History of WILLIAM GIBBY

1835-1910

William Gibby was the son of Thomas Gibby and Catherine Davis. He was born 18 December 1835 at Slebach, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. He had four brothers and two sisters: James, Martha, Elizabeth, John Thomas, and Richard.

William's family was very poor. He and his brothers and sisters did not have the opportunity of education. As some records point out, the only school in the town of Slebach was held in an old blacksmith's shop converted into a schoolroom by the Baron de Rutzen, chief supporter of the school. William and his brothers were apprenticed as drapers to "Commerce House" (Haverfordwest) known then as "Grennish and Sawterns," (founders of the firm).

William along with his brother John gained a testimony of the gospel and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormons were so hated and persecuted at that time that their mother was broken-hearted over their conversions. The blow was especially heavy when she learned that they planned to sail to America to join the Saints in Zion.

William and John set sail on the ship "Clara Wheeler," with four hundred and twenty-two souls aboard. It cleared port on November 24, 1854, bound for New Orleans. Elder Henry 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 seasickness. After receiving fresh supplies, it set sail December 7^th and arrived in New Orleans January 11, 1855. Measles had broken out among the passengers with twenty children and two adults dyeing from the disease. After landing in New Orleans, many of the Saints were stranded without funds to go father. Those who had means were asked to lend to those in need. James McGraw, the church Emigration Agent at New Orleans, was contracted with the Captain on the steamboat "Oseana" to take the Saints on the Mississippi River to St. Louis. They were charged the rate of $3.50 for each adult, and half of that for children 3 to 12 years old, and 24 hours after their arrival in New Orleans, the emigrants were on their way up the river. Apostle Erastus Snow met them at St. Louis and others who gave the new arrivals a hearty welcome, and conducted them to comfortable quarters that had been secured for their accommodation. William and John Gibby 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 with the Canute Peterson's company of fifty two wagons. They had a great deal of trouble crossing the plains with tens of thousands of Buffalo stampeding the cattle. They finally arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and took odd jobs until they could get settled.

William married Miss Catherine Stevenson on the 26th of May 1857 by Bishop Edwin Wooley of the 13^th Ward.

On July 24, 1857, William and John were attending the celebration held on the banks of Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon, when Abraham Smoot brought word to President Brigham Young that an Army led by Albert Sidney Johnston was headed for Utah. The Saints were determined to defend themselves this time and prevent this army from entering the Salt Lake Valley. The celebration was broken up, and volunteers were placed under General Wells with William Gibby among the volunteers. They marched to defend Echo Canyon. Here they built rock fortifications on the high ledges above the road and the creek bed. They dug trenches and built dams to flood the pass and force the army to come under the ledges where they piled rock and boulders to roll down on the invaders should they attempt to pass. They often marched the men around the hill to make Johnston's Army think they had a large army of men.

William was best known as the man who captured the $500 cash prize offered by the American Agriculturist for the largest yield of wheat on one acre, they yield being 80 bushels and 6 pounds. He also won a $25.00 prize for raising the best potatoes. He recieved $5.00 a quart for the largest gooseberries. To his associates and intimate friends, however he was esteemed as an unostentatious man, quiet and unassuming.

William was a cabinetmaker and made all of the furniture for their homes, as well as for others.

William Gibby died at his residence, 2909 South Main Street, at 7:30 Monday evening, 29^th of August 1910 after five days' illness of pneumonia.