James Gibson (November 19, 1849 – December 12, 1918) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. He served as

Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri The Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri is the highest official in the Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Government. Since the 1920s the city has had a council-manager government in which a city manager runs most of the day-to-day operations of ...

in 1883.

Early life

James Gibson was born on November 19, 1849, in

Cooper County, Missouri Cooper County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,103. Its county seat is Boonville. The county was organized December 17, 1818 and named for Sarshell Coop ...

to John Gibson. Gibson was descended from

John Bannister Gibson John Bannister Gibson (November 8, 1780 – May 3, 1853) was a Pennsylvania attorney, politician in the state legislature, and judge, including years on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from 1816 to his death in 1853. He served as chief justice on ...

and

Edward Rutledge Edward Rutledge (November 23, 1749 – January 23, 1800) was an American Founding Father and politician who signed the Continental Association and was the youngest signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He later served as the 39th gover ...

. He attended

Kemper Military School Kemper Military School & College was a private military school located in Boonville, Missouri. Founded in 1844, Kemper filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2002. The school's motto was "Nunquam Non Paratus" (Never Not Prepared). The 46-acre cam ...

in Boonville.

Career

In 1871, Gibson moved to

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

. In 1877, Gibson was elected as city attorney of Kansas City and he was re-elected in 1878. In 1880, Gibson served as a presidential elector. In 1883, Gibson was elected as

Mayor of Kansas City The Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri is the highest official in the Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Government. Since the 1920s the city has had a council-manager government in which a city manager runs most of the day-to-day operations of t ...

. Gibson was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. Gibson was a member of the Jackson County Circuit Court from 1889 to 1904.

Personal life

Gibson married Mary Todd Pence of

Weston, Missouri Weston is a town in Platte County, Missouri within the United States. The population was 1,641 at the 2010 census. History The Lewis and Clark Expedition stopped at "Bear Medison" island, near the location of today's city hall. Weston was the ol ...

, on November 18, 1880. They had one son and one daughter, James E. Gibson and Mrs. Burris McGie Little. His son was the general manager of the Kansas City Railways Company. Gibson died on December 12, 1918, at his home on 2934 Tracy Avenue in Kansas City. He was buried at Mount Washington Cemetery in

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gibson, James 1849 births 1918 deaths People from Cooper County, Missouri Mayors of Kansas City, Missouri Missouri lawyers Missouri Democrats