Walter E. Gibson
Walter His mother, Rebecca Hearst Gibson
Zoe Booth Rutledge - Our Jefferson County Heritage
Born in Washington County, Missouri in 1863 he was a son of Samuel D(ecatur) Gibson and Rebecca (Angeline) Hearst, both of the parents being grandchildren of early pioneers. When a boy, he attended a one room log school, then Belleview Collegiate Institute, and the State Normal School at Kirksville. In his later years he sometimes humorously recalled his college days when he was a "green country kid with a funny hat, who had to learn the ways of city folks." He taught several terms of school in Washington County, where he married "Miss Lucy" McGrady, who encouraged him to become a doctor. In 1892 he earned his degree at Missouri Medical College, a part of the Washington University School of Medicine. Thus began a career in medicine that lasted fifty four years, although he felt impelled to leave his practice long enough to serve in the Forty-fourth General Assembly. He introduced many good bills that were written into the laws of the state. For ten years, concurrently with his practice of medicine, he was the mayor of DeSoto, and the town took forward strides because of his wise administration. A lifelong friendship between Walter E. Gibson and my father, Charles S. Booth, began in their boyhood and continued until my father died at the age of fifty-six. Dr. Gibson lived to be eighty four.
He practiced medicine in DeSoto for
many years and was a “horse and buggy” doctor. His first home and office is now
the location of the Mahn funeral home. His later
office was on
1897 Directory of the City of
W.E. Gibson,
physician and surgeon,
1900
William E. Gibson, Physician, Born Nov. 1863, Age 36 Married 5 years, MO MO MO
Lucie, Nov 1866, 33, mother of 2, 2 living
Lucie J., Feb 1896, 4, MO
Walter E., Jan 1900, 4/12, MO
1910
William E Gibson 47 Married 15 years
Lucy Gibson 43 Mother of 2, 2 living
Genevieve Gibson 14
Walter Gibson 10
1920
Walter E Gibson 55 Physician
Lucy Gibson 52 wife
Genevieve Gibson 23 daughter
Walter E Gibson 19 son
Amanda Baker 54 boarder
Jane McGrady 76 mother-in-law Widowed
1930
Walter W Gibson 65 Widowed Physician MO MO MO
Walter W Gibson 30 Son Physician First married at age 27 MO MO MO
Mary J Gibson 2 1/12 Granddaughter
Shelley C Crass 36 Son-in-law First married at age 33
Geneieve Crass 33 Daughter First married at age 29
Amanda Baker 65 Servant
Hallie Martin 28 Servant
1936 Directory of the City of
Dr. W. E. Gibson, Physician Tel. 41, 16 Boyd