Clark County WA Archives Biographies.....Gibbs, Rev. Upton H. March 24, 1863 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 22, 2009, 12:03 am

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 38-41
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     The Protestant Episcopal church lost the active services of one of its 
able and effective ministers, and journalism in Clark county gained a valuable 
addition to its ranks when, in 1925, the Rev. Upton H. Gibbs was, for physical 
reasons, compelled to retire from pastoral work and at that time he took over 
the Washougal Record, of which he is now editor and publisher, rendering a 
high type of news service to Washougal and vicinity.

     Mr. Gibbs was born in England, March 24, 1863, and received a good public 
school education in his native country, where he remained until 1881, when, at 
the age of eighteen years, he came to the United States. For a few years he 
lived in Minnesota and Iowa, giving his attention to agricultural pursuits for 
nine years, after which for three years he was identified with country 
newspaper work. Having decided to enter the ministry of the Protestant 
Episcopal church, he matriculated at Seabury Divinity School in Faribault, 
Minnesota, where he pursued his theological studies and from which he was 
graduated in 1896. He served churches in Minnesota until 1901, when he came to 
the Pacific coast and for four years ministered to churches in California. 
Going to Oregon in 1904, he became rector of the Protestant Episcopal church 
at La Grande, Union county, which he served for fourteen years. Having become 
afflicted with a deafness which seriously interfered with his work, he then 
resigned and bought a small newspaper, the Eastern Clackamas News, at 
Estacada, Clackamas county, Oregon, which he ran for six years.

     In 1925 Mr. Gibbs came to Washougal, Washington, and bought the Record, 
which he has conducted to the present time. The first paper at Washougal was 
established about 1900 by Kelley Loe, who soon afterward sold it to J. A. 
Hart. Several changes of ownership followed, the paper eventually becoming the 
property of Florence and Nina Charnley, who published it until 1911, when they 
sold it to E. K. Curran.  In 1913 Mr. Curran moved the paper, which had borne 
the name of the Washougal Sun, to Vancouver and changed its title to that of 
the Clark County Sun, after which for some time there was no paper published 
at Washougal. In 1914 D. L. McMillan established the Washougal Times, which 
was later taken over by Elmer M. Armstrong, now postmaster at Washougal, who 
changed its name to the Washougal Record and continued as editor and publisher 
until 1925, when he sold it to Mr. Gibbs. The Record is ably edited and is a 
six-column paper, usually containing eight pages of newsy and interesting 
matter, and typographically is an attractive and well made-up sheet. It 
utilizes the Western Newspaper Union service and enjoys a well deserved 
popularity throughout this section of Clark county. Mr. Gibbs has as a 
newspaperman proven an important factor in the life of this community, giving 
his editorial support to those things which are calculated to advance the best 
interests of the people, while in the sphere of private citizenship he exerts 
a quiet but effective influence for good. He still does some church work, 
frequently serving as a supply preacher, and his forceful and able sermons are 
always heard with pleasure.

     In 1898 Mr. Gibbs was united in marriage to Miss Mary Louise Smith, who 
was born and reared in Minnesota. He is a member of the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen in Minnesota, and belongs to the Washington State Editorial 
Association and the National Editorial Association, while locally he is a 
member of the Chamber of Commerce.  A man of sterling, character and cordial 
and affable manner, he has made a host of warm friends since coming to 
Washougal, and throughout the community he commands uniform confidence and 
respect. 

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