The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-01-19
COL. .GILBREATH
DIES SUDDENLY
TUESDAY NIGHT
Former Commissioner Of Agri-
culture Identified With
State Activities
WAS SEVENTY YEARS OLD
Funeral and Burial Will Take
Place in Minneapolis
Long Public Career

Col. W. 4. GllOreath, Tor many years
one of the most prominent men in
public life in North Dakota. died last
night at the Mckenzie hotel of a sud
den attack Of heart failure. He had
not been we'll for few days, but the
end came unexpectedly.
Prayers were said this afternoon at
four o'clock at the home Of his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Frank f. Shepard, No. s.
Avenue b, and the body will be taken
to Minneapolis tonight for interment
After services in Minneapolis. where
a son resides, tomorrow, the body O.
Col. Gilbreath will be laid to rest be-
side that OF his wife. Services will be
simple in accordance with his wishes.
Commissioner Of Agriculture.
Col. Giibreath served as Commits
sioner Of agriculture in North Dakota
for five successive terms, from 1903
to 1914. During his period Of public
service Col. Gilbreath did much to
spread knowledge of the resources "t
North Dakota over the entire country
Deeply interested in the development
of the state, he arranged expositions
at various places throughout the
country in which the opportunities
and the accomplishment of the state
were impressed upon hundreds OF
thousands of people.
Born In Tennessee.
Born September 8, 1851, in McMinn
county, Tennessee; Col Gilbreath came
west when the family moved overland
1,,ho fI,n,, " Oo6 nnt7l
1864, returning to Illinois in that yea:
His early education was acquired III
the public schools, followed in 1869 by
course i1f the Wesleyan university "'
Illinois, from which institution he
graduated in 1874. For the next five
years he was engaged in the mercan-
tile and banking business, during
which time he also served as men,
ber of the Illinois National Guard, at
tanning the rank successfully of CAP
tain and major of the Fifth regiment
In 1878 he moved west again, this
time to Iowa, where he was engaged
III mercantile pursuits and became
owner Of a newspaper.
Conducted Newspaper.
AlICI u6AiAA Ill "a
linois, Col. Gilbreath came to North
Dakota and located at Mandan where,
as part owner and Joint editor of the
Mandan Pioneer, he assumed prom
inent position in! the development oi
the western country and its political
life. For four years he was a men,
ber of the Republican state central
committee, two of them as a member
of the executive committee. He en-
joyed the reputation of being pol
ished and forceful orator.
The first state position held by Col.
Gilbreath was that Of deputy commits
sioner of insurance, to which he was
appointed in 1901. He was elected
commissioner Of agriculture in 1902
and was reelected to that position
four times. During his period Of serv-
ice in this office part of his duties
was the promotion of immigration,
which branch of his office he develop
ed extensively.
Col. Gilbreath was married in 1871
to Miss Lille D. Lyon, Of Pontiac, III.
He Is survived by three children, Mrs.
Frank E. Shepard, of Bismarck; J. r.
Gilbreath, of Minneapolis; and DR..
Frank NJ. .Gilbreath, Of Grafton, North
Dakota.