. General Richard Crooks, in the Northwestern Army under Gen. William Henry Harrison at Fort Meigs, Ohio. He enlisted 2 Oct. 1812 and served until 17 Apr. 1813. The Second Brigade, Pensylvania Militia built Fort Meigs, the largest walled fortification in North America. Fort Meigs was the storehouse of ammunition and supplies for the Northwestern Army during the War of 1812. Fort Meigs has been called the "Gibraltor of the Northwest" which rolled back the tide of British and Indian invasion giving Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry the needed time to build his fleet along the shores of Lake Erie. It was this land campaign of 1813 in the Northwest centered at Fort Meigs that enabled Perry to gain his victory. It was to General William Henry Harrison at Fort Meigs that Commodore Perry's dispatch came when the British fleet was defeated off Put-In-Bay 10 Sep. 1813: "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

Of historical importance, only Capt. John Barrickman's Company of the entire Second Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia volunteered unanimously to remain and garrison Fort Meigs after 2 Apr. 1813, against eminent attack by Colonel Henry Proctor's British forces and Indian allies under Tecumseh, until General William Harrison arrived with Kentucky reinforcements. In his General Orders at Fort Meigs on 17 Apr. 1813, General William H. Harrison personally gave thanks to these men who magnanimously volunteered their services from 15 days after 2 Apr. 1813, and that their conduct on this occasion was the result of the purist patriotism.

After the war, William Gamble married Martha Work at Burgettstown, Pennsylvania on 16 Apr. 1827, and settled at Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County. In Doyles's 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio of 1909, Martha Work Gamble was the first white child born in Cross Creek Township on 14 Aug. 1804. In the Sherrard Family Of Steubenville (1833) by Robert Andrew Sherrard, the Gambles lived at Sugar Hill, Cross Creek Township, in the hollow. Martha (Mattie Gamble) was the niece of Thomas Williams, a prominent Cross Creek Township farmer. William and Martha Gamble were the parents of six children: William, Martha, Thomas, Andy, Mary Jane and John.

The greatest mass meeting ever held at any time in Steubenville up to 1840, occurred on 29 Jul. 1840, when the Whig Party fielded a Harrison Pole 105 feet high, in honor of their candidate, William Henry Harrison. The Gamble family arrived at the demonstration and most assuredly, William Gamble was a proud supporter, formerly being under General Harrison's command of the Northwestern Army in the War of 1812. William Henry Harrison was inaugurated on 4 Mar. 1841, the ninth president of the United States. Having contracted pneumonia during his inaugural address, Harrison died on 4 Apr. 1841.

The following year, William Gamble died at Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, on 1 Dec. 1842, leaving Martha a widow at age 38 with six children. Under the Acts of Congress of 28 Sep. 1850 and 3 Mar. 1855, bounty land was offered to widows of the War of 1812. Robert Andrew Sherrard, neighbor of the Gambles, was appointed United States Deputy Marshall for the 17th Congressional District of Ohio in 1850, and granted 160 acres of bounty land to Martha Gamble for her deceased husband's prior service. Martha Gamble sold this land, located in Illinois and Iowa, to help support her family in Cross Creek. In addition, Martha Gamble filed November, 1878, as a pensioner widow of a veteran of 1812 and was allotted $8 per month (Certificate # 11,303). - Martha Gamble died 1 Jun. 1888 in Steubenville, Ohio. A photo of her is found in the 1897 Filson and Son's Centennial Group of Steubenville in the Steubenville Public Library. She died less than a week after her grandson, Anderson Gamble, the eldest son of Thomas Gamble, was killed on the railroad in Pittsburgh, caught between the engine tank and roundhouse wall and crushed to death. Both William and Martha Gamble are buried in Union Cemetery, Steubenville, Ohio section St. P., Lot 54, space 1& 2.

Three sons of William Gamble distinguished themselves in the Civil War. Thomas Gamble was 1st Lieutenant under Captain Anson McCook in Company H, 2nd Regiment O.V.I. Thomas Gamble participated in the Battle of Bull Run, Va., on 21 Jul. 1861. The regiment losing two men killed, four wounded, eight captured and one missing. On 15 May 1864, Thomas, William and Andrew Gamble joined the 157th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Camp Chase, Ohio. This was composed of the Thirty-ninth Battalion, Ohio National Guard from Jefferson Conty. On 17 May 1864, the Regiment was ordered to report to General Wallace, at Baltimore, Maryland. It was assigned to General Tyler's command, and, after remaining in camp a few weeks, was ordered by the War Department to Fort Delaware. During the remainder of their term of service, the Gamble brothers performed guard duty over twelve to fourteen thousand prisoners. At the expiration of their term of enlistment, the brothers reported at Camp Chase and were mustered out 2 Sep. 1864. Andrew Gamble, was a private in Co. A, 157th O.V.I. William Gamble was a Corporal in Co. D., 157 O.V.I. Thomas Gamble was Captain of Co. E., 157th O.V.I., and commanded seventy-seven men.
-
-
William Gamble - - --------------------------------------- - - - - - - Martha Work - -
b. 1790 Ireland - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - b. 14 Aug 1804
Private, Capt. Barrickman's - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cross Creek Twp.
Co., 1st Reg. 2nd Brigade - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jefferson Co. Oh
Pa Militia War of 1812 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - d. 1 Jun 1888
- - - - - - - - - - - m. 16 Apr 1827 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steubenville, OH
- - - - - - - - - - - Burgettstown, Pa.
- - - - - - - - - - - d. 1 Dec 1842 - - -
-
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
William - - - - - - - - - - - - Thomas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Martha Ann - - - - - Mary Jane - - - - - - - - - - - - John
b. 1828 - - - - - - - - - - - - b. 1832 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - d. 1837 - - - - - - - - - - - - b.1838 - - - - - - - - - - - - - d. 1849
Civil War - - - - - - - - - - Civil War - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
157 O.V.I. - - - - - - - - - 157 O.V.I. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Corporal - - - - - - - - - - Captain - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Battle of Bull Run
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2nd O.V.I.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1st Lieutenant
-
-
Andrew J. Gamble - - ------------------ - - - Nancy Close
b. 1837 Cross Creek Twp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - b. 1836 Knox Twp.
Civil War Co. A 157th OH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jefferson Co., OH
Private - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - d. 23 Jan 1912
m. 23 Feb 1859 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steubenville, OH
Steubenville, OH
d. 13 Sep 1915
Steubenville, OH
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
John Williams Gamble - - ------------ - - - - - Edith Mae McNeal - - - - - -
b. 26 Oct 1862 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - b. 10 Jan 1864
Steubenville, OH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steubenville, OH
m. 8 Feb 1887 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - d. 3 Sep 1936
Steubenville, OH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steubenville, OH
d. 5 Jul 1934
Steubenville, OH