Isbin Giddens (1788-1853), Pioneer Settler of Old Berrien

January 12, 2019 at 12:28 am (Giddens Family, Knight Family, Uncategorized)
Tags: 1827 Land Lottery of Georgia, 334th Georgia Militia District, Aaron Giddens, Aaron Knight, Allen Jones, Berrien County GA, Berrien Minute Men, Blounts Creek NC, Camp Chase, Catherine Jones, Company G 29th Georgia Regiment, Elizabeth Knight, Fannie Knight, Fatima Knight, General Levi J. Knight, Guyton Hospital, Indian Wars, Isben Giddens, Isbin T. Giddens, Jesse Knight, Joel Knight, John Knight, Jonathan Knight, Kettle Creek Church, Keziah Ann Giddens, Kizziah Knight, Lanier County GA, Lowndes County Militia, Mary M. Giddens, Matilda Giddens, Matthew O. Giddens, Moses Giddens, Moses H. Giddens, Moses Knight, Ray City GA, Ray City-Lakeland Road, Samuel Knight, Sarah Cone Knight, Sarah Giddens, Sarah Knight, Superior Court of Wayne County, Thomas Knight, Union Primitive Baptist Church, Wayne County GA, Wayne County Militia, William Anderson Knight, William Moses Giddens

Isbin Giddens (1788-1853)

Grave of Isbin Giddens, Burnt Church Cemetery, Lanier County, GA

In the winter of 1824-25 Isbin (or Isben) Giddens brought his wife, Keziah Knight Giddens, and their two young children,  William and Moses Giddens from Wayne County, GA to settle in what was then Irwin County, near the present day Ray City, GA. They came along with Keziah’s brother William Cone Knight, her parents, and their minor children John, Sarah, Elizabeth, Aaron, and Jonathan Knight. Also making the move to Lowndes was Keziah’s uncle Samuel Knight, his wife Fannie, and their children Fatima, Moses, Aaron, Jesse, Thomas, and Joel.

Isbin Giddens was born in Blounts Creek, Beaufort County, North Carolina on November 4, 1788 just a few months after the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America. He was the son of Moses Giddens and Catherine Jones.

Some time before 1816, “when he was about grown,” Isbin  Giddens moved from North Carolina to Wayne County, Georgia .  He served as lieutenant of the 334th District Militia, Wayne County, from 1816 to 1820. It was probably during that time period that he became acquainted with the family of William A. Knight and Sarah Cone Knight. William A. Knight was then serving as a Justice of Peace in the 334th District. William’s son, Jonathan Knight, was a captain in the Wayne County militia; another son, Levi J. Knight, served as a private.

Giddens became good friends with the Knights, and on Wednesday, April 7, 1819 just before Easter, Isbin married William A. Knight’s 17-year-old daughter, Keziah Knight (born November 25, 1801).

Isbin Giddens served as a grand juror the October, 1822  term of the Superior Court of Wayne County, and at other times also served on both petit and grand juries in the county.

About 1823 Isbin and Keziah Giddens were baptised into Kettle Creek Church.  Jonathan and Elizabeth Knight were organizing members of Kettle Creek Baptist Church in Ware County which it seems, was near where they lived; they were members of Hebron Church (present day Brantley County, GA) before being dismissed by letter on November 8, 1823, to constitute Kettle Creek. Fannie Knight, wife of Samuel Knight, was a member of Kettle Creek Baptist Church, as were Keziah’s parents, William and Sarah Knight.

Over the winter of 1824-25 Isbin and Keziah departed Wayne county along with her parents and brothers to settle in parts of present day Lanier County.  Isben Giddens made his farm along what is now the Ray City-Lakeland public road. The following year, his brother-in-law, Levi J. Knight, joined the family and became the first to settle on land along  Beaverdam creek at the present day location of Ray City, Berrien County, GA.

On February 10, 1827 Isbin and Keziah moved their letters from Kettle Creek Church to Union Primitive Baptist Church.  Keziah’s father had been instrumental in the organization of Union Church, it being the first Baptist Church in this section. The church organization took place October 1, 1825, at Carter’s Meeting house,  located on the west bank of the Alapaha River.  Mr. Knight was the first clerk of the new church and later became its pastor.

For the 1827 Georgia Land Lottery, Isbin Giddens registered in the 10th District of Lowndes County.  On the 33rd Day’s Drawing – April 13, 1827, he was the fortunate drawer of Lot 248 in the 13th District of of the newly formed Lee County.

In the Census of 1830, Isbin Giddens is enumerated along with early Berrien County settlers like Joshua Lee, William A. Knight and John Knight. He served on the Lowndes Grand Jury of 1833 which was convened at Franklinville, GA, then the county seat of Lowndes County.

In the Indian Wars of 1836-1838, Isbin Giddens and his sons, William and  Moses served under the command of  now  Captain Levi J. Knight,  in the Lowndes County Militia.  The Giddens were among those who took part in the Battle of Brushy Creek, one of the last real engagements with the Creek Indians in this region.

Spouse & Children

Keziah Knight 1801 – 1861

1. William Moses Giddens 1820 – 1899
2. Moses H Giddens 1821 – 1906
3. Matilda Giddens 1826 – 1887
4. Sarah Giddens 1828 – 1918
5. Aaron L. Giddens 1831 – 1862, married Mary Smith
6. Keziah Ann Giddens 1836 – 1904
7. Mary M Giddens 1838 – 1901
8. Isbin T. Giddens 1840 – July 17, 1862
9. Matthew O Giddens 1844 – 1865

Isben Giddens died on his farm October 21, 1853. He was buried at  Union Church Cemetery, in present day Lanier County, GA. He died with a legally valid will, and his three sons William, Moses, and Aaron served as executors of his estate.

In 1855 Kizziah Knight Giddens married the widower Allen Jones.  She died in 1861 and was buried at Union Church, Lanier County GA.

Grave of Keziah Knight Giddens Jones, Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Lakeland, GA

Isben Giddens’ sons, Isbin T. Giddens and Matthew O. Giddens, served in the Civil War.  On August 1, 1861 they joined the Berrien Minute Men, Company G, 29th Georgia Infantry at Milltown (now Lakeland), GA.  Neither would survive the war.  Mathew O. Giddens was taken prisoner on December 16, 1864 near Nashville, TN. He was imprisoned at Camp Chase, Ohio where three months later, on Feb 8, 1865, he died of pneumonia. His brother, Isbin T. Giddens, died of brain fever at Guyton Hospital in Georgia.

Related Posts:

• Lowndes Grand Jury of 1833
• Knights Come to Lowndes County, GA
• John W. Hagan Married for Third Time
• Bryan J. Robert’s Account of the Last Indian Fight in Berrien County
• Levi J. Knight and Lowndes First Superior Court.
• Matthew O. Giddens ~ Confederate POW
• Isbin T. Giddens Dies of Brain Fever at Guyton Hospital, Georgia
• Roster of Levi J. Knight’s Independent Militia Company, 1838 with Notes on the Soldiers