Judge E. M. Gibson

The life of Judge E. M. Gibson of Oakland has been so varied in its activities, so high in its purposes and so far-reaching in its effects, that it is difficult to state which of its phases has been most directly beneficial, for at different periods he has proved himself a patriot, jurist, statesman, philosopher and philanthropist, and at all times an honorable and worthy man and a loyal citizen. During a period of connection with the legal profession in Oakland dating from 1874, he has risen from a place of honor and distinction in this field, but it does not by any means limit the scope of his interests which extend to every phase of municipal development or public growth.

Judge Gibson is a native of Indiana, and was born on a farm in Hamilton county on the 13th of June, 1842. He is a representative of one of the oldest southern families, the members of which have been prominent in North Carolina for many generations. He is descended from Quaker lineage. From North Carolina his paternal grandfather, Thomas Gibson, was a volunteer soldier in the continental army of the Revolutionary war, rendering distinguished service as a cavalryman. After receiving an honorable discharge he made his home in that state until his death. He wedded a Miss Crothers and their son, George Gibson, father of the subject of this review, was born in North Carolina and went to Indiana as one of the early pioneers of the latter state. George Gibson married Mary Winslow, daughter of Eleazer Winslow, a descendant of an old Massachusetts family of Winslows, one of whom was at one time governor of that state. The Winslows were Quakers for generations and left their native Massachusetts to become residents of the south. Judge Gibson's great-grandfather Winslow, was a sea captain of Nantucket, Massachusetts, sailing the high seas in his own ship for many years. When he retired because of approaching old age he purchased a large tract of land in North Carolina where he established his home, and the family became prominent among the wealthy and aristocratic people of that locality. The Winslow family were intimately related with the Stantons, also Quakers of North Carolina, Elizabeth Stanton being the maternal grandmother of our subject and Edwin M. Stanton, who was secretary of war under Lincoln, was a member of the same family.

Judge Gibson acquired his early education in the crude log schoolhouse, so representative of that early day, in his native county, which was supplemented by a course at a Quaker seminary. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, being a patriotic lad, he enlisted in Company A, Nineteenth Indiana (Volunteer) Infantry, under Colonel Sol Meredith, and went with his company into camp in Indianapolis. From there it was sent to Washington, D. C., and later to Arlington Heights, Virginia, where Judge Gibson served under General George B. McClellan. He saw a great deal of active service, participating in many of the most important engagements of the war, including the battles of Gainesville, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was with General Pope's army on its retreat from the Rapidan to Washington when it was under fire much of the time for twenty-one consecutive days. During that retreat Pope's army fought the battles of Gainesville, Second Bull Run and Chantilly.

After the battle of Antietam General Burnside was placed in command of the army of the Potomac and fought the battle of Fredericksburg. For excellent conduct in that battle young Gibson was promoted from the ranks to the position of sergeant. His service at Gettysburg was as a member of the famous Iron Brigade, the first infantry on the field of that great battle. Late in the afternoon in a desperate charge made by the enemy he was badly wounded, taken prisoner and was left four days and nights on the field before being taken to a hospital. When he had recovered sufficiently to be moved he was taken to Philadelphia, whence in December he was sent to Indianapolis and was honorably discharged from the service, June 25, 1864.

With this creditable military record Judge Gibson returned home and took up the study of law, a profession which had always atttracted him. For a time he read in the offices of Hamlin and Wickersham in Indianapolis and in the autumn of 1865 entered the law department of Columbian University, now George Washington University, Washington, D. C., from which he was graduated in 1868. He was appointed a clerk in the department of the interior and was later transferred to the third auditor's office in the United States treasury department.

He was in Washington when President Lincoln was assasinated and Andrew Johnson became president, heard his impeachment trial, and knew personally General Benjamin Butler who had much to do in bringing the impeachment proceedings; was in Washington during the trial of Mrs. Suratt, who was tried and executed for conspiracy resulting in the shooting of President Lincoln and he was also present at Ford's Theatre the night of the assasination and saw the martyred president carried from the building. Among his friends were many of the illustrious men of that time, and his personal acquaintance embraced such men as James A. Garfield, Senator Oliver P. Morton, Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner, Schuyler Colfax, General William T. Sherman, General John A. Logan and many other noted men of that period.

In 1870 he came west to California and in this state made his first location at San Jose and after a short stay removed to San Francisco. Remaining for a time in that city he came, in 1874, to Oakland where he made his home. Here he took up the active practice of law and soon became widely and prominently known as a resourceful, strong and able practitioner, whose knowledge of legal principles was comprehensive and exact, and whose application of points of law was generally correct and logical. Turning his attention to politics he soon won a position high in the councils of the republican party, to which he gave the aid of a powerful, convincing and eloquent speaker and a versatile and able politician. As a platform speaker he travelled to various parts of the state in political campaigns and did a great deal to insure the election of his party's candidates. In recognition of his legal and political ability he was in 1878 appointed district attorney to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry Vrooman, and one year later was elected and later reelected to the office which he filled with credit and distinction for four years. After being defeated for the office of railroad commissioner and for that of mayor of Oakland, he was elected judge of the superior court of Alameda county and served for six years, accomplishing much effective work. Upon the expiration of his term he again took up the practice of law in Oakland, where he is today recognized as one of the leading members of the legal fraternity. He is well versed in every branch of his profession and has won distinction in all, although he does his best and most effective work in the court, especially in jury cases, where his commanding eloquence, his striking presence and attractive personality hold the attention of his listeners. He has been connected with a great deal of important litigation and has won many hotly contested cases, his powers continually expanding and developing with the added calls made upon them. Not wholly has his time been devoted to his professional and political labors for the financial interests have for some years held claim to his valued services. He is president of the Bank of Commerce.

In Washington, D. C., in 1869, Judge Gibson married Miss Irene E. Brashears, a native of that city, of French and German ancestry. They have three children: Augusta; Clara, the wife of Ben F. Woolner, city attorney and junior partner of Judge Gibson; and Grace. For a number of years the family occupied a beautiful country home beyond Piedmont but they now reside in the city.

Mrs. Gibson for many years has been an active factor in the social life of this vicinity being a member of the Ebell Society, one of the oldest and most influential woman's organizations of Alameda county. She is also a member of the Oakland Club; the Women's Relief Corps of California and Nevada, being past president of this department; and the Daughters of the American Revolution, having served as regent of the Oakland chapter, besides being a member of several other societies. She has evinced a marked interest in all matters tending to social uplift and improvement and possesses a wide circle of friends.

Judge Gibson holds membership in the Sons of the American Revolution, and, being public-spirited, patriotic and loyal himself, is justly proud of his ancestors who fought for the cause of freedom. He is a most ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln, classing him above all other men of any age and has developed in himself much of Lincoln's broad sympathy and wide understanding. He is so familiar with the history of the great emancipator that he has made his life and character the subject of many interesting lectures. An indefatigable worker, a hard student, a deep thinker, Judge Gibson has throughout his life systematically developed his powers, talents and abilities and in so doing has won success--a success important in its material and tangible manifestations and important also by reason of the standards, ideals and principles upon which it is based. His charities have been most liberal yet unostentatious and with it all his honesty of purpose and absence of misleading pretense have been characteristic virtues.

Source: Past And Present Of Alameda County, California - Volume II , Chicago The S J Clarke Publishing Company, 1914