Gibbs, Wesley M. 1844 - 1908

GIBBS, MORSE, MILLER, TELFORD, RONEY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/24/2022 at 13:11:41

Source: Decorah Republican May 14, 1908, P3 C4

OBITUARY.
WESLEY M. GIBBS.
On Thursday morning last, after a brief but very serious illness, Wesley M. Gibbs, an old and well known resident of Decorah and Bluffton townships, died at the hospital in Cresco. Mr. Gibbs had been ill at his home in Bluffton, and as a result of a consultation of physicians was taken to Cresco where an operation was performed in hope that his life might be spared. The hope was a forlorn one for he survived but two or three days.
Mr. Gibbs was born in Essex county, New York, in March, 1844, and came with his parents to Iowa in 1863. They located in Decorah township where they secured a farm. According to Alexander’s history of Winneshiek county, in 1871 Mr. Gibbs bought a farm in Bluffton township on which he continued to reside until the time of his death. In 1868 he was married to Miss Sarah J. Morse at Freeport. Of the three children born to them, two died in infancy, their surviving child being Miss Anna who lives with the mother at Bluffton. Mr. Gibbs is also survived by three sisters, Mrs. Miller of Cresco, Mrs. J. W. Telford of Burr Oak, and Mrs. Peter Roney of Decorah, and two brothers, Warren of Sioux Falls and Emmons of Cresco. Mr. Gibbs was a good Christian man, and during the years when the Methodist denomination maintained services at Burr Oak, was one of its main supporters. He afterwards transferred his allegiance to the Congregational church and became a member of the Decorah congregation. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at 1 o’clock at Bluffton, Rev. Hill of Cresco officiating.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he was born March 28, 1844 but it shows he died April 7, 1908. According to the above it was May 7, 1908. His gravestone photo shows April 7, 1908.

Source: Decorah Republican May 14, 1908, P7 C1-2

IN MEMORIAM:--The sad intelligence reached our village last Thursday morning from Cresco that Wesley M. Gibbs had been claimed by the Silent Reaper at the hospital there. Mr. Gibbs was only sick a few days, when the physicians decided that only an operation would be beneficial to him, to which Mr. Gibbs cheerfully submitted, and it was hoped for a while that he would rally, but the operation proved unsuccessful and the final end came on Thursday, relieving him from his earthly cares after intense suffering. The deepest sorrow and sympathy of our entire community is extended to the bereaved wife and daughter who were so unexpectedly derived of a loving husband and father. Mr. Gibbs was an unselfish man, always happy when he could do any good to his fellow man, always ready to help when called upon to assist anybody in time of need, especially in sickness. He was charitable to the unfortunate poor, on many occasions depriving himself rather than see the poor suffer. That he was held in the highest esteem and loved by all those who knew him was fully shown last Sunday by the many beautiful floral offerings which covered his coffin and the large concourse of friends and neighbors who came to pay their last respects and tribute to his memory and followed his remains to their last resting place in the Bluffton cemetery. Geo. Snell, Richard Greenslade, Chas. Rice, William Lange, Howard Klune, and Ed. Blakeman of Decorah, all life-long friends of the deceased, acted as pall bearers, Rev. Hill of Cresco officiating.
Wesley Morris Gibbs, oldest son of Morrill and Christiana Gibbs, was born in Essex county, N. Y., March 28, 1844. He accepted Christ as his Savior in his eighteened{sic} year, and united with the Methodist church at Westport. In 1863 he came to Winneshiek county with his parents, in which county has ever since resided. On October 14th, 1868, he was united in marriage to Sarah Jane Morse. About two years after their marriage they moved to Bluffton, where they have lived ever since. In 1870 they joined the Congregational church of Decorah, where they now continue their church connections. Three children were born to them, Ella and Wilbur, who died in infancy, and Anna, with her mother and two brothers, Warren Gibbs of Sioux Falls, S. D., and Emmons of Cresco, and three sisters, Mrs. Peter Roney of Decorah, Mrs. J. W. Telford of Burr Oak, and Mrs. E. B. Miller of Cresco, remain to mourn the departure of a dear, loving and kind husband and brother.

Bluffton Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen