BIOGRAPHY OF EX-SEC'Y OLIVER GIBBS. 43 



In 1883 he made an exhibit of Minnesota fruits at the biennial 

 meeting of the American Pomological Society, at Philadelphia, win- 

 ning the Wilder medal, one of only four awarded on all the fruits of 

 North America. 



In January, 1884, he was appointed commissioner to represent 

 Minnesota at the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposi- 

 tion, New Orleans. With the assistance of Gov. Hubbard he raised, 

 by subscription, about $40,000, $28,000 in cash and the balance in 

 property, to pay the expenses of the exhibit, the legislature at that 

 time not having made an appropriation for the purpose. 



With the consent of Gov. Hubbard he also served the exposition 

 in a double capacity during the year 1884, up to Decemt)er i, the date 

 •of the opening, being, besides United States commissioner for Minne- 

 sota, the special commissioner of the exposition for Michigan, 

 Illinois, Wisconsin and all the other northwestern states and terri- 

 tories through to the Pacific, excepting Nebraska. Nearly two years 

 were spent by him in this business, closing it out in the fall of 1885 

 and escaping into South Dakota used up physically and threatened 

 with complete nervous prostration. In the quiet and seclusion of 

 farm life in a Dakota gulch, he recovered in about three years. 



In South Dakota Mr. Gibbs was an active member of their State 

 Horticultural Society, and while in Dakota was made an honorary life 

 member of the Minnesota Society, on motion of the veteran J. S. 

 Harris. His South Dakota residence was Ramsey, McCook county. 

 He was president of his town and county Farmers' Alliance and of 

 the McCook County Agricultural Society. 



In 1891-2 he was chosen general manager of the South Dakofa 

 State Columbian W'orld's Fair Commission and secretary and super- 

 intendent of the same commission as reorganized in 1892 ; planning 

 and collecting the state exhibit and establishing its relations to the 

 exposition, including the state building and the several state depart- 

 ment exhibits of his state. He also organized the Woman's Com- 

 mission for the state ; but failing in health he resigned in December, 

 1892, going to Florida to recuperate. 



In 1896 he was elected to the South Dakota legislature and 

 served during the session of 1897. 



In the fall of that year he returned with his wife to their old 

 home at Prescott, where they now reside in good health. 



In June, 1856, Mr. Gibbs was married to Rose Martin, of Will- 

 iamstown, Vermont. They have five children living: Zilpha T. 

 Converse, Palatine, 111. ; Charlotte M. Cobban, Minneapolis ; Nettie 

 M. Jackson, Ramsey, S. D. ; Margaret E. Schmitt, Minneapolis, and 

 B. O. Gibbs, Rock Island, 111. 



