Gibbs, Florence Reville, 1890-1964

Florence Reville Gibbs (April 4, 1890 – August 19, 1964) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman to represent Georgia in the United States House of Representatives, serving for three months from October 3, 1940 to January 3, 1941.

Born Florence Reville in Thomson, Georgia, she grew up there, attending public schools before graduating from Brenau College in Gainesville, Georgia. She married Willis Benjamin Gibbs, a Georgia attorney and politician; the two settled in Jesup, Georgia. In 1938, Benjamin Gibbs was elected as a Democrat to represent Georgia's 8th congressional district, serving from January 1939 until his death in August 1940.

Florence Gibbs acceded to the wishes of the local Democratic county leaders who asked her to run for her husband’s vacant seat. She won the uncontested October 1, 1940, special election; she was sworn into office on October 3, 1940. During her brief time in Congress, she did not receive a committee assignment. She did not run in the general election to represent the district in the 77th United States Congress, and she left office January 3, 1941.

Gibbs returned to Jesup, Georgia, at the conclusion of her House term. She died there 23 years later.