Gibson, Paris, 1830-1920

Paris Gibson was born on July 1, 1830, in Brownfield, Maine. He was the son of Abel and Anne (Howard) Gibson. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1851. In 1853 he was elected to the Maine legislature. In August 1858, Gibson married Valeria G. Sweat, who was born in Brownfield, on Nov. 30, 1839. The couple had four children, two of whom died at an early age. The surviving sons, Phillip and Theodore, later helped their father in some of his business activities. In 1859 the new couple moved to St. Anthony Falls, Minnesota, (now Minneapolis). There Gibson and several business partners set up the Cataract Mill, the first flourmill in Minneapolis, and the North Star Woolen Mill. He was a member of the Masonic lodge in Minneapolis and also helped establish the first public library there. Gibson also served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents from 1871 through 1879. He suffered heavy financial loss in the Panic of 1873.

In 1879 Gibson migrated to Montana. He tried sheep ranching at Fort Benton and purchased several acres of land there. In 1885 he had 140 sheep for sale. The next year he and his son, Phillip, organized the Great Falls Sheep Company. In 1883 Gibson was elected the first president of the Montana Wool Growers Association at Fort Benton, and he served in this office for 22 years. Gibson remained involved in the wool industry until 1905.

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