# John L. Gibbs *Minnesota legislator, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and lieutenant governor (1897–1899)* John La Porte Gibbs (May 3, 1838 – November 28, 1908) was a [[Minnesota]] politician. He served in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], was its speaker twice, and became the state's fourteenth [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota|lieutenant governor]].[^1] A Republican, Gibbs settled in Albert Lea after studying law in Michigan. He held House seats across four decades and ran unsuccessfully for [[Governor of Minnesota|governor]] in 1886 and 1896. He was elected lieutenant governor and held that office from 1897 to 1899.[^1] He made his living by farming, chiefly dairying, and in 1893 he led the Minnesota Dairymen's Association.[^1] ## Life and career Gibbs was born in 1838 in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Eli and Caroline Gibbs (née Atwood).[^1] He grew up on the family farm and went to school in Le Raysville, Pennsylvania, and at the Susquehanna Collegiate Institute in Towanda, Pennsylvania. He then studied at the University of Michigan Law School and completed his degree in 1861.[^1] After leaving Michigan, Gibbs went west through Illinois and Iowa. He settled in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where he taught school.[^1] Voters of [[Freeborn County, Minnesota|Freeborn County]] chose him as their county attorney in 1862.[^1] Gibbs first won election to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1863 as a Republican.[^1] The biographical summary credits him with five terms and lists his service as 1864–1866, 1876–1878, 1885–1887 and 1895–1897. He held the speakership in 1877 and again in 1885.[^1] In 1886 Gibbs sought the governorship and was defeated in the primary. Several candidates split the vote, and [[Andrew Ryan McGill]] won the convention.[^1] He tried for governor again in 1896 and was again defeated in the primary. He then ran for lieutenant governor and won.[^1] He held that office from January 5, 1897, to January 3, 1899, while [[David Marston Clough]] was governor.[^1] Although trained as a lawyer, Gibbs supported himself by farming. He owned land near Geneva, Minnesota.[^1] He sometimes gave lectures on farming subjects and was best known for his dairy work. In 1893 the Minnesota Dairymen's Association elected him its president, and his farming earned him the nickname "Farmer Gibbs".[^1] He died in Owatonna, Minnesota, on November 28, 1908.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - John La Porte Gibbs, a Republican legislator, House speaker and lieutenant governor.[^1] ### What - Freeborn County attorney, elected in 1862.[^1] - Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and speaker in 1877 and 1885.[^1] - Fourteenth lieutenant governor of Minnesota.[^1] ### When - Born May 3, 1838; died November 28, 1908.[^1] - Lieutenant governor from January 5, 1897, to January 3, 1899, under Governor David Marston Clough.[^1] ### Where - Born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He settled in Albert Lea, Minnesota, owned land near Geneva, Minnesota, and died in Owatonna, Minnesota.[^1] ### How many - Five House terms, according to the biographical summary. The same summary lists four service periods: 1864–1866, 1876–1878, 1885–1887 and 1895–1897.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *John L. Gibbs* (revision 1365626552, retrieved 2026-10-25) — covers his birth, education, county and legislative offices, speakerships, runs for governor, lieutenant governorship, farming and death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Gibbs