The Life of John Gibby, Grandfather of Joseph Clifford Gibby
The following sketch was written by Mrs. Roy A. Richins who lives in Henefer, Utah. It was prepared at the request of
Joseph Gibby, the author of this vol1ume, and who in turn edited it and made a few minor changes as to dates and
spellings of some of the names, and some additions.
JOHN GIBBY was the son of Thomas Gibby and Catherine Davies. He was born October 21, 1832 at Haverfordwest,
Pembrokeshire, in South Wales. (See map inside back cover; also chart titled "Gibbys of Slebech, Pembrokeshire".) He
had four brothers and two sisters, viz.: James, William, Thomas, Richard, Martha, and Elizabeth. John's father, Thomas
Gibby, was born in November, 1802 at Thornbush, Slebech. He was a coach man for Baron de Rutzen who owned
Slebech Hall (house) and large holdings in Slebech. Thomas also appears in some records as a tenant farmer, well
respected, but like all farmers at that time he was of the poorer class. So John and his brothers and sisters did not have
the opportunity of higher education. In fact, as some records point out, the only school in the town of Slebech was
founded about 1840 by the Baron Charles Frederick de Rutzen was held in an old blacksmith's shop converted into a
schoolroom by the Baron, chief supporter of the school. There were few more than a dozen students, so it is a matter of
conjecture as to whether John was one of them for there is no available record of the students' names. He was fond of
books and did a lot of reading. Also he was very artistic and liked to paint. In his youth he and some of his brothers were
apprenticed as drapers to "Commerce House" (Haverfordwest) known then as "Grennish and Dawterns", they being the
founders of the firm.
John grew up to be a well built man. He had a piercing eye and a beautiful head of brown wavy hair. Although his means
of education was very limited, he became a self educated man. He was a student of Josephus' history and could quote
fluently from it. He knew the Bible from cover to cover. He was an intelligent but independent thinker. He would think out
everything to the letter and when he had made his decision, he was very stubborn. He loved to argue and was very
outspoken, calling a spade a spade, and for this he was often misunderstood.
He had a deep belief in God, but he had not joined any church as he found too many discrepancies in their teachings. In
fact, one of his favorite pastimes was to seek out a preacher and give him an argument. And from his extensive reading
of the Bible and Josephus' history, he was able to get the best of the argument, much to the embarrassment of the
preacher. He was what you would call, "a thorn in their flesh." John, as a young man, drove a carriage for a gentleman.
One night, after he had put the carriage away, he was walking to his lodging when he saw a man preaching on the street
corner. John joined the group of listeners and, as usual, was waiting to find a point to argue. But as he listened, he was
startled by the new doctrine. In fact, he failed to find a point to argue on until the man closed his remarks with the words
of the Savior, "If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of
myself." On conclusion of this remark, John stepped forward to challenge. Much to John's surprise, this very able Mormon
Missionary was able to defend all his statements. But John not willing to concede the victory, challenged, "Well, if you are
teaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ and are truly a servant of God, I want to know it and know it right now ."The
Elder replied, "You are a very impatient young man, aren't you?" John replied, "Well, if your God can't answer an earnest
prayer in a night, he can't in a week or a month:' The Elder re-plied, "If you have faith and will fast and pray with sincere
heart, you will receive your answer." John had faith and was sincere in his desires to know the truth, and So fasted and
prayed as the Elder had told him. Also the Elder had promised to pray in his behalf. John's prayers were answered in a
spectacular way. One night. After earnestly praying, he retired to his bed and there appeared a very handsome
personage. he held some keys which he shook and said, "I hold the keys to the Kingdom." He radiated such powerful evil
influence that it took all John's strength to ward off this evil power and not be overcome. He bore testimony to his
children, to never seek for a manifestation, but to accept by faith alone. He told how surprised he was to find Satan, not
the horrible creature he had been taught, but a very handsome personage. He later felt the opposite influence. His joy
was beyond description. He held this very sacred to him. He now had a testimony of the divine work, so asked for
baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. John's brother, William, had also gained a testimony of the
truthfulness of the gospel, and was baptized into the church. The Mormons were so hated and persecuted at that time,
that their mother was broken hearted over their conversion. The blow was especially heavy, when she learned they
planned to sail to America to join the Saints in Zion.
John and William set sail on the ship, "Clara Wheeler," with 422 souls aboard. It cleared port and set sail 24 November,
1854, bound for New Or- leans. Elder Henery E. Phelps was president of the company with John Parson and James
Crossley as counselors. After it set sail, it ran into rough water in the Irish channel and had to return to port. The Saints
suffered considerably from sea sickness. After receiving fresh supplies, it set sail December 7th and arrived in New
Orleans, 11 January, 1855. Measles had broken out among the children and two adults had died from the disease. After
landing in New Orleans, many of the Saints were stranded without funds to go farther. So those who had means were
asked to lend to those in need. James McGraw was contracted to take the Saints up the Mississippi to St. Louis. John and
William went as far as Kansas. They found work on a government farm for $25.00 a month. They worked there for two
years, then came to Utah by ox team, driving across the plains for board and keep. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley , and
took odd jobs until they could get settled.
On July 24th, 1857, John was attending the celebration held on the banks of Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon,
when Abraham Smoot brought word to President Brigham Young that an army of Albert Sidney Johnson, was headed for
Utah. The Saints were determined to defend themselves this time and prevent Johnson's army from entering Salt Lake
Valley. The celebration was broken up, and volunteers were placed under General Wells. John Gibby was among the
volunteers. They marched to defend Echo Canyon. At Echo Canyon they built rock fortifications on the high ledges under
which the road wound between cliff and creek bed. They dug trenches and built dams to flood the pass and force the
army to come under the ledges, where they had piled up rock and boulders to roll down on the invaders should they
attempt to pass. John often told of the incident where they marched the men around the hill to make Johnson's army
think they had a large army of men. When the trouble was over, John returned to Salt Lake. He took a contract to furnish
bark for the tannery of Jennings & Walker. He hired several men to work under him. Among them was a water boy,
George Thackery, who later became Bishop of Croydon Ward. He praised John Gibby for his honesty and hard work. After
John had barked the logs, Brigham Young had him season the rafters to be used in the building of the tabernacle. He
hauled them from the canyon by ox team. He also helped to haul granite rock from the quarry, to be used in building the
temple.
John met his first wife, Ellen Olpin, through Bishop Edwin D. Wolley, a brother-in-law of Ellen. Her mother had died just
one week after they had arrived in the valley. So the grieving family had gone to stay with their sister and daughter, Ann
Olpin and her family. John and Ellen were married in the Endowment House in 1860. They made their home near
Centerville. From there he would go into the nearby canyons for his logs.
One day, he returned home white and shaken, and told how he had seen a large snake as he went to bark the log. He
described it as large around as a small stove pipe and very long. He was scoffed at and told no snakes were that big in
this country , but his story was later verified by another man who saw this large snake. It was believed to have escaped
from a cage.
John also furnished logs for fuel in many of the Salt Lake homes. He was a hard worker and took advantage of every
opportunity.
When the work on the tabernacle was finished, John sold his property to purchase a farm in Round Valley, Morgan
County. It was mostly sage and willow. He began the hard labor of clearing the ground. There was very little water, only
in the spring run-off, so under his direction, a canal was constructed which brought water to the bench land.
Soon after their marriage, a younger sister of Ellen's came to make her home with them. Dorcas was then a girl of
thirteen. She helped in the home, helping to rear the family, and also later on the farm. It was here in Round Valley, that
most of his family was born and reared. To Ellen and John were born the following: Edgar, Jamima, Belle, Thomas, John,
James, William, and George.
In 1867, a grasshopper plague hit the valley. They came in clouds and hit upon fields of grain; they carpeted dooryards
and orchards; they devoured everything that was green, even to the tender bark of the new fruit trees. Dorcas told how
they organized every member of the family that could, to go arms length with brooms and sticks driving the hordes
before them. They dug ditches and filled with water, then drove the grasshoppers in to drown. They also dug pits and
filled with dry weeds and after they had driven the grasshoppers in, they set fire to the weeds. By these means they were
able to save some of the crops. They went hack and forth through the fields until they were so exhausted they could
hardly keep on their feet. For a time it seemed that their toil would be in vain, but the grasshoppers were finally
destroyed.
Times were hard and money scarce, so John went to work for the railroad. Brigham Young had taken a contract to lay
190 miles of the road from the head of Echo Canyon to Promontory. John again contracted to furnish ties for Brigham
Young, however Joseph Young was in charge. John hired men to help him hew out the ties. They went into the canyons,
in Echo canyon, for the timber. They had to be on watch for bear and other wild animals. One time three of the men
came to John for pay. Since he had no cash he told them to go to the store in Morgan where he had the very best of
credit, and charge the things they needed up to the amount of their wages. John, to his sorrow, found that all men were
not to be trusted. He found he had a bill for over $400.00. Several years later they tried to collect cash for the same
work.
After making her home with them for seven years, Dorcas entered into plural marriage with John Gibby. They were
married 23 November . 1867 in the Endowment House. To them were born the following sons and daughters: Alfred,
Alberto, Emeline, Hyrum, Sarah Ann, Alma and Clara Catherine.
John seemed to be born with a green thumb and his garden was the best in the valley. His farm was given the nickname
of "Garden of Eden" by Bishop Turner. So now to help financially, he sought a market in Evanston, Wyoming. He shipped
by rail to Bluthe and Fargo, and also Dawson and Berdett. He was known for his honesty and fairness in his dealings.
He narrowly escaped death one day when he was on a steep hillside loosening some rock to line the river bed. As he was
prying on a large boulder, he lost his footing when the boulder gave way suddenly. He fell, rolling down the hill with the
boulder crashing after him. It just barely missed him as it crashed by.
In 1872, John moved to Randolph, Utah, where he tried to ranch, but conditions were not satisfactory and he returned to
Round Valley to his farm. The people who knew him in Randolph spoke highly of his honesty and said he always kept his
promise.
John and his boys used to go prospecting above Round Valley. One day, when they went to work a claim, they started out
but soon missed George, who was bringing the dynamite on the horse. There were no caps on the dynamite in those
days. When they finally caught sight of George, he was urging the horse to move faster by hitting him over the rump with
the dynamite sticks.
At one time, some of the boys, with George and Alma as ring leaders, decided to play a joke on their father. They got out
the paste and cut the letters out, "Famine 1900". They pasted them on an apple and watched and waited for it to get
colored, then they removed the letters, and on the apple were the words, "Famine 1900:" John, being a man of faith, and
knowing God did reveal things for the benefit of the welfare of man, believed it to be a warning and began to show
people. The boys now realized it was beyond a joke and confessed the truth.
Death came twice to John's and Dorcas' family. It took the eldest boy, Alfred, a young boy of seventeen, a promising
young artist. Also, it came to a baby daughter, Sarah Ann. Nor did Ellen's family escape, for it took a son named John
after his father.
When the Manifesto was issued, John, like all polygamists, was in danger of being imprisoned. All the children were put
on guard. If any strangers were seen in town, John and other polygamists went into hiding. Although there were no
telephones news traveled fast. Since John had done such a large business with Mr. Cleveland, the station agent at
Morgan, he always sent word if any Deputy Marshal came in on the train. The children in those days played "Deputy
Marshal" instead of cowboys or Indians, as they do now. The Deputy Marshal was always the villain.
John had a great faith in administration of the sick. Many of his children were healed by it. One time he was called to the
bedside of Emeline, his daughter. She was seriously ill. There were no doctors but home nurses and midwives. After John
administered to her, she was relieved. Mrs. Bond, her mother-in-law remarked, "I believe that John Gibby could
administer to the dead and dying and they would get better."
Some of his sons were called to fulfill missions. Bert and Hyrum both accepted the call, also, some of the boys of Ellen's
family. George fulfilled a mission to Wales.
In the years 1890 to 1892, John was called to fulfill a mission to his native Wales. One of his missionary companions was
Orson Hyde. He visited his old home at Haverfordwest and Thornbush, where his family lived. He was happy to see his
family again, but was saddened to find his mother had never gotten over his joining the Church and coming to Utah. She
had died the 19th of October, 1869. His father had passed away just four years before on the 13th of October, 1886.
John began to fail in health and lung trouble developed that eventually took his life. As a father he was strict, but he tried
to teach and live the Gospel. He taught the virtue of honesty and that your word was as good as your bond. If any have
fallen short, it has not been from failure of example. He lived the best he knew how, and like all, he had his failings. He
passed from this life December 14, 1902. He had lost the power to speak, but understood what went on around him. His
face would lighten up when members of the family appeared. He was the father of fifteen children.
Mr. Colber remarked as he was digging the grave, "Yes sir, John Gibby was an honest man."
It may be of interest to the reader to hear about the story of the apple, and in a little more detail, so the following story is
submitted as written in the book "Treasures of Pioneer History," vol. 2, by Kate B. Carter.
FATHER TURNS THE TABLES
In the little valley of Morgan, in the late 1890's lived John Gibby and his wives Ellen and Dorcas, with their large families
of fine, healthy, fun loving boys and girls. John had planted an apple orchard, and then watched with pride and delight as
the young trees grew, spreading their long arms in the sunshine and giving promise of bounteous harvests in the years to
come. John could see big things in his apples; the means of a livelihood for himself and family, money to educate his
children, better home conditions, perhaps even a few luxuries. His apple orchard became the apple of his eye, and it did
not disappoint him. Just a few years of patient toil and loving care, and the Gibby farm was sending bushels and bushels
of bright red Astrachan apples to all parts of the state. People traveled by team from far and near to buy the Gibby
apples.
In those days it was often preached from the stand that the days of calamity were near at hand, when fire, flood, famine
and pestilence would sweep over the land and the wicked would burn as stubble. The Gibby boys, George and Alma,
listened and were impressed, but not seriously frightened by it. And as they went about their work the big joke began to
take shape in their minds. They went into the house and found a calendar, a bottle of glue, and a pair of scissors, and
returned to the orchard. Here they cut out the letters and numbers F-A-M-I-N-E 1900. Then selecting a big green apple,
growing in a sunny position, they carefully pasted on the letters and numbers, and quietly slipped away and left the apple
to ripen.
Some time later, when the apples were ripe, the boys went out to the orchard, picked their doctored apple, and carefully
washed off the paper. To their delight, the apple had done just what they had hoped it would. It had turned rosy red
everywhere but under the paper, and there it had remained green. Full of high glee the boys took the apple and ran to
the house to show it to their father. Father Gibby was deeply impressed and all excited. "It was a warning from heaven,"
he said, "It couldn't have gotten on an apple any other way ." The news spread fast. It was talked about and marveled
over from one end of the valley to the other. Some laughed and shook their heads, but most people agreed with Father
Gibby. How else could it get on an apple?
Brother Gibby took the apple to Priesthood meeting and it was thoroughly examined and discussed. The old Stake
Patriarch, Richard R. Rawle, said, "Boys' tricks, boys' tricks, but when asked to explain, he could not. And Brother Gibby
called his boys together and announced that as a result of the great warning that heaven had sent to them, by means of
the mysterious apple, he considered it absolutely necessary to glean the fields carefully and thoroughly, starting
immediately, for grain to be stored away and used when the days of famine were upon them.
Poor George and AI! How completely the tables had turned! They went into a huddle and held a long consultation, and
finally decided they would rather brave their father's anger than glean the fields. So the story came out. Father Gibby
was angry for a while, but as time went on he learned to laugh about it as heartily as the rest.
