A Biography of John Lye Gibb

compiled by Keith Fisher

John was the first child of a sucessful Shoemaker. His Life was all laid out for him, but God had other plans....

William Gibb was born in a lower class household but he struggled and apprenticed and became a shoemaker. He fell in love with the daughter of a School master who looked down on William. He always felt that he had to prove himself in the eyes of his father-in-law. William started a shoemakers buisness and turned into a large enterprise. it was in these circumstances that the first son of William and Isabella Elizabeth Lye Gibb was born.

John Lye Gibb was born 16 sept 1848 in South Petherton, Somersetshire, England. The family moved around a bit but eventually the family moved across the bay to Newport, Monmonthshire, Wales.

Now a side note: I am constrained to write about the life of this great man and his wives but there is far greater published work that I must draw your attention to, I have taken most of what I have written here, from that book. The Book that I have mentioned is, "A Faithful Generation" by my grand uncle John Robert Fisher. When I started doing my reasearch, then Reread Uncle Bob's book, I came to the inevitable conclusion that someone had been over this ground before. I was traveling in my Uncle's footsteps and there couldn't improve on his work.

John apprenticed under his father in Wales, there was a falling out and John went to work in the coal mines and almost lost his life. He met Sarah Smith and fell in love. She was a Mormon and would not marry anyone who was not a Mormon. John, Through his own efforts, discovered the truth of the Gospel of Jesus and was baptised. this only added to the flames of indignation between John and his father. but he married Sarah.

John worked as a shoe maker in Yorkshire and in Wales until the day that he and his family could cross the ocean to go to their Zion in the state of Utah.when they emigrated in 1875, they had four children and one on the way. When they arrived they were sent to Lehi to settle. With the help of his church leader, John started a shoe shop. it was on main street and gained noteriety by having a sign over the shop of a bearded man made entirely of old shoes and boots.

Being a busnessman, John became an outspoken member of the Republican party. once while he was speaking at a convention, he was called upon to voice the opinion of the party concerning the Prohibition sentiment that had arisen in the area. The position was that whatever was good for business (including the tavern business) was what the party was for.

John must have done some soul searching. it had to be hard for him to have his faith tested in this way. he stood and said, "Whereas, the Republicans have always stood for Morality and the uplifting of the oppressed; now therefore, be it resolved by the republican party in mass meeting assembled that we pledge ourselves to do our best to put down this evil and that every person who is nominated to hold office in our city government for the ensuing two years shall also pledge him or herself to work for the making of repealing of the laws to the end that the sale of intoxicating liquor shall be prohibited in this city."

Of course he had just expressed the position of the opposition. Will Ross, Party chief stood and mentioned the $1600.00 that the tavern owners had paid to the city for licenses. He then proposed that they adopt a policy of stronger regulation and higher licenses. Ross' resolution was adopted. The point that this writer would like to make is that, John Lye Gibb was a man of principles and faith based values. He beleived in helping the oppressed and in living the gospel as he knew it. and he wasn't afraid of making his beliefs known.

Because of those beliefs he married, (by Sarah's suggestion and under her full approval) Hannah Simmons. He built her a house on the 10 acre farm that he and Sarah resided in. Soon he had to deal with persecution and prosecusion for those believes and he served for a time in the State prison in Sugar House.

In 1899, John began to make preparations to move his large family to Canada. he had been called by his church leaders to move up there and help build a settlement. John moved to magrath, Alberta and built a dugout with a Harness repair shop next to it. His skills as a shoe maker was being used to help the Mormon work crews who were building a canal for the government. John purchased a quarter section of land in Raymond. His sons were old enough to work the land in Raymond. John built a house for Hannah in Raymond and one for Sarah in Magrath.

Later, the harness shop became a Shoe shop and was moved a store on main street in Magrath. John became the father of many children who were choicest blessing. Later when the church purchaced the Cochrane Ranch and began to sell parcels of land for settlement. John purchased properties to help his children he built the first store in the town of Hillspring and had Pierce Fisher, his son-in-law run it. Later, Hannah built a small home on main street in Hillspring.

John spent his life in civic service he was a member of many civic organizations, he was a choir leader, Member of the literary society, Glee club member. He produced many plays and was respected by many young people who learned to act and sing under the direction of John Lye Gibb.

All of these capacities brought much praise for John, but to him, his greatest accomplishments were his family, and his church service. John was one of the first Patriarchs called to serve in Canada. He left a legacy of church service and his love of God that many thousands of his posterity have endeavored to follow.

John Lye Gibb Died 17 December 1920 after an illness of several weeks that was brought on by an altercation with an infuriated cow. He was 72 years old. After his death, many praises were sung of this great man. It was said that, "John was kind hearted an merciful. He seemed to be singularly free from feelings of anger, hate, and animosity. He was truthful, honest and God fearing. He was considerate, Courteous, and obliging. He never held a grudge."  

When John Lye Gibb died in 1920, he left 24 children, 99 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchilren. in 2005 his decendants number in the thousands and they are scattered throughout the United States and Canada. They are in all walks of life and many of them have show the talents for music that he developed in his life.

John Lye Gibb and his sons