The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-26
INVENTOR GIBBS
DIES AT /. APHl l !.
His Sewing Machine Patents and
Their Importance.
ADDED REVOLVING LoopER
lis Political Activity in the Campaign
ofls7s and His Interests in More
Recen, Gold and Silver Contests
D in the Democratic Party.
HOPPER
ADDED REVOLVING
in the Democratic Party.
fspecial Dispatch TO The Tin1es.l

Especial IDis;patcfl 10 Inc u iI.i1s7.I
LEXINGTON. IA. November 2s.-Jamcs
Edward Alien Gibbs the inventor OF the
sewing machine that bears his name
diet. this morning al O'Clock at his home
near lsaphine. in Rockbridse county. after
an illness OF several weeks, due to parai-
.sis.
Mr.. Gibbs was born in Rock bridge
county August /. 1899, and was In his
scventy-fanrth year. bis parents We're
R!chsrd Gibbs. a native OF Connecticut,
ard Isabella G. Poagie. of Rockbridse
county. II e was a seif-educated man and
his education was extremely limited,
while manual labor was his. training
school. From liisaeariy youth he worked
nj wool carding machine and his first
Invention was IL this direction when he
Invented n labor saving machine for card
ing wool that reduced first cost. of operat-
ing at least seyenIy-sive. per cent. Iacto-4
RES drove out of existence The small
plants operated by individuals. and young
Gibbs sold his interest in a plant that Was
located in Pocahon;as county and em-
barked in the lumber and grain trade
Success did not follow him in this dircc-
ton, and aftcrsa sojonrn for several years
In Nicholas county he returned to Poca-5
ho,itas. where for three years he worked
as carpenter.
HIS INVENTION.
His ability showed itself, for without
framing or apprenticeship he worked at
carpentry, cabinet making. was mill
wright and 1nachinist. at all cf which ne
was successful and then finally capped
the climax by notwithstanding the sewing
OF the newly invented sewing machine OF
the days fe wonder OF those fimes9. AZ
tr.cted by the wood cuts used TO advertise
sewing machines in the newspapers. winch
only showed to the viewer he upper part
Of the machine, his interest was. aWake'leu
as 10 the mystery of the working OF the
,,Y.s.er part of the ma chine. with the result
tina, ne Invented and patented June
1857 the revolving ooper. During ms
life time he has taken out twelve patents
since the first one. winch pioushl MN
fame He theoIized that the lock sh1cn
of those DAYS vas not strong and Woliia
not prove as durable as that OF single
stitch which possessed more .eiasileitN,s
and the revolving ooper was esoiV Owed.
8elichs}is the principal feature OF the row
famous WILCOX and Gibbs sewing machine.
Mr. Gibbs visited Europe in the int crest
of his macfinn and Won a suit IN i,dltl-
b,,rgh in 1869 instituted against psi3es
Infringing on his patents. de afterwards
visited the continent and toured me
United Kingdom before returning TO ms
home in RarRhlidgc county. which mas
been al Ra1,hi,e. situated on the dividing
ssl,,4t. ,,atvee,, ths, counties Of augusta and
Ia,.,.hritlge 9leses.oused the Cont edera1e
cause with the oiiti,laalziligs of#the civil
N;ii and was commissioned as lieutenant
IN the ordnance department. hut#o"ins 10
Ill health saw very little OF active service.
With the end of the war the business OF
james Wilcox was coilsollaa'ee uiiut'l.
Inc name OF yVillcox and Gibbs Sewing
" lpalGlurtSlS IN
New York.
In POLITICS.
Mr. Gibbs. with Nirginias present At
Il .,,nev4C;ene,al, NJ. a. Anderson We're
the candidates OF the Democratic party.
then known as the Fanders. against the
Readiusters. who had for their candidates
James "A Frazier, now manager of the
Rockbridse Alum Springs, and Colonel
John b. Lady. for the House of Delegates
in the year 1879. and the Democrats We're
overwhelmingly defeated by8s1heil oppo-
n.nts Mr. Gibbs. after his defeat re-
manned quiet as TO politics until the re-
cent agitation relative to gold and silver
l,y the two great political parties when
he again evinced a lively interest in the
gold side of the question:. lie has Tor
1t,afiy years past travelled extensively dur
ing the winter months in the South and
Though Texas and Mexico fol. the benefit
of his health.
He married August &c, 1857. Miss Cath
o:ine Given. a daughter of Mr. and Mrs
Samuel Given, of Pocahontas# county. by
which union four daughters were born.
Several years ago his wife died. and
about two years ago he married Miss
Craig, of Augusta county who survives
him with the following children OF his
frs, wife: Mrs. John Moore, widow of the
lato John Moore, of Rockbridges county;
Mrs. BE- RAWLINGS. wife. OF p q: Ben
1aran a Rawlings. and Mrs. G. C.. Made,
Ali of Raphine where he resided.
During his lifetime he had amassed a
considerable fortune through his sewing
machine inventions.