Ensign John "Johnny" Reynolds Gibson was born in Carrabelle, Florida on July 10, 1894, the son of John J. Gibson (1865-1927) and Ida A. Pickett (1870-1938 married 1893). His mother was the daughter of James Reynolds Pickett (1843-1912) and Frances Josephine "Fannie" Yant. Her father enlisted in the Confederate Army on May 8, 1862 and was assigned to Company "E" of the Florida 2nd Cavalry Regiment. He was transferred to the Florida Kilcrease Light Artillery Battery on May 1, 1864 and saw action at the Battle of Olustee and Natural Bridge. He was mustered out after the war on May 10, 1865.
In the meantime, the family moved to Pensacola on or before 1907 where his father took employment as a bookkeeper for the Consolidated Naval Stores Company. They also rented a home at 1600 East Desoto Street while Ida was teaching music. While there, Johnny became recognized as an outstanding amateur baseball player. Then came the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 29, 1914 and suddenly Europe was at war. By 1917, America had joined their allies and declared war on Germany.
In response, Johnny went down to the recruiting station in Pensacola and enlisted in the US Navy on April 24, 1917 and was temporarily stationed at NAS as a "landsman machinist's mate." A "landsman" was the preliminary rank for new recruits. By 5-13-1917, he was detached to the aviation branch in Akron, Ohio that specialized in "lighter-than-air" aircraft. There, he stayed in training until October 8, 1917 before being shipped to the Naval Air Station, Rockaway, Long Island, NY. The base was on the Atlantic shore and was used for patrolling against German U-Boats and/or survivors of sunken ships. Planes, dirigibles, patrol boats, chasers, and artillery were stationed there for this purpose. Not long afterwards he received his orders to report overseas to France after being promoted to the rank of Ensign (Balloon Pilot). He returned from the war front in October 1918 and was stationed in Washington on special assignment. He was promoted to Lieutenant (JG) on October 1, 1919 after having returned from France. In the meantime, back in Pensacola his parents moved to 912 East Gadsden Street with his two sisters, but his father kept his employment with the Consolidated Naval Stores Company.
By 1925, Johnny has left the Navy and gone to work as a real estate salesman in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. On the night of December 18, 1923, he and two associates, Thomas Warren Wood (1885-1962) and W. J. Dabney, went out on the town partying. Somewhere along the line, they obtained a bottle of local "moonshine" and partook of the extremely intoxicating liquid! But one of the historical problems with moonshine is that it can be fatal depending on how it is produced. Poorly produced moonshine stills can contain contaminates such as lead and glycol, that can result in blindness or death.
And apparently, that is exactly what happened! Johnny and Dabney had drunk more than Woods who had to help them get to a local hotel. The next morning Wood found Johnny dead and Dabney in critical condition. Detective Fred King of the Jacksonville Police Department was notified and opened an investigation into the matter. But due to the circumstances of the situation, I imagine the investigation didn't go very far. In the meantime, Johnny's remains were shipped home to Carrabelle, Florida where he was buried in the family plot.
US Navy military service card 1918
Gibson family home, 1600 East Desoto Street in 2020, built 1908, now being remodeled 2020
912 East Gadsden Street, home of John J. and Ida Picket Gibson in 1921
Another view of 912 East Gadsden Street. Now the office of Pensacola's Better Business Bureau
Gravesite at Carrabelle Cemetery, Franklin County, Florida