Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames G

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames G, extracted from the Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century by Stone, William Leete, 1835-1908.

GIBSON, Hon. James Biography

Hon. James Gibson was born at Salem, Washington County, N. Y., September 5, 1816. He was the son of James B. Gibson, who was a prominent lawyer of the county. James Gibson was educated at the Salem Washington Academy and studied law, first in the office of his uncle, Samuel Stevens, and afterwards with Cyrus Stevens and John H. Boyd of Whitehall. He was admitted to the bar in 1836 and from that date up to his death he pursued the practice of his profession in Salem. He was an able lawyer and consequently successful in his profession. In November, 1850, he was elected County Judge and served four years. In 1866 he was elected State Senator for the district composed of Washington and Rensselaer counties. He was editor of the Washington County Post from 1838 to 1841 and has left behind him a high reputation as a literary man and an historian. The material which he collected relative to Washington County is very valuable.

Judge Gibson was a Republican from the foundation of the party up to 1871 when he became a Liberal Republican. During the latter years of his life he was identified with the Democratic party.

He always took great interest in military affairs and in 1840 raised a company of light infantry, of which he was made Captain. This company was attached to the 50th Reg-iment, State Militia, of which he ultimately became Lieutenant-Colonel. On the disbandment of the 50th he was attached to the 30th Regiment, N. G. N. Y., and was promoted to the rank of Colonel. In 1867 he was made Brigadier-General of the 12th brigade, which disbanded in 1874.

Judge Gibson was prominently associated with the Masonic Fraternity, the Odd Fellows, the Episcopal Church, and took an active interest in all important public matters. He was president of the Washington County Historical Society; a member of the American Geographical Society; a trustee of Evergreen Cemetery, and a director of the National Bank at Salem.

On October 17, 1841, Judge Gibson married Jane, daughter of Ira and Wealthy Ann (Gilbert) Woodworth. There only surviving child is Mary, wife of Mr. T. A. Wright, publisher, of New York City. A son, James Gibson, a lawyer of Salem, is deceased.

GIBSON, James, Jr. Biography

James Gibson, Jr., was born in Salem, N. Y., and was prepared for college at the Washing-ton Academy from which he was graduated in the class of 1890. He then entered Princeton University where he pursued the classical course for four years and graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1894. Leaving college he immediately took up the study of law and in 1898 he graduated from the Albany Law School and was admitted to the bar the same year. He then opened his office in Salem and began the active practice of his profession.

Mr. Gibson possesses not only the advantages of a university education and natural abilities of a high order but also enjoys the prestige of an illustrious ancestry, so that he has not only sprung into a fine legal practice but is also highly popular as a public man. In 1899 he was elected President of the village of Salem and in December of the same year he was elected to the office of Master of Salem Lodge No. 391, F. & A.. M., and during the same year was elected a trustee of the Washington Academy and of the Bancroft Public Library. He is also one of the vestrymen of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Mr. Gibson is the son of James and Jennie (Cowan) Gibson and the grandson of Judge James Gibson who was State Senator from 1867 to 1868 and County Judge from 1851 to 1857. He was also Worshipful Master of Salem Lodge No. 391, F. & A. M., and one of the most universally esteemed figures in law, politics and masonry not only in Washington County but throughout the entire State of New York.

GIBBS, Leonard Biography

Leonard Gibbs was born at Cambridge, Washington County, N. Y., April 21, 1800, and was educated for a lawyer and practiced his profession in his native town for some years. He was District Attorney of the county for a number of years and was once elected to the Legislature. He removed to New York in 1839.

GIBSON, Henry Biography

Henry Gibson, son of James B. Gibson, was born at Salem, June 29, 1818, and studied law with his brother, the late Judge James Gibson. In 1845 he went to Whitehall and formed a partnership with E. E. Davis which continued until 1S52. He then practiced alone until 1857 when he and O. F. Davis entered into partnership, which was dissolved in 1866. From that time he was again alone. He was Associate County Judge from 1859 to 1863, and was a member of the Whitehall Board of Education for many years. He died in 1878.

GILROY, John Biography

John Gilroy was born in Richfield Springs, N. Y., March 22, 1864, and received his education at the public schools of his native place and the Cooperstdwn Academy. He began the study of law with Thomas Hagerty of Richfield Springs, and completed his legal studies in the office of Jordan E. Seeley at Granville. He was admitted to the bar on September 8, 1892 and immediately began the active practice of his profession as a partner with Mr. Seeley. the firm name being Seeley & Gilroy. In 1896 this firm dissolved and Mr. Gilroy at once opened an office for himself. He is an able advocate and has already achieved a high reputation, not only as a legal advisor, but has also taken high rank as a corporation counsel and lawyer. He is at present corporation counsel for the village of Granville and also for the Farmers' National Bank, besides being Village Clerk. He was a Justice of the Peace for eight consecutive years.

In politics Mr. Gilroy is a Democrat and his voice and counsel are invariably sought by the party leaders. In 1898 he was nominated by the Democrats for Member of Assembly and made a creditable run against Hon. Charles R. Paris, of Sandy Hill, N. Y., but it must be remembered that Washington County is overwhelmingly Republican. Again in 1895 he was nominated on the Deinocratic ticket for Supervisor of the town of Granville, but was defeated for the reason just named. In both of these campaigns, however, he ran 500 votes ahead of his ticket. He was for two years Chairman of the Democratic County Committee and was its treasurer for several years, and has been delegate to every Democratic County Convention since reaching his majority, and two Democratic State Conventions.

Mr. Gilroy is a member of the Sons of Veterans and of the Knights of Columbus, and has served two years as Grand Knight.

His parents were John and Catharine (Lawler) Gilroy, both natives of Longford, Ireland. John Gilroy, Sr. , was a veteran of the civil war, serving in the Second Heavy Artillery, which experienced much severe fighting.

On May 8, 1900, Mr. Gilroy married Elizabeth Lyon, daughter of William Lyon, of Middle Granville, N. Y.

Mr. Gilroy is one of the ablest and most popular lawyers in Washington County. His fine abilities have already placed him in the front rank of the bar of Northern New York, and his affibility wins him friends every day, and above all he has established a reputation for unswerving integrity, which has gained for him the highest degree of public confidence.

[ Surnames H ]