John W. Gilbert was born about 1822 in Virginia, probably in Wise County. Son of Revolutionary War soldier Samuel Gilbert and his wife Mary, John came to Harlan County as a young man. Here, he married Hannah Farley and settled on Yocums Creek. At this time, it is not known if John served in the Civil War although at least one of his sons did. He died in the summer of 1866 and his wife Hannah was named administrator of his estate in July.

John and Hannah had 10 children. The oldest was Henry, born about 1842. Henry may have died in the Civil War and certainly appears to have been deceased by the 1870 census.

Their second child was William P. Gilbert, born about 1844. In 1864, in the middle of the Civil War, he married Elizabeth Anne Turner, daughter of James and Elizabeth Clay Turner. On July 30, 1880, he was shot and killed, allegedly by William Turner, son of George Turner and a cousin of Gilbert's wife Elizabeth. Two years later his widow married Joseph, son of Daniel Monroe Setser and his wife Patience. William and Elizabeth Anne's children were Nancy, John W., Louisa, Alisee and George Washington.

John and Hannah's third child was Benjamin F. Gilbert. He was born about 1845 and by the time he was 20 had enlisted in the 49th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. He survived the war and, in 1869, married William and Susan Turner Wynn's daughter Mary. Ben died about 1935.

Benjamin and Mary are believed to have had 14 children: Henry who married Lavina; William R.; Samuel C.; Lavina; John C.; James; Mary E.; Louisa `Ludie' who married John Ball; Benjamin H. who married Mallie Cornett; Susan `Sudie' who married Elijah Creech; Jesse; Emily J.; Celia M. and Rosalee.

John and Hannah's fourth child was their eldest daughter, Mary, usually known by the common nickname `Polly'. Mary is thought to have never married and in her later years first made a home for her nephew Harmon Hays Smith and then was taken care of by Hays and his wife Laura.

John and Hannah's fifth child was Jesse, born Mary 7, 1850. In 1877, he married Alcy, daughter of Henry and Abigail Creech Clay. Sometime after 1900, Jesse moved to Lee Co., Va., where he died in 1932. He is believed to have had only one child, a son, Elijah.

Next to be born, on Aug. 18, 1852, was Samuel. In 1872, he married Cynthia S. Lewis. Samuel and Cynthia had at least nine children, four of whom were William, Asher, Felix and John.

The youngest of John and Hannah's sons was John W. Gilbert, born in the fall of 1854. John and his wife Rebecca, whom he married about 1874, had five children: Benjamin B.; William R. who married Louisa Napier; John Loyd who married Alcey; James Jesse who married Dora Stewart and Rose Alice.

The youngest of John and Hannah's children were three daughters: Lavina who was born about 1856 and married John Clay; Rebecca who was born about 1860; and Emily Levisa.

There were several other Gilbert families in early southeast Kentucky. A number of these descend from John Gilbert of Clay County who may have been an uncle of the John in Harlan County. Others descend form the Gilberts of Lee Co., Va., some of whom are known to descend from Samuel Gilbert, a brother of the Harlan County John Gilbert.