The Newtown bee., 1901-09-20
KENT.
DEA MARSHALL c. GIBBS.

The following remarks were made at the funeral of Dea Marshall c. Gibbs of Kent, September 8, by Rev George Curtis, D. D.:
 My friends, it gives me pleasure to bear witness to the worth of good man. It is true that I have known
 Dea Gibbs but compara lively short time, but I have known him in Christ and that knowledge is not for this world only but for an indefinite en- largement in the future. am glad to find also that the estimate which I have formed of his character is shared by the community around. I heartily approve the commendation which our pastor has just given to the deceased and his high estimate of our departed friend. He was manof strict integri. ty, kindly in his ways, faithful in all things, friend to ministers, lover of good men, benevolent in charities, an advocate of every good cause, modest and unassuming but capable and trusted, man of faith and prayer. Dea Marshall c. Gibbs was born in Litchtield, October 20, 1920. He was of an old and honored family that left England in the early part of the 17th century, settled first in Dorchester, Mass, subsequently, in Windsor, Conn.,, and then came to the,parish of Milton in Litchfield. His great grandfa ther was the first white child born in that town. Both the grandfather and great grandfather of Dea Gibbs served in the Revolutionary War. He spent his boyhood and youth in his native place till he was IS years of age, when with his father and family, he came to Kent While in Litchfeld he attended boarding school kept by his uncle, who afterward had similar school in Kent. Dea Gibbs first married Mary
 Wright. By her he had one child that died young. For time he lived with his first wife in Kent while Rev w. w. Andrews, D:~D., was pastor, and left for New Haven about the time that pastor was dismissed in 1849. After the death of his first wife Dea Gibbs married Mary Yale of New Haven, who lived with him loving and beloved for 3S years and fell asleep February 2, 1889, leaving her husband and five children, two sons and three daughters, to mourn her loss. After the death of his mother, at the earnest solicitation of his bereaved father Deas Gibbs re- turned to Kent, where he resided till his death. For years he held the office of Justice of the Peace and in 1885 was elected deacon of the Congre- gational church. When made dea- con he is said to have remarked that the church had made choice of pretty poor timber. But the church and the people did not think so. They found him stanch and true as they expected, d kind and sympathizing almoner to the poor, a wise counsellor, and a worthy pattern to young disciples. In earlier days he often read sermons at the public service in the absence of the pastor and has been known to read the Espiscopal service at the meetings of his friends of that order. He was very particular to be at home to attend the mid-week prayer meeting. Once he remarked that people often made many excuses for not attending that meeting They said that they were too tired since they labored hard all day. He knew, he remarked, what it was it was to work hard all day and to be tired, but he ate his supper, got ready, went to meeting and returned We are influenced very greatly by the age in which we live and by our early surroundings, and so it is natural to seek to trace some of the clements in the life of our lament ed brother back to'the influences that early nude their impress on his life. have had no conversation with Dea Gibbs about his early hiStO- ry yet it is a matter of record that in the early days the town of Litchtield stood aloof from the "Great Awaken inr,' in Noxu Fnrlap1 hoe