California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 EDWIN GIBSON.� Of old Virginian lineage, Mr. Gibson is a son of William G., and a grandson of Smith Gibson, who left the Old Dominion for \Vest Virginia and settled upon a plantation in Lewis county, the father afterward becoming a farmer and drover in that vicinity, but spending his last days in California. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Elvira Lawrence, was born in Virginia and died in Doddridge county, W. Va., leav- ing five children, all now living. The fourth of these, Edwin, who is the only member of the family now in California, was born near Weston, Lewis county, W. Va., June 23, 1858, and had practically no educational advantages whatever. Misfortune came into the home and at the age of thirteen he was not only supporting himself, but assisting in the maintenance of other mem- bers of the family. After a period of. employment on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in West Virginia Mr. Gibson obtained a place with a survey corps and for eighteen months carried the chain during the surveying for a trainroad built by R. T. Lowndes near the old Gibson homestead. On the completion of the survey the young assistant was put to work on the grade and when the road had been completed he was placed in charge of a section, his principal duty being to keep the strips of hardwood nailed to the 4x4 oak rails. For eight years he continued in the same work. When finally the timber had all been re- moved and the road ceased to be in operation, he went to Pennsylvania and engaged in a stone quarry on the Monongahela river. Returning to the old home neighborhood, he rafted and made railroad ties for two years. Mean- while he and his brother working together had bought a small place and this was sold in 1885 when he determined to come to California. His own share resulted in a very small payment down and a note for $400 due in three years. After coming to California he continued to help his relatives and every six months sent a widowed sister $20, besides giving orders, when the $400 note came due, that the money should be paid to her, realizing her need of assist- ance. Stopping in Kansas for three months of inspection in Chase county and vicinity, Mr. Gibson came by stage from Cloverdale to Round valley, Mendo- cino county, where he arrived July 20, 1885, with only $12 in his possession. Immediately he found work on a ranch and for a time he worked by the day. But the employment not being steady proved very unsatisfactory to him, so he hired out for a year to a stockman in Williams valley. From there he went to the Island Mountain ranch, riding the distance of twenty-five miles at night in order that he might not lose any time from work. For five years he remained on the same ranch without losing a day. Meanwhile he obtained permission to raise stock of his own on the range. The first brand used was the quarter-circle E. but later this was changed to GI combined. At the end of five years on the Island Mountain ranch he purchased forty acres one and one-half miles east of Covelo, Mendocino county, where at once he began the task of improvement. In the buying and selling of cattle and hogs he has shown sagacious judgment. Through the buying and selling of several farms in the valley he has increased his holdings and now owns two hundred and forty-five acres of tillable land in one body. One hundred and thirty acres are in alfalfa. The ranch, which is now leased for a dairy, is watered by streams and also has an abundance of flowing water from an artesian well. A modern commodious residence forms a valuable improvement to the ranch. Other buildings have been added for the convenience of the dairy interests. Altogether the farm is one of the best-improved for its size in the entire valley. He also owns a stock range on which he runs about one hundred and fifty head of cattle and about that many hogs, besides which he owns three lots in the city of Richmond. When Mr. Gibson first engaged in stock- dealing he drove cattle through to Westport and hogs sixty miles to Ukiah. Later Willits became a trading post and finally Dos Rios. only fourteen miles away, afforded facilities for shipping to the San Francisco market. Asso- ciated with D. P. English, he is engaged in the buying and shipping of stock. Aside from stock and ranch interests Mr. Gibson was connected with the organization of the creamery and is now a director in the company, besides being a director in the local telephone company. Education appeals to him more especially on account of his own lack of early advantages. For some time he has given service as clerk of the board of trustees of Gray's school district and a member of the board of trustees of the Round valley high school district. In Covelo he married Miss Hettie Hoxie, a native of Round Valley and daughter of Ira Hoxie. one of the honored pioneers of the district. They are the parents of three children, Claude, Virginia and Luella. The fam- ily are identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Gib- son is stanchly Republican. After coming to Mendocino county he was made a Mason in Covelo Lodge No. 231, F. & A. M., to which he still belongs, and his wife holds membership in Augusta Chapter No. 80, O. E. S.