ORA GIBBS
One of the model farms of Wayne county is that of Ora
Gibbs, who owns two hundred acres of highly cultivated land in
Benton township, where for more than a quarter of a century he
has successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits and
stock-raising. He
was born in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, on the 25th
of May, 1852, and is a son of Solomon and Rebecca (Gibson)
Gibbs. The
father was a native of Canada, his birth there occurring on
the 24th of July, 1812, but when a lad of six years
the family crossed the border into the United States, locating
on a farm in Clarion county, Pennsylvania. There he was reared
and educated and trained to the career of an agriculturist. In later years he
purchased the old homestead in the cultivation of which he
engaged until 1872, when he disposed of his interests in the
Keystone state and removed to Iowa, locating in Wayne county. Here he purchased a
quarter section of land two miles north of Allerton, on which
he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring on
June 21, 1900. He
was of English extraction, his people having removed from the
mother country to Canada more than a century ago. Mrs. Gibbs was born
in Butler county, Pennsylvania, on July 11, 1824, and was
reared, educated and married in the state of her nativity. She accompanied her
husband and family on their removal to Iowa and passed away on
the old homestead on the 17th of August, 1900. The family of Mr.
and Mrs. Gibbs numbered eight, of whom our subject is the
eldest. In order
of birth the others are as follows: Newman, who passed away in 1896; Jane,
the deceased wife of William Kimple, of Nebraska; James and
Cameron, of Wayne county; Lewis, who is a resident of
Colorado; and Oliver and Elmer, of this county. They were all born
in Pennsylvania.
Ora Gibbs passed his boyhood and youth in the state of
his nativity, acquiring a meager education in its district
schools, which he attended at irregular intervals until old
enough to assist his father in the fields. In common with all
farmer lads of that period he was early trained to
agricultural pursuits, and long before he had attained his
maturity was doing a man’s work. He accompanied his family on their
removal to Iowa and continued to share the responsibilities
connected with the cultivation of the home place until he was
twenty-two years of age.
He then started out on his own responsibility and for
several years thereafter farmed as a renter. His efforts in this
direction were rewarded with a fair measure of success and he
finally succeeded in accumulating sufficient money to enable
him to purchase his present place and here he has ever since
continued his agricultural career. His is one of the oldest farms in the
county, the government grant having been issued more than
sixty years ago. The
first house erected on the place is still standing but is now
used for an outbuildings, and despite the fact that it has
been in constant use for sixty years is still is a good state
of preservation. That
Mr. Gibbs has led a life of well organized activity is
evidenced by the general appearance of his farm, from his
carefully tilled fields to the condition of his stock and
buildings. As
his circumstances have permitted he has added to the value of
his homestead by the introduction of various improvements. He has erected a
comfortable, modern residence and at a convenient distance
therefrom are situated the barns and sheds, which are
substantially constructed buildings and well adapted to their
various uses. His
equipment is thoroughly adequate to his needs and comprises
practically every machine or implement known to the
progressive agriculturist of the present day. In connection with
the cultivation of his fields he raises stock, making a
specialty of feeding cattle and hogs for the market. As he has always
directed his undertakings in a practical and intelligent
manner, concentrating his efforts upon the achievement of a
definite end, he has prospered and is now numbered among the
successful business men and substantial citizens of his
community.
On the 4th of February, 1875, Mr. Gibbs was
married to Miss Catherine Sollenbarger, whose birth occurred
in this state on the 5th of July, 1851. She is the eldest
child born to David and Mary Margaret (Allen) Sollenbarger,
natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Virginia. When he was
twenty-one the father came to Iowa and here he met and
subsequently married Miss Allen, who removed to this state
with her parents in early girlhood. Here Mr. and Mrs. Sollenbarger passed
the entire period of their domestic life, his death occurring
in 1900 and hers in February, 1912. To them were born eight children, those
beside Mrs. Gibbs being as follows: John W., who is a resident of Wayne
county; Jennie, who died in childhood; Florence, who is living
in Corydon; David T., a resident of Allerton; Mary Margaret,
the wife of John Stromsten, of Corydon; George, also of
Corydon; and Ella, who died in infancy. The family of Mr.
and Mrs. Gibbs numbers eight, as follows: George F., who was
born in November, 1875, residing in this county; Florence
Jane, who was born in July, 1877, now the wife of Albert Bott,
of this county; J. Elmer, whose birth occurred in January,
1879, also residing in this county; Mary Olive, the deceased
wife of Fred A. Wolf, who was born in 1880 and died in 1906;
D. Pearl, who was born in 1882, at home; C. Oramil, who was
born in 1883 and died in infancy; Martha Margaret, whose natal
year was 1884, and who is now Mrs. John McGraw; and Ethel
Maude, who was born in 1886, the wife of Frank Lohr, of Wayne
county.
The family manifest their religious faith through their
connection with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which the
parents have long held membership. Mr. Gibbs is one of the widely known
residents of Benton township, where his industrious habits and
honorable business methods have won him the respect and esteem
of his neighbors and fellow citizens, among whom he numbers
many stanch friends.