The Portland daily press., 1892-03-14
HON. RUFUS GIBBS.
Funeral of One of Bridgton's Oldest and
Most Prominent Citizens.

most prominent citizens of Cumberland
County, occurred here today, at his late
residence on Main street, at p. m. Re V
Charles Harbutt, pastor of the Congre-
gational church, of which the deceased
was member, oficiated. The services
were brief and very simple, consisting
only of reading of scriptural selections,
prayer, and short address, in which
the speaker sought to emphasize the les
son of the life just ended and the inhu-
ence of such a life as had been that of
this good man. Reference was also made
to the great age of the deceased, whose
days beginning almost with this century,
had continued so much beyond the com
mon lot of man. The figures of the rip
ened wheat and of the noble tree of the
forest. which are cutdown only that they
may be put to an infinitely higher and
better use, were also very impressively
introduced by the speaker.
The attendance was large, many old
people being present. The pall-bearers
we're J. H. Caswell, S. S. Fuller, Angus
tus Carsley, and Hon. A. Fl. Walker. The
burial was in the old cemetery on High
street.
Mr.. Gibbs was ninety-two years old,
and had lived life as active as it was
long and eventful. He was born in
Bridgton, August 26, 1890. His parents
were Alpheus and Abigail (Wheeler)
Gibbs. In boyhood he attended the dis
trict school, but at the age of IA, on &C
count of his fathers death, he struck out
for himself to earn his livelihood. He
found employment for the succeeding
seven years with the late Gen. John Per-
ley of the town, farmer and tanner, q
son of locally famous old settler of re-
evolutionary days, Squire Enoch Perley,
one of the founders and leading citizens
of this town. On attaining his majority
he established himself in business as
tanner and leather merchant, at Bridgton
Courtroom the same spot, by the way,
where the Boston and Peabody leather
firm of Pemberton Brothers have
large business at tanning skins. This
business he continued till about 1910,
meanwhile engaging largely in land
speculation, when he gave his entire at
tention to numbering.
He took extensive contracts to cut,
haul and drive timber from the forests
hereabout, and kept large forces of men
employed. Possessed of remarkable
constitution, great strength and almost
unlimited powers of endurance, allied
with unfagging energy, industry and ex-
cellent business capacity he for the en-
suing Is years accomplished wonders in
this line and for those times was justly
looked upon as lumber king.
In the fall of 1856 he and John Hall
built blanket mill in Bridgton known
as Cumberland mill, which he put in OPP
Grafton the following April. He soon
after bought out Mr.. Halls interest and
with three of his four sons formed
copartnership under the firm name of
Rufus Gibbs G. Sons. They manufactur-
ed woollen blankets, and did large and
profitable business, till 1877, when they
sold out to the Pondicherry Wooden
Company, and Mr.. Gibbs practically re-
tired from active business.
In politics Mr.. Gibbs was Wing,
until the formation of the Republican
party. when he Joined it's ranks, and has
ever since continued an earnest, active
member of the party. He was an origi-
nal 'sTippecanoe'' man and belonged to a
Harrison club in the famous 1910 CAM
paign; was Lincoln ''Wide-Awake,' . of
1860, and in the campaign of 1884 carried
a torch in the ranks of the Blaine pro
cession, and was very proud of the fact
that he had lived to vote for Tippeca-
noes grandson and illuminate his resi-
dence over his party's success.
Mr. Gibbs had up to very recent date,
voted at every municipal, gubernatorial
and presidential election since attaining
his majority. His maiden vote for gov
ernor was cast for Gov. Paris in 1921,
the next year after Maine became State
and his first vote for president in 1924,
when he voted for John Quincy Adams,
who was elected (by the House of repre-
sentative0 over Andrew jackson,
In recognition of his political service,
Mr.. Gibbs was nominated and elected by
his party representative to the Legisla-
ture in 1878, which office he filled with
credit to himself and his constituents.
In religious belief he was Congrega-
tionalist and one of the. pillars of the
church in his native town.
Mr.. Gibbs was one of the earliest tenn
perance reformers in Cumberland county.
Coming to manhood at a time when
drinking was the universal custom, Mr..
Gibbs was tften il company with the
young men of the place at the tavens.
But he had the good sense to discern
that the habit was growing on him; and
at once resolved to part company with
drink. $50 started one evening" as he
told the story few years ago to Mr.. G.
o. Stickney, of Bridgton, ''for Washing
tonian temperance meeting at the church
on the hill, and ON my way called into
the tavern where 1 was accustomed to
get my drinks, and invited group of
my boon companions up to the bar to
join me in my last drink, as | put it;
They thought it a good joke, and we all
drank each others health. Then I
went straight to the meeting, marched
up to the platform and put my signature
to the pledge, amid the applause of the
audience. Nobody believed that I would
hold out more than a day or two,
Another of my jokes, soon after, was