Your letter of Jan'y 16th reached me in the full tumult of business which marks the close of legislative session.  An illness which seized me immediately after adjournment and detained me three weeks in the vicinity of Nashville, also obliterated from my memory the fact of your having requested of me an immediate reply to yours, or at least a note acknowledging its receipt.  When I reached home two weeks since and read your letter again, I thought it would occasion but little more delay to obtain the information you desired before I should write.  I owe you this apology for not not having written you promptly on the receipt of yours as you requested.

     I returned last night from a tour among our relatives.  I obtained from Daniel Gibbs, in Knox County a German manuscript in pamphlet form containing in your father's handwriting a record of his own birth, birthplace, etc. and of the births of his children.  It also contains a record of the birth of a 'Mary Gibbs' in 1745, who may have been his sister, as Aunt Snodderly and Uncle Daniel Gibbs both remember hearing his speak of having two sisters, Mary and Catherine; or she may have been his wife, as I believe your mother's name was Mary.  His own name appears written in the manuscript several times, one or twice in English characters.  The date of his birth is '29th of September, 1733.'  The place, as made out by my German translator (not a very efficient one, by the way) was the village of Wallruth in the town of Krumbach; and these are in the Dutchy of Baden, my translator informs me, who is himself from Baden.  Part of the manuscript is illegible, but might be revived by chemical process.  I shall either transmit it to you by mail along with this letter; or if I shall visit Nashville soon, as I expect, I may take it with me and endeavor to find some more certain method for its transmission.  I would suggest to you to have it read by someone completely master of the German language.  It is the only manuscript left of your father's papers which would be of any service to you.  The greater portion of his papers passed into the possession of my father, John Gibbs; and my grandmother, (yet living) remembers of their having been destroyed and gradually scattered.

     I can hear nothing of his Bible.

     The preceding answers your first inquiry -- and last also.

     The name of your Grandfather (your second inquiry) was Nicholas.  Daniel Gibbs remembers of hearing him frequently saying of hearing your father say, -- I mean -- that he was named after his father; though your father's name appears once written in the German manuscript as John Nicholas Gibbs.  Your father spoke often as having been reared on the river Rhine, and of coming away clandestinely at the age of fourteen on account of being offended in some way at his father.

     I learn, in reply to your third inquiry, that your father had two brothers; one named Abraham, who lived in Fredericktown, Maryland, and whose descendants are now residents of Baltimore and with whom I believe you are acquainted; the other named Peter who is said to have died in Germany, perhaps prior to the departure of your father.  I have already mentioned that the latter spoke of having two sisters also -- Catherine and Mary.  Mr. Thomas Miller, of Knoxville, informs me that his brother residing in Baltimore, married a daughter of Abraham Gibbs and that Mrs. Miller has in her possession her father's Bible.  Perhaps you could derive from it some information that would be of service to you.

     In relation to forewarding the manuscript to you, will it not be better for me to retain it here at present, if any process of authentication be necessary?  This idea occurs to me at the moment and I believe I shall keep it until I hear from you again.

     Your Aunts Graves and Sharp (sisters to your mother) to whom you refer me for information, are both dead.

     I gleaned many little incidents in the history of our family from conversations with the other members of it; but none I now think of could, I imagine, avail you anything.  I will take great pleasure in furnishing you any additional information you may desire and I can obtain.

     I regret your inability to visit Nashville during our long unprofitable session there.  I certainly expected you until I received your letter.  I also hoped to have seen you and inquired for you at the Memphis Convention.  If convenient, please remember me kindly to Mr. Bullock, your able and intelligent Representative in the last Legislature.  Be kind enough to write me immediately if you please.  Will you or your son go to Germany?  Nothing but a lack of means deters me from visiting you and crossing the Atlantic with you -- not so much the prospect of pecuniary advantage as through a desire to look on the land from whence my fathers came.

Believe me most affectionately yours,