“The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, published: Chicago:  
Western Historical Company.   1879.


HON. JOHN GIBB, of Piper, Gibb & Co., Ixonia Mills, Pipersville; born 
March 8, 1811, in Roxburyshire, Scotland; was educated and learned and 
worked at the blacksmith trade there; June 5, 1830, landed in Canada, 
and worked in the old fort at Quebec for six weeks, then went to Coburg; 
in October, 1831, came to Pittsburgh, U.S.; in February, 1832, returned 
to Cornwall, Can.; in the fall of 1833, went to Amherst, Lake Ontario, 
and, in 1835, to Waddington, N.Y.; April 4, 1837, started for 
Milwaukee, Wis., and arrived there May 31; Nov. 10, 1838, crossed the 
river on the ice on foot with a feather-bed and baby on his back, and 
went to a place twenty-two miles west of Milwaukee; he had purchased 
provisions to take with him, and part of them was one barrel of flour, 
which he solemnly assured his wife, and believed himself, was the last 
flour she would ever get; after this, he moved ten miles further west and 
took up a farm; Dec. 23, 1840, moved to Watertown and worked at his 
trade there till 1849, when he moved to Ixonia; built a steam saw-mill, 
which was burned down in 1851, then kept a hotel till 1855, when he 
bought 160 acres of land and farmed till 1860; he then moved to 
Pipersville, and bought a share in the Ixonia Mill, now belonging to 
Piper, Gibb & Co.  He was a member of the State Legislature for 1855 
and 1857.  Was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors four years; 
Treasurer of the township two years; Justice of the Peace one year in 
Watertown and one year in Ixonia.  Married Miss Jennette Hums, of 
Scotland, May 25, 1833; have nine children – John, born March 28, 
1834; William, July 21, 1835; Jane, Aug. 2, 1838; Elizabeth, Nov. 13, 
1840; David, June 21, 1842; Adeline, Feb. 27, 1844; George, March 4, 
1852; Ida, March 31, 1855; Eliza, May 4, 1860.  Member of Lodge, No. 
47, Masons.  Members of the Presbyterian Church.


Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)