Transcribed by Larry Fearneyhough

Page 116

This gentleman is the son of Robert and Rebecca Gibbs, and was born in Herkimer county, New York, July 22, 1832. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Illinois and settled in Scott (then Morgan) county in 1835. Mr. Gibbs was reared on the farm and lived with his parents in section one, 13-12 until 1853, when he moved to a farm in section twelve, 13-12, where he resided until 1856.

In 1856, March 13, he was married to Miss Margaret Caroline Tankersley, and during that year moved over into section thirteen, same township and range, and remained there until 1867, when he moved to section twenty, in same township. Here he build a handsome home, supplied it with every modern convenience, and is now enjoying his life there. Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs are the parents of three children. The first, a son, died in infancy; the second, William David, was born March 15, 1869, and July 16, 1896, was married to Miss Ola C. Woolsey of Polo, Illinois. David was educated in the public schools of Winchester and graduated from the high school with honor. Later on, in a contest for a free scholarship in the University of Illinois, (allotted to the twelfth congressional district), he was successful and took a four-year' course at the institution. He then went to Madison, Wisconsin, where he remained one year and then accepted a position as assistant in the agricultural college at Columbus, Ohio. He was there a short time only and then secured a position in the soil department of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, D.C. He went from there and took the position as assistant superintendent of agriculture, under Prof. Hunt, in the state University at Columbus, Ohio. He is now professor of agriculture in the University of Texas, at College Station, Brazos county, Texas. The third child, a daughter, Mae, was born May 5, 1872. She was educated in the Winchester public schools, and is also a graduate of the Winchester high school. September 15, 1892, she was married to D. D. Watt, one of the leading merchants of Scott county. This union has been blessed with four children, all now living.