California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

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 the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


 LEWIS WILLS GIBSON. A prominent man in local affairs in Clovis, Fresno county, Lewis Wills 
Gibson is active as a merchant of this place. A native of Springfield, Mo., he was born December 
27, 1857, a son of W. B., and grandson of George M. Gibson, both natives of Tennessee, and 
early settlers of Greene county. Mo., where both died. W. B. Gibson, although of southern 
birth, was a strong advocate of the Union, and during the war served as a member of the state 
militia. Susanna Wills, a native of Virginia and the daughter of Lewis Wills, an early settler of 
Greene county, Mo., became the wife of W. B. Gibson, whom she survives, now making her 
home in that state. She was the mother of seven children, of whom Lewis Wills was the eldest. 
He was brought up on the paternal farm in Missouri, receiving his education in the district 
schools and Henderson Academy. In young manhood he followed farming and stockraising m 
the vicinity of Springfield, Mo., remaining so occupied until 1886. In that year he came to 
California, and in Tulare county preempted one hundred and sixty acres, and later 
homesteaded the same, improving a quarter section of land and cultivating grain until 1897. In 
the same year he located in Tipton, Tulare county, and engaged in a mercantile enterprise for 
one year, when he came to Clovis and established the business which was then known as the 
firm of Hutchinson & Gibson. Three years later he and T. J. Mitchell bought his partner out and 
the firm was known as Gibson & Mitchell. A year later he bought his partner out and has since 
continued alone, now carrying on a large general merchandise business. 

In Greene county, Mo., Mr. Gibson was united in marriage with Miss E. A. Kerr, a native of that 
place, and they are the parents of five children, namely: Ernest, who died at the age of twelve 
years ; Clyde, a student in the business college of Fresno : Fred, Floyd and Susie. Fraternally Mr. 
Gibson was made a Mason in Sanger, Fresno county, and is also identified with the Woodmen 
of the World. He is a Republican politically, and is a member of the county central committee, 
and of the school board here."