Arrington Gibson (abt. 1818-1884)

Arrington Gibson served in Company A of the 12th Wisconsin Infantry.  He was from River Falls when he enlisted on September 23, 1861. He was a sergeant when he was discharged on April 29, 1862.

According to the federal census, he was born in Massachusetts in about 1818.  

An obituary for Arrington Gibson appeared in the March 27, 1884, issue of The River Falls Journal.

Rev. A. Gibson, brother of J. W. Gibson, of this place, died of heart disease at his home in Shell Lake on Friday last. To all appearances he was feeling unusually well in the morning, and after spending some time in writing  he left the house for the purpose of cuttings some wood. He was found dead soon after, lying upon his back with a stick of wood into which he had sawed about two inches, the sawhorse and saw lying across his legs. The deceased was the first pastor of the Baptist Church of the village, and has been an earnest and effective worker in the cause of christianity for many years. At the time of his death he was clerk of the Circuit Court of Washburn county. His age was 66 years. He leaves a wife¹ and one son.² The remains were buried in the cemetery at New Richmond³ on Tuesday last, the services being conducted according to the rites of Odd Fellowship.

His obituary in the March 26, 1884, issue of the Saint Croix Republican from New Richmond says this:

REV. A. GIBSON, of Shell Lake, died suddenly on Saturday. His remains were brought to New Richmond on Tuesday, and were met at the depot by the Odd Fellows, and escorted to the Methodist Church, where the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Rowley, of Hudson. The interment took place in the New Richmond Cemetery.³

Mr. Gibson was one of the pioneer preacher[s] of the St. Croix Valley, and was well known and dearly beloved by all the people. He has wrought a good work as pastor of the Baptist Church in Hudson, River Falls, New Richmond and Shell Lake. He leaves a widow,¹ and a son² grown to manhood.

1.  Evaline B. Gibson.
2.  Francis Eli Gibson.
3. He is not listed in the index to the New Richmond Cemetery that is in the UWRF Archives. But in the index to the Cylon Methodist Church Cemetery—which is a few miles north of New Richmond in Saint Croix County—there is a listing for a monument and Civil War standard with the surname “Gibson,” but no other information.