William Harvey Gibson was born at Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio on May 16, 1821 to John Gibson (1778–1852) and Jeannette Gibson (née Coe) (1782–1850). He was raised in a family that valued hard work, plain dress, temperance and sympathy for the unfortunate and opposed slavery and "social gilded livery." The Gibson family also placed special attention on developing good oratory and debating skills and held a regular family debating circle during the long winter evenings.