Narcissa California Gibson (March 6, 1880 – 1958), known as California Gibson, was a farmer, rancher, and politician, from the U.S. state of California.

Early life

Narcissa California Gibson was born in Colusa County, California, the daughter of rancher Joseph Sitton Gibson and Sarah Frances Larch Gibson. Her parents were born in Missouri; her father moved to California in 1850 as part of the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

, but soon left mining to start a ranch. California Gibson was sent to

Miss Head's School Miss (pronounced ) is an English language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as " Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, ...

in Berkeley as a young woman, but returned to work on the ranch soon after.

Career

California Gibson ran the 2177-acre J. S. Gibson Company ranch in Colusa County, with her brother Gion Gibson after their father died in 1906, and alone after her brother died in 1921. She grew rice and

alfalfa Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...

, and raised prize-winning turkeys and a herd of Holstein Fresian cattle for dairy production. Beginning in 1922 she served as one of the three directors of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District; she was appointed by the county board of supervisors to succeed her late brother as director. "It is a position of exceptional importance, but Miss Gibson is exceptionally qualified for the responsibility," explained ''Sunset Magazine'' soon after her appointment. She sold the ranch in 1924. In 1930 California Gibson was elected treasurer of Colusa County."Colusa County Political Races Attract Entries"
''Woodland Daily Democrat'' (April 18, 1930): 1. via Newspapers.com

References

1880 births 1958 deaths People from Colusa County, California California local politicians {{authority control