History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

212 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
sistory at Freeport and the mystic slirine at Rockford, Illinois.
He also affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
the Elks lodge at Dixon and he is a trustee of the Congregational
church of Amboy.
CHAELES GIBBS.
Among the most highly honored residents of Paw Paw is
Charles Gibbs, who after a successful career as agriculturist and
teacher now lives retired in this cit}' at the age of seventy-two
years. Moreover, there is due Mr. Gibbs veneration as one of
those who donned the blue uniform at the time when the union of
this country was imperiled by southern secession. Mr. Gibbs still
owns a valuable farm of one hundred and seventv-five acres, which
he rents to his son Eugene. While a resident of La Salle county,
this state, he prominently pai'ticipated in puljlic life l)ut since
coming to Lee county he has not again entered polities. Lie comes
of an old American family, his great-grandfather, Pelatiah Gibbs,
having been a loyal soldier of Washington's corps during the
Revolutionary war. For eighteen years Mr. Gibbs has been a resi-
dent of Lee county and dniing tliat time he has gained the greatest
confidence and highest regaixl of all his fellow citizens who have
had the honor of meeting him.
Charles Gibbs was boi'n in Tjivei-more, Androscoggin county,
Maine, February 25, 184], and is a son of Pelatiah and Anna
(Norton) Gibbs. The father followed agricultural -tnu'snits in
Maine and removed subsequently to I^a Salle county, Illinois, where
he arrived in 1867. He there continued successfully along the same
line and passed away on November 4, 1879.
Charles Gibbs was reared under the ])arental roof and received
his education in his native state. Later he assisted his father
in the farm work and also taught school and hired out as a fami
hand, being engaged along these various lines until the peril of
the LTnion decided him to enlist and he joined Company E. Thirty-
second Regiment, Maine Volunteers. The date of his enlistment
was Februaiy 25, 1864, and he was honorably discharged December
12. of the same year. He served as first sergeant and was also
in command of his company, and in that connection was in charge
dui'ing the famous mine explosion before Petersburg on July 30,
1864, and was wounded during that action in his left side. Upon