Henry Elliot Gibson

Henry Elliot Gibson was born on Jan 14, 1827, in Otsego, New York to John and Elizabeth Wade Gibson. Henry is a Founder of Richmond. Henry is a veteran of the Utah War and Indian Wars. Henry served as one of the first members of the City Council when Richmond was incorporated in 1868.

History

Soon after Henry's birth, the Gibson family moved to Wheatland, New York. In his youth, Henry was able to obtain a good education.

"In company with a lot of lands, he (Henry) went to a Methodist camp meeting, where the lands created a playful disturbance. The next day that strict Methodist had several arrested but young Gibson geld to his parental home in Wheatland. His mother had been a [Latter-day Saint] for five years, and sometimes the elders of the church held meetings at her home. His brother and two sisters were also in the church. Thus the young man who fled to his mother's home in consequence of being one of the disturbers of a camp meeting was brought under religious influence. 'God moves in a mysterious way his wounder to perform.' He became convinced of the truth of [the church] and was baptized at Wheatland on the 29th of March 1847."

Soon after his baptism, Henry moved to Le Roy, New York to obtain work. While attending a conference in Batavia, New York, Henry became acquainted with Martha Eliza Gibbs. They were married on Jan 1, 1848 in Batavia, New York. Soon after their marriage, they began their move to Utah. The Gibson family joined the Brigham Young Company and Heber C. Kimball Company on June 7, 1848 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 24.

Soon after their arrival, the Gibson family built a small log cabin on Mill Creek of the Salt Lake Valley. Henry brought with him across the plains a full set of sawmill irons and planned to build a mill on the creek. However, when word came around that there was gold in California, Henry went with Church leaders to work for a bit to find some gold for the Church in 1849.

The gold rush was unsuccessful, and Henry returned to the Salt Lake Valley in 1851. The Gibson family moved to Ogden, Utah. In 1859, Henry was counseled by leaders of the Church to help settle Cache Valley. Henry was directed to Richmond and settled in the area. After, he went back to his family and moved them to Richmond.

Henry entered the practice of polygamy on April 12, 1869 by marrying Isabella Van Dyke Kerr.

Indian Wars Service

After the construction of the Richmond Fort in 1860 and other forts in Cache Valley, the Territory of Utah created the Cache Military District on Oct 15, 1861 with Church Apostle Ezra T. Benson as Colonel. On June 16, 1863, Richmond was organized into two companies of Infantry and two squads of Cavalry. Henry was appointed as a Private in both instances.

Member of the City Council (1868 - 1872)

William D. Hendricks served as the first Mayor of Richmond after it was incorporated as a city in February of 1868. He was sworn into office on May 28, 1868, with the first City Council members: Stillman Pond, Henry E. Gibson, David P. Rainey, Neriah Lewis, and Thomas L. Whittle with William Beers as City Recorder. They were in charge of hiring individuals to fill in the necessary appointments for the city. Such were Christopher M. Olsen, City Treasurer; William F. Fisher, Assessor and Collector; William T. Van Noy, City Marshall; Christopher M. Funk, Supervisor of Streets; William H. Lewis and R. Marion Kerr, Chief of Police; David P. Rainey, Neriah R. Lewis, Marcus E. Funk, and George F. Burnham, Deputies of Police. Along with this, they had appointed the city seal, passed the first City Ordinance of constructing bridges across all ditches, and named the streets of Richmond. 

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