Bio of LIBBY, Woodbury J. (b.1836 d.1913), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol III, pg 821-822
WOODBURY J. L1BBY
As one travels through Minnesota in a Pullman and looks abroad over highly
cultivated farms and progressive towns and cities, with every possible
manufacturing, commercial and industrial activity represented, it is difficult
to realize that scarcely more than a half century ago men were traveling "over
the plains" with ox team and wagon, bound for the "far west." Go back in memory,
however, to the '50s and you may picture Woodbury J. Libby, then a young man in
his early twenties, traveling after the primitive manner of the times until he
had reached St. Peter, Minnesota, in the year 1855 and thus became identified
with the state, in which he was destined for many years to make his home and
play a prominent part. He had journeyed west­ward on the back of a pony but
later he drove a yoke of cows and a yoke of oxen to Nevada and to Virginia City,
Montana. He thus became familiar with all of the different phases of pioneer
life and experience and for an extended period was con­nected with building
operations and agricultural pursuits in this state. His birth occurred in
Gardiner, Maine, October 5, 1836, his parents being Cypress and Sarah (Maxwell)
Libby, who were also natives of the Pine Tree state and trace their ancestry
back to an early period in the colonization of the new world.
Woodbury J. Libby obtained his education in the schools of his native town and
of Cape Elizabeth and in 1855, attracted by the opportunities of the west, he
journeyed to St. Peter, Minnesota, as previously stated. From that point he
crossed the plains with a yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows to Nevada and to
Virginia City, where he invested in silver mines and for several years he
participated in the life of those mining regions with their varied hardships and
experiences. In the fall of 1864, however, he returned to Minnesota and enlisted
as a member of Company C, First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, for service in the
Civil war, remaining with the Union forces until the close of hostilities. When
the country no longer needed his military aid he again came to Minnesota,
settling at Mapleton, where he became acquainted with and wedded Miss Isabella
Jane Hussey, a daughter of Sylvanis and Isabella (Glendenning) Hussey, the
former a native of Massachusetts, while the latter was born in New Castle,
England, whence she came to America in 1823, the family home being established
at Bathurst, Canada. In the year 1853 Mr. and Mrs. Hussey re­moved westward to
Wisconsin, making the trip partly by rail and partly by boat and team. They
settled at Springdale, Fond du Lac county, where the father engaged in farming
for a time. Before leaving Canada he had devoted his attention to the lumber
business and was the owner of two large mills there. In 1858, however, he
removed to Minnesota, taking up his abode in Mapleton, where he again
concentrated his efforts upon agricultural pursuits, spending his remaining days
in that locality. It was in 1869 that his daughter became the wife of Woodbury
J. Libby and to them were born two daughters: Gertrude M., the wife of Edgar W.
More, a resident of Maple-ton; and Kathryn B., who became the wife of Waldron M.
Jerome, mentioned at length on another page of this work. Mrs. Jerome is the
mother of a most interesting young son, now eight years of age. He was born
August 4, 1914, the day on which Germany declared war and he had the distinction
of being the youngest bond seller in the United States, being a veteran of two
Liberty Loan campaigns, in which he made the sale of bonds to twenty-one people,
amounting to twenty-two hundred and fifty dollars. He received a personal letter
from Theodore Roosevelt, also from Woodrow Wilson, complimenting him on his
success as a bond salesman.
Following his marriage Mr. Libby engaged in contracting and building operations
and also followed agricultural pursuits in this state, his activity contributing
to the substantial development of the community in which he lived. He was not a
member of any church but was a liberal supporter of religious work and his aid
and influence were always given on the side of right, progress and improvement.
He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, proudly wearing the little bronze
button that pro­claimed him a soldier of the Civil war and throughout his career
he was most patriotic in his loyalty to his native land. He was constantly
extending a helping hand to a fellow traveler on life's journey and was
particularly kind in the matter of taking care of his neighbors in sickness. He
had reached the age of seventy-five years when he passed away on the 5th of May,
1913. His widow survives and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Jerome.
While she had reached an advanced age at the time of the World war she
nevertheless was active as vice president of the Mapleton Red Cross Society and
was superintendent of its knitting department. She also organized and became
president of the Women's Relief Corps and was very active in war work throughout
the period of America's connection with the international struggle.