JAMES HIBBS

HIBBS, COOLY

Posted By: Mona Sarratt Knight (email)
Date: 7/19/2009 at 11:36:11

Source: The History of Appanoose County, Iowa, Containing A History of the County, its Cities, Towns, etc., A Biographical Directory of Citizens, War Records of its Volunteers in the late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Appanoose County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, etc.; illustrated; Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878.

JAMES HIBBS, dealer in dry goods and general merchandise, Hibbsville, residence same; born in Putnam Co., Ind., in 1826; in 1847, removed to Jefferson Co., Iowa, and there engaged in the farmng line and breaking prairie for one year, and went to Wapello Co., engaged in farming until during 1849 when he came to Appanoose Co. and entered land in what was then Shoal Creek Township; helped to make the returns of the first election from that township; the year following, returned to his farm and occupied it until 1851, when he built a store, stocked it with goods, and entered into his present business, being the first in that township. He platted and laid out a town, calling it Hibbsville, which in 1857 consisted of three general stores, a drug store, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, a grist and saw mill, carding machine and post office, all doing a good business. Now Mr. Hibbs is the only one there, not even a blacksmith shop remaining. A schoolhouse was built in his village as early as 1854, in which the first term of school was taught by Miss C. Stanton, now a resident of Centerville. In 1853, he sold out his business interest and commenced the erection of the first mill in the township; completed the sawmill that fall and in 1855 put in the flouring department; he also attached a carding apparatus. This business he retained until 1858, then disposed of his milling interest and for four years kept the hotel in Hibbsville; during the year 1862, he again entered merchandising, hauling his goods from Ottumwa with a blind mule, where he has since continued, having been in the business for sixteen years without intermission. In 1853, he succeeded in establishing a post office at Hibbsville, which he has himself held for twenty years, through all administrations and through the rebellion. In 1873, Mr. Hibbs instigated a movement and succeeded in organizing the first Grange of the county. In 1855, he married Miss Martha Cooly; she ws born in Indiana in 1840; her father, Edward C., came to Iowa in 1848, first settled in Washington County and engaged in farming; he afterward removed to Keokuk and there engaged in milling; then to this county, where he erected the first carding machine of the county west of Centerville. He died in 1853; her mother died in 1862; her father had been a member of the M.E. Church since 16 years of age and his mother since she was 19 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hibbs have six children - Mahlon E., James W., Martha E., George B., Nancy J., Samuel D. Greenbacker. Owns his business, consisting of a store heavily stocked with goods and 380 acres of land, valued at $25 per acre.