William Gibson, Pioneer of 1877 and Prominent Helping Build a Greater Ashley Valley, Buried on Wednesday Afternoon In the death of William, "Uncle Billie," Gibson on Saturday December 11 following a partial stroke of paralysis on the Thursday prior, Ashley Valley lost one of her most prominent, oldest pioneer characters, at his homestead home in Ashley ward. Mr. Gibson was born in Killmarnock Scotland April 25, 1845, of Scotch-Irish parentage the son of Robert and Eliza Campbell Brown-Gibson. His parents joined the LDS church and emigrated to America in 1852 on a sailing vessel called "Gull In the Air" and was three months making the journey. They landed in New Orleans. Mr. Gibson told of many incidents on this journey which were indelibly marked in his keen memory. He noticed when landing the difference of the muddy water of the Mississippi River and the clear water of the Gulf of Mexico. The first person he saw was a negro who seemed very strange as he had never seen one before. After a stay in New Orleans a river boat was taken for St. Louis where the family lived five years. Here he received his early education and learned to swim in the Mississippi. After floods the lad would swim out and gather floating lumber which he sold to help maintain the family. His father was a shoemaker and his mother and sister did sewing and embroidery work on shirt bosems much in vogue at the time. At about 12 years of age he secured a position in a glass factory and received an injury from melted glass to his foot which scar he carried through life. He then worked in a bakery which furnished pilot bread for General Johnson's army which went to Utah. While in St. Louis his father became a citizen of the United States and the laws then made all children citizens also. His parents separated in St. Louis and he with his mother, brother and sister, moved to Florence, Neb., to cross the plains in a hand cart company. They were advised to wait. They then moved to Council Bluff, Iowa, and landed in Salt Lake Valley, August 9, 1860, where he lived for four years. The sturdy character of the youth had been formed during the hardships of those few years. His spirit was that of the true youthful pioneer of the times. His life thus far had been one of action and of boyhood sacrifices and hardships. The next few years were even more so. In helping in the pioneering of Utah he crossed and recrossed the plains 7 times driving ox teams. During this time he became thoroughly conversant with the Indian problems then confronting the West and especially Utah. His keen insight into affairs made him outstanding among his associates. He was trusted in any emergency which arose. He was always busy until it has been said of him his activities seemed to be more than that of one person. Every action counted. There seemed to be no wasted energy anywhere along the line. In 1864 he went to Kamas to live. Here he met Miss Mary A. Lambert and they were married in the endowment house 60 years ago last April. The three children born to them survive: James L., Dean of the University of Utah, Mrs. N.G. Soward whose home immediately joins that of the Gibson homestead, and Mrs. Sarah Eccles of New York City. Also 14 grandchildren survive. All the children were here when death came to help sustain their mother in the trying hour. Three years after going to Kamas, the Black Hawk Indian War started. Mr. Gibson enlisted in the Utah militia and served under Captain James McCormick and Lieut. Levi Pangburn. They kept guard night and day but soon abandoned Kamas and built a fort at Peoa. Mr. Gibson said he spent the best part of his life from 31 years of age to 36 between the years 1865 and 1871 in building forts, standing guard, and traveling between one and two thousand miles following horses tracks as the only guide into an unknown country on the Book Cliff mountains, and on other Indian trails where he believed that White man's foot had never before trod. Because Kamas was too cold, they decided to come to the Ashley valley, a place he had not seen in his dealings with the Indians. With 35 head of cattle and enough provisions to do one year, they landed in Ashley Valley on November 1, 1877 just as the sun was going down. The first winter was very mild and in a cabin without doors or windows they were comfortable by hanging homemade carpets in the openings and placing straw under the carpets spread over the dirt floor and tacked down with wooden pegs. This was on the same land they now occupy with one of the most pretentious dwellings in Ashley Valley. While on a trip to Salt Lake for provisions, the Meeker Indian Massacre started and when he returned all settlers were quartered in a fort in Old Ashley town. Mr. Gibson then moved his house of whip sawed logs to Ashley where they lived comfortably for a year. He sold this house for a county court house and it was later moved to Vernal, still used for a court house. Later the building was remodeled and used as a dwelling on the lot just across from the Sterling Transportation office the old Uintah State Station. Mr. Gibson was the first constable in the valley. He served 2 terms as state representative. The following incident enlivening his sojourn there, depicting the determined will of Mr. Gibson and to which he sometime jokingly referred happened on his return from his first session of the state legislature. On his way home, after the close of the legislature he arrived in Price on a Saturday afternoon and as no stages ran on Sunday, it would necessitate a stay until Monday with added expense. Securing a lunch of crackers and cheese and placing his belonging in a red bandana handkerchief he started out on foot thinking that perhaps he would be overtaken by some one coming through. At any rate he traveled continuously except for short intervals of rest and was not overtaken by anyone until his arrival at the hill top overlooking Ashley Valley, just as the stage arrived. He was invited by the driver to a seat in the stage for the remainder of the journey. Weary and footsore as was this pioneer legislator he refused the offer and trudged his weary way across the flats to his home. The stage fare was $17.50 which he always maintaned was a "hold-up fare" as he had demontrated one could make big wages by walking the entire distance. While acting as state representtive Mr. Gibson conceived the idea to paint "Remember the Main" on the face of a very high cliff in Ashley canyon, which would be a lasting reminder of patriotism to the citizens of this section. Leo A. Voight painted the phrase which is still visible on the face of the 500 foot cliff. The stirring incidents in the life of Mr. Gibson would make a large book if published. He was a lover of nature and all things beautiful giving liberally of his time and means to all worthy causes. A large crowd gathered on one of the coldest days ever recorded since the earliest pioneering days in Ashley Valley, to pay to this honored man their last respects in the Vernal First ward chapel at noon Wednesday. The bishopric of the Ashley ward was in charge, Counselor Edward Kidd conducting. A double mixed quartet sang "Lead Kindly Light," "My Beautiful Home," and "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." Mrs. Mae Jorgensen, accompanied by Mrs. Glen Lambert, sang "One Fleeting Hour," as a soprano solo. Carl Preece of the High Council was first speaker. In a tribute told of his acquaintance with the departed and showed that his desire for truthfulness in all things and his hatred for sham determined his success in life. Sixteen years ago Mr. Gibson made a request that Mr. Preece speak at his funeral. President K. B. Calder told of how Mr. Gibson, through his determined will power, had solved the problems of the pioneer and how his efforts had been crowned with success. From the very start his home had been one of refinement and culture. Mr. Calder also told of how all his succeses and failures had been equally shared by his faithful wife in the rearing of their family. He spoke of Mr. Gibson's efforts with the Indians and how he had risked his life to save that of William Anderson. He also mentioned his sentiment in patriotism. Joseph Lambert of Roosevelt, half brother of Mrs. Gibson, was the last speaker who told of Mr. Gibson's trips across the plains to help the immigrants in their difficulties in settling the West. The floral offerings were profuse [and] came from all sections. Charles B. Carter offered the opening prayer and Hugh W. Colton the benediction. Interment was made in the private burial plot north of the homestead.* Here four years ago Mr. Gibson had constructed cement vaults for himself and wife. Every detail for the burial preparation had he worked out in advance. He stated last fall that if he had the strength and knew ahead when the end would be he would go to the vault and lay down for the final sleep. Mr. Colton also dedicated the grave. ------------------------- *Those buried in the Gibson family cemetery were later moved to the Vernal City cemetery.