Lorraine Knight Gibbs

Lorraine Knight Gibbs was born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, 10 December 1844.  His father, Benjamin L. Gibbs, was born in 1808 and died in 1869.  His mother, Adelia B. (maiden name unknown), was born in 1821.  Ben and Adelia were married at Binghamton, New York, in June, 1841.  Ben was a merchant tailor at Binghamton, and migrated from there to Sheboygan County, driving a team the entire distance, being one of the earliest settlers in the state of Wisconsin.  He had a contract from the government for cutting out a military road from Green Bay to Milwaukee.

Lorraine commenced his education at the district school of Gibbsville, Wisconsin, and from there went to high school in Sheboygan.  After leaving school he entered the army in the Civil War.  He also served in the western Indian campaign and was mustered out in the spring of 1866.  After being mustered out of the army he was engaged as partner with his father for a time in the mercantile business.  

 In 1868, Lorraine proceeded towards Mayfield, Paradise Township, and liked the Mayfield and Kingsley area, well enough to spend the majority of his life there, all the while, stayed involved in the lumber business.  His brother, the late James L. Gibbs, came to Michigan in 1872, together they formed a partnership known as the Gibbs Brothers, which continued until 1895, when L. K. sold his interest to his brother, since which time he and his son, Harry L. Gibbs, conducted a lumber plant west of Kingsley.

Mr. Gibbs held the position of postmaster most of the time since he was twenty-one years of age, at the Mayfield post office, He continued to retain his position as senior partner in their business, the Gibbs Bros Mill.  He was one of the original stockholders and prime movers in the establishment of the Boardman River Electric Light and Power Company.  L. K.  was also interested in the proposed electric railroad between Traverse City and Old Mission, and did all he could to promote that enterprise. The electric railroad never came to fruition.

Mary Amelia Humphrey became his wife, 1 May 1867, in Lima Township, Sheboygan. Five children were born, but Mary L., died in infancy.  The others are, Harry L., Edith M., Roy H., and Ethel L.  Mr. Gibbs, owned a beautiful home on Eighth Street, Traverse City, Michigan.

Gibbs Bros Mill History

In 1868 Messrs, Neal, Gibbs and Knight, under the firm name of Neal, Gibbs Co., commenced operations on Section 28, in Township 26 North, of Range 10 West.  Their location was about thirteen miles south from Traverse City and in the midst of the forest. The site was selected because of the fine creek which afforded excellent facilities for milling purposes.  

A sawmill was built and lumbering operations on a small scale began, a business which was successfully continued. Subsequently they built a grist-mill.

Sources: The Traverse Region, published 1884
Grand Traverse and Leelanaw Counties, by E. L. Sprague, 1903.