Bio of Gibbs, Oliver, Jr. (b.1832) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Gibbs, Oliver, Jr., horticulturist, Lake City, whose name is familiar
throughout southern Minnesota, and as well known in the office of the
executive of State as in the humble cottage of his nearest neighbor, was
born in the State of Vermont in 1832. He is a son of Oliver and Zilpha
(Thomas) Gibbs, and on the paternal side a lineal descendant of Israel
Putnam. Like his father, he was reared on a farm, where his time was
divided between agricultural labor and attending the common country
schools of the Green Mountain State. He learned the printer's trade in the
office of the Rutland (Vermont) "Herald," and first started in business
for himself at Prescott, Wisconsin, in the publication of the "Transcript"
in 1855, in company with Charles Young, now of Minneapolis. He also served
Pierce as clerk for five years previous to the outbreak of the war, and in
1861 enlisted as battalion adjutant, 2d Wis. Cav., under Col. C. C.
Washburn. After about one year's field service he was transferred to a
confidential clerkship under Sec. Stanton, which he resigned in 1869 on
account of failing health, contracted while in military service. The same
year he removed to Minnesota and permanently located in Lake City, where
he at once engaged in horticultural pursuits. He is now in his third
year's service as secretary of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society,
being elected at their last meeting, in January, 1884, by acclamation. He
was the representative of this state at the nineteenth biennial session of
the American Pomological Society at Philadelphia, in September, 1883,
where he was awarded and returned to Minnesota the Wilder silver medal for
the best collection of apples and grapes from any part of North America.
In 1884 he was appointed United States commissioner to represent the State
of Minnesota at the cotton centennial and world's exposition at New
Orleans, Louisiana. The most important part of Mr. Gibbs' official duty as
secretary of the State Horticultural Society is the compiling and editing
of their annual report, a bound volume of five hundred pages. This is at
present the only society connected with agriculture in Minnesota which,
under the auspices of the state, publishes an annual report. Mr. Gibbs was
married June 2, 1856, to Miss Rose Martin, a native of Vermont. Their
children's names, in the order of their birth, are: Zilphia M., wife of
Ed. R. Converse, of Palatine, Illinois; Lottie, now a clerk in the pension
office at Washington; Nettie May, now Mrs. Frank Jackson, of Lyon county,
Minnesota, and Maggie and Oliver, Jr., at home.