Richard Sibson

SIBSON, BROWN, ROBERTSON

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/16/2009 at 07:53:19

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 818-819

RICHARD SIBSON, an agriculturist of
Viola Township, was born in Cumber-
land, England, May 31, 1840. He is
a son of William and Sarah (Brown) Sibson,
who remained in their native land. He was
the fourth of a family of six children, and
was reared in England. As soon as he was
large enough he was, like all boys in mining
towns, put to work in the mines at the age of
eight years, and passed from one position to
another as he increased in size, and knew no
other life than this drudging one until he
had arrived at man's estate. At the age of
twenty-five years, in the year 1865, he emi-
grated to the United States, landing in the
city of New York. He proceeded at once to
the coal mines of Pennsylvania, and resumed
work in the mines of Mercer County. One
year afterward he went to Allegheny County,
and worked in the mines for three years.
Wishing to secure himself a home he came
west, traveling through Illinois, and finally,
in 1871, he settled in Polk County, Iowa,
and began farming, meeting with success in
his new enterprise. He was also engaged in
coal mining at Mitchellville, Iowa. After-
ward he came to Audubon County, and pur-
chased a tract of new land, which he at once
began to improve; he has since made addi-
tions to this purchase until he now owns 370
acres. It is a beautiful farm, near the north-
ern borders of the county, adjacent to the
Carroll County line. The residence is a fine
commodious house, standing on an eminence
that commands a view of the surrounding
country. The owner's good taste is shown
in the ornamental trees and large lawn, and
the entire farm is well arranged, and is kept
in first-class order. Mr. Sibson has been a
successful breeder and grower of high-bred
stock, and has given this branch of farming
special attention. He has fed as many as
300 head of hogs annually, and raises large
numbers of cattle, and Norman and Clydes-
dale horses. Mr. Sibson was married in his
twenty-eighth year to Miss Elizabeth Robert-
son, her parents being of Scotch ancestry.
They have a family of four children -- Walter
W., William, Isabel and Richard. Though
Mr. Sibson is a Republican he is considered
a liberal, conservative citizen. He is a good
business man, and stands high in the estima-
tion of all who know him.