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The Gamble family moved to Florida from Virginia in the 1820s. John Gratton Gamble (1779-1852) arrived in 1823, bringing with him his family and enslaved persons. His brother Robert (1781-1867) arrived with his family in 1827. The brothers were the sons of the Revolutionary War hero Robert Gamble (1754-1810), a member of the "The Forlorn Hope," which stormed Stony Point on the Hudson and captured the fortress from British forces.
The Gambles settled on a large tract of land in Jefferson County, divided between themselves. John's family operated a cotton labor farm called Waukeenah Plantation and Robert's family operated another, called Welaunee Plantation. The brothers later moved to Tallahassee, where John operated the Neahmantle labor farm on the St. Augustine Road.
John Gamble's son, Major Robert Gamble (1813-1906), served in the Second Seminole War and in the Civil War at the Battle of Olustee. After the Second Seminole War, Maj. Gamble purchased land for a 3500 acre sugar labor farm, where at least 182 enslaved men, women and children were forced to cultivate the land, produce sugar and molasses, and construct the Gamble Mansion. Financial ruin forced Gamble to sell the land in 1859 and return to Tallahassee. He married Laura Wirt Randall, granddaughter of William Wirt, Attorney General of the United States under James Monroe.
Summary:
This collection contains a microfilmed notebook documenting the Gamble family history and transcriptions of various documents relating to events in the family's past. The notebook consists of a compilation of notes kept by Col. John G. Gamble and used as a basis for a family history being written at that time. Col. John G. Gamble's son, Major Robert Gamble, brought them together in this notebook. The notebook also contains Revolutionary War records of Robert Gamble (1754-1810), extracts from articles regarding Gamble genealogy, and the Seminole War journal of Major Robert Gamble (1813-1906). The journal focuses particularly on the Battle of Withlacoochee. Also included is a narrative account of the burning of Tallahassee in 1843, during which Mayor Eppes enlisted John Gamble and Nelson, an enslaved man, to stymie the spreading fire by filling a goods store with power kegs.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
The location of the original is unknown.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Gamble, Robert, 1754-1810
Seminole War, 2nd, 1835-1842. Withlacoochee (Fla.), Battle of, 1835. Seminole Indians Wars Slavery Florida African Americans History To 1863. Florida
Genealogies. aat Reminiscences. aat Diaries. aat
Leon County (Fla.) Tallahassee (Fla.) United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Florida Genealogy
Added Entries
Gamble, John Grattan, 1779-1852
Gamble, Robert, 1813-1906
for detailed listing.