Cabell County, West Virginia Biography of Joseph Gibbs GARDINER ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , July 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 168-169 JOSEPH GIBBS GARDINER. One of the well-known insur- ance men of Huntington is Joseph Gibbs Gardiner, mana- ger of the Consolidated Insurance Agency. His connection with this position has gained him a wide acquaintance, among whom his genial disposition and loyalty have made him a general favorite. A peculiar and particular genius is necessary to the man who would acquire success in the insurance field. The business is like unto no other, and many men who have risen to prominence in other lines have scored naught but failures in insurance. Mr. Gardiner pos- sesses the necessary qualities of acumen, a pleasing person- ality, perseverance and an' insight into human nature. With these he has achieved a worth-while success. Mr. Gardiner was born at Augusta, Georgia, January 14, 1882, a son of Gibbs and Margaret (DeCottes) Gardiner. His father, also a native of Augusta, was a college gradu- ate and a man of superior education, who at times fol- lowed the profession of law and also acted in an editorial capacity on several newspapers at Augusta, where he passed his entire life and where his death occurred in 1891. He was a democrat in his political sympathies. Reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, in later years he joined the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Gardiner married Mar- garet DeCottes, who was born at Hamburg, South Carolina, and died at Augusta, Georgia, in 1891. They were the par- ents of three children: Margaret, who died at Augusta, Georgia, aged thirty-nine years, as the wife of James M. Triplett, now a traveling salesman of Columbia, South Carolina; Joseph Gibbs, of this review; and Susanna, the wife of Dr. Joseph B. Palmer, a well-known physician and surgeon of Thomasville, Georgia. Joseph Gibbs Gardiner attended the public schools of Augusta, but was only nine years of age when his parents died, and two years later, when only eleven years old, left school and went to work as office boy in a fire insurance of- fice. Later he was advanced to clerk, and remained with the Allen Agency for a period of fifteen years, during which time through integrity, industry and fidelity he worked his way steadily upward to the position of manager. In 1908 he became special agent and adjuster for the Con- tinental Insurance Company of New York, and in this double capacity traveled through South Carolina, Georgia and Florida until 1918. In that year he formed a connec- tion with the Underwriters Inspection Bureau, with head- quarters at Atlanta, as special agent, and remained with that concern until October, 1921, covering South Carolina, Florida and Virginia. In October, 1921, he came to Hunt- ington, West Virginia, as manager for the Consolidated Insurance Agency, a position which he still retains, his offices being situated at Rooms 918 and 919 Robson-Pritch- ard. His territory not only covers the State of West Virginia, but extends into neighboring states. Daring the period of his management the business of the company has grown to substantial proportions, and Mr. Gardiner has fully maintained the reputation which he established in other fields of endeavor prior to locating at Hunting- ton. Mr. Gardiner is a democrat in politics, and a mem- ber of the Johnson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of Huntington. He belongs to Huntington Lodge No. 53, A. F. and A. M., and Feramorz Grotto No. 1 of Huntington, and is also a director of the Huntington Ma- sonic Club.