JOHN GIBBS

John Gibbs is a landowner of Delaware county, owning one of the fine farms of North Fork township. He was born in Wedmore, Somersetshire, England, on the 8th of March, 1837, and in 1852 accompanied his parents to the United States. The family made their way inland and settled upon government land in this county. The father devoted his life to farming and passed away in Janu­ary, 1893, at the age of seventy-eight. The mother died when eighty-four years old. Of the thirteen children born of their union five died in childhood, the others being: Ruth, who married William Parker and resided in Idaho until her death, which occurred in 1913; Sarah, the wife of Henry Pilgrim, living near Greeley, this state; Elizabeth, who married James Hunt and is a resident of Earlville; Phoebe, now Mrs. John Cook and also living in Earlville; Eliza, the wife of Henry Van Fleet, who resides at Earlville; Mary, the wife of Edward Bisgrove, of Earlville; John, of this review; and George, living in North Fork township.

John Gibbs was a youth of fifteen years when he left his native land and his education was almost entirely acquired there. After coming to this county the greater part of his time was devoted to agricultural work and since starting out in life for himself he has proved an unusually successful farmer. He owns five hundred and twenty acres of fine land on section 6, North Fork township, and twenty acres located on section 6, Delhi township. He raises graded stock and ships many head annually. He not only looks carefully after the feeding and shelter of his stock, factors which largely determine the condition of the animals raised, but also watches the market so that he is able to sell at a good advantage and thus increase his profit.

Mr. Gibbs was married on the 22d of December, 1890, to Miss Theresa Windling, a daughter of Rudolph and Otelia (Bojanhanger) Windling, both natives of Germany. Her father was born on the 7th of September, 1843, a son of Otto Windling, and received his education in the fatherland. He learned the carpenter's trade in his youth and followed the same for about three decades.

On the 5th of April, 1867, he was married to Miss Bojanhanger and to their union have been born four children: Rudolph, a resident of North Fork town­ship; Mrs. Gibbs; Augusta, now the wife of George Benning; and Charles, who lives in Minnesota. In 1883 the family emigrated to America and settled in this county, where Mr. Windling purchased twenty-five acres of land. He is a democrat in his political belief.

Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs have a family of seven children as follows: Cecelious, at home; Vera Gladys, the wife of Frank Cole, a farmer of North Fork town­ship; and Elizabeth Otelia, Amelia, Lester, Cornelius and Guilford. The father is a republican and exercises his right of suffrage by voting for the candidates and policies of that party. Although his boyhood was spent in England, he has completely identified himself with the interests of his adopted country and has proved an exemplary citizen, and has also become one of the substantial agri­culturists of his county.

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