Join me on a visit to Giboney Cave! Located at Doling Park in Springfield, Missouri.
The historic marker reads:
“
GIBONEY CAVE
The first Giboney family member of whom historical records reference is that of Alexander Giboney. Family stories suggest that Alexander was of Irish heritage. Documents written by his granddaughter, Edith Giboney Cooper, indicate that Alexander was born in Kentucky in 1811. The George Giboney family states that he was born December 19, 1809.
According to Boone County records, Alexander took Sarah Hackney as his bride on December 12, 1831. Alexander and Sarah lived in Chariton County 1840, later moving to Greene County around 1845.
Alexander passed away sometime prior to 1850. A memorial plaque is located at Maranatha Village, 233 E. Norton Road. Family stories indicate that the log cabin where Sarah lived with her children was located at the site of the Doling Museum. The family walked down the hill to get water from the spring and made use of this cave for food storage. It is said that Jesse James and his brothers once camped overnight at this site. Upon departure of the James party on the following morning, it is reported that Jesse James said to John Giboney, “If we never meet in this world, hope we meet in another and I will be a better man.”
On November 16, 1846, Alexander and Sarah’s sons, James H. and John T. Giboney, made an application at the Springfield Land Office for the purchase of forty acres at a cost of $1.25 an acre. The Receiver’s Office acknowledged receipt of $50.00 for purchase of the land on November 19, 1846. The land patent issued for the property is dated October 1, 1852. You are now standing on the land purchased by the Giboneys.
John T. Giboney married Margaret Foster in 1866. John and Margaret had one daughter, Catherine. After Margaret’s death in 1870, John married Sarah Angeline Boone in March 5, 1871 at Fairview School located on north Grant Street following church services held at the school. Nine children were born to John and Sarah.
After signing the oath of allegiance to the United States on July 9, 1862, during the Civil War, John served as a private in Company I, 72nd Enrolled Missouri Militia from September through November 1864. He then went on to serve at the rank of Corporal in Company F, 14th Missouri Volunteer Calvary from March through November 1865.
James H. Giboney, the other owner of the patent for the property, died at age 17 in Stockton, Missouri leaving John T. Giboney and his wife Sarah as the owners of the property who sold the forty-acre tract to James Marshall Doling in 1883 for $2,500.00. John T. Giboney died on May 6, 1915. Sarah death occurred on January 25, 1925.”
Music: Dude, where’s my horse? By Nat Keefe with The Bow Ties.
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