Biography Project for Wabasha County, MN, Page "G"
BIOGRAPHIES BEGINNING WITH "G"
WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
GARRARD, Lewis
GIBBS, Jane DeBow
GARRARD, Lewis, residence Lake City. Born in June 1829, at Cincinatti, Ohio, of Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey stock, all of active revoltionary antecedents. Left school on account of delicate health, and spent a year in 1846-7 in the Rocky Mountains and New Mexico, a narrative of which, entitled "Wah-to-yah and the Taos Trail", was written by himself and published in 1850. Graduate in 1853 of the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1856 wrote a sketch entitled "Chambersburg in the Colony and the Revolution", which was published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, of which society and those of Ohio and Minnesota, he is a member. In July 1854, came to Minnesota, remained a few months, returned to Ohio and went to Europe for two years and in August of 1858 came to this county and settled at Frontenac. Purchased 5,000 acres of land, much of which he improved. Introduced thoroughbred Devon cattle and Southdown sheep, and was the first person in Minnesota to cultivate orchard grass, the most valuable forage plant the State possessed for grazing or hay. Was in 1859 a member of the county board of supervisors, and several times chairman of the township board. Was a member of the Republican State Convention of 1859 and elected to the legislature of 1859-1860, and draft commissioner for this county. In October of 1862 married Florence Van Vliet of Wabasha County and of their several children, two -- Edith and Anna -- are living. Moved to Lake City, Wabasha County in 1870 and that same year, with others, organized the First National Bank and was its president for three years, when he sold his entire interest. In April 1876, was chosen mayor of Lake City, on the license issue and in November of the same year was elected by the legislature. In 1877, was re-elected mayor of the city, and has always borne an active part in the interest of the county and state.
History of Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN, 1878.
This biography submitted by Kathy Bryan
GIBBS, Jane DeBow, was born in Genessee County, N.Y., in November, 1828. In the fall of 1834, in the family of Rev. J. D. Stevens, she left home for Minnesota. Rev. Stevens was one of Dr. T. S. Williamson's mission band that spent the winter of 1834-5 at Mackinac, Mich., and arrived at Fort Snelling in May, 1835. Rev. Stevens was stationed at Lake Harriet, and the subject of this sketch attended his mission school there with Indian and part-breed children. This log school house built by Mr. Stevens, opened in 1836, was the first school house within the present limits of the state. She left Lake Harriet with the missionary in 1839, when the Indian tribes scattered and the station was abandoned. She spent two years near the present site of Wabasha. From 1841 to 1847 she lived in the western and southern portion of Wisconsin. In the latter year she moved to Elizabeth, Ill., where she was married in 1848 to Heman R. Gibbs. In company with her husband, she came to St. Paul in the spring of '49; in the fall of that year they made a claim in sections 17 and 20. Rosetown, Ramsey County, where Mrs. Gibbs still resides. She is within sight of both Minneapolis and St. Paul, but the attractions of the cities do not draw her from the homestead. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs, three of whom are living. Mrs. Gibbs believes herself to be the white person of longest residence in the State of Minnesota.
FROM: Minnesota Territorial Pioneers - Biographical Sketches of Territorial Pioneers
As listed in the Proceedings and Report of the Annual Meetings of the Minnesota Territorial Pioneers - May 11, 1899 and 1900. With an account of the building and dedication of the log cabin, the names of the builders, the names of the officers and members of the association and biographical sketches of territorial pioneers. Volume II. Double Number. St. Paul, Minn. The Pioneer Press Company. 1901.
FOUND AT: Debbie's Genealogy Library
CONTRIBUTED BY: Dave Baillif Gillespie
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