Edwin Henry Sibley and Jessie A. Williams
Husband Edwin Henry Sibley 1 2
Born: 12 Feb 1857 - Bath, Steuben Co, NY 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Dr. Joseph Crocker Sibley (1817-1866) 1 4 Mother: Lucy Elvira Babcock (1822-1908) 4
Marriage: 23 Dec 1884 - Dunkirk, Chautauqua Co, NY 5
Wife Jessie A. Williams 5
Born: 19 Apr 1863 - New Haven, OH 5 Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Richard Williams ( - ) 5 Mother: Rachel Maria Thompson ( - ) 5
Children
1 F Edna Sibley 5
Born: 23 Dec 1885 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Joseph Clark Tipton (1868- ) 5 Marr: 17 Jul 1909 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 5
2 M Joseph Crocker Sibley, Jr. 5
Born: 27 Jan 1888 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Mahala Rosecrans Holm (1889- ) 6 Marr: 17 Jul 1911 - Chicago, Cook Co, IL 6
3 F Jeannette Sibley 2 6 7
Born: 23 Mar 1889 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 6 Christened: Died: 30 Nov 1918 2 7 Buried: - Crawford Memorial Cemetery, Emlenton, Venango Co, PASpouse: James Burton Crawford (1855-1933) 8 9 Marr: 15 Jan 1917 2 7
General Notes: Husband - Edwin Henry Sibley
He was prepared for college in the public schools of Franklin, Pennsylvania, and at MacKoon & Waite's Private School, subsequently known as the Cascadilla School at Ithaca, New York. He spent four years at Cornell University, receiving in 1880 the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In certain subjects he had the honor of leading his classes. At the time of the organization of the Student's Guild he was, on motion of one of the professors, chosen chairman of the joint meeting of faculty and students. On the merit of his production he was selected by the faculty as one of the nine members of his class to have a public exercise on commencement day. By his fellow-students he was elected president of the Cornell University Christian Association, Ivy Orator for class-day and one of the board of editors of the Cornell Review, the literary magazine published by the students of the institution. When leaving Cornell he made arrangements to pursue his studies further at Harvard and at the University of Leipzig with a view to fitting himself to become a college professor, but a combination of circumstances led him into business. For an outing he went with a railroad surveying corps into the mountains of southeastern Kentucky. From the position of chairman he rose rapidly in succession to transitman, pay-master, purchasing agent, secretary, treasurer and a director of the company, ultimately holding the last four titles simultaneously. As President Charles Miller and other officials were in the east, it fell to Mr. Sibley's lot to look after many of the important interests of the company in Kentucky such as would naturally be attended to by a general manager. All the duties incident to these positions were satisfactorily performed. On one occasion he received the congratulations of the board of directors for the able and judicious manner in which he had conducted an important affair. He continued to look after a certain part of the company's business until about 1886, when he entered the employ of the Galena Oil Works and the Signal Oil Works of Franklin as local treasurer. A few years later he was elected treasurer. He was also for over twenty years manager of Prospect Hill Stock Farm of which Major-General Charles Miller and Hon. Joseph C. Sibley were proprietors.
Mr. Sibley always took a lively interest in the educational affairs of Franklin. For some years he did a large part of the work necessary to make a success of the courses delivered there by University Extension lecturers. He was a member of the board of school directors during the time that the new high school building was erected. When the citizens failed at the first election to authorize the necessary bond issue, he took pains to see the leading members in the community to insure their aid when the question should be again submitted. He wrote one signed communication and several editorials in the local paper urging the necessity and importance of the building. At the second election the required authority was granted by a vote of approximately three to one. Mr. Sibley also took the leading part in letting the contract for the building, and in arranging with Mr. Charles E Lord, the principal of the high school, for new courses of study and for additions to the faculty. In particular, Mr. Sibley introduced the teaching of modern languages. He was president of the Franklin Public Library for twelve years and declined a reelection. When Mr. Sibley severed his connection with the library, in 1912, the number of books owned was approximately seven thousand, among them many valuable historical, scientific and literary works and works of reference. During Mr. Sibley's presidency the library bought what was known as the Bailey property at the southwest corner of Twelfth and Liberty streets. Of the sum raised for the purchase of this property, about one-fourth was secured, principally in small amounts, by Mr. Sibley's personal efforts, supplementing the work of the soliciting committee. A handsome profit was realized by the sale of the land, and the library then acquired what is commonly known as the Judge McCalmont homestead at the southeast corner of Buffalo and Twelfth streets. The fees for maintaining the library were purposely put low, and tickets were given to all clergymen and teachers in the public schools. Consultation of reference books is allowed to everyone without charge. A large part of the books which were purchased out of library funds were those which Mr. Sibley selected.
Mr. Sibley completed a post-graduate course in modern history and political science assigned him in 1880 by the faculty of Cornell University. For many years he and his wife were attendants at Chautauqua and enjoyed the privileges for education and culture it afforded. They were graduates of the class of 1905, of which Mr. Sibley was elected a trustee. In 1886 he was the nominee of the Prohibition party for the state senate. He made speeches throughout the district, not aiming at election, but receiving the largest vote that at that time had been polled for a Prohibition candidate for that office. Later he spoke at many places throughout Venango County in favor of the proposed amendment to the constitution prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors.
For scholarly attainments Mr. Sibley was in 1906 given by Bucknell University the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He received from Alfred University in 1908 the degree of Doctor of Literature. Two others who were recipients of honorary degrees at Alfred University at the same time as Mr. Sibley, were Justice Williams of the supreme court of the State of New York, and Dean Bailey, of the department of agriculture of Cornell University, who was the author and editor of many works and who was subsequently the chairman of the Roosevelt commission on country life. From his private library Mr. Sibley from time to time gave to college libraries and public libraries a total of over two thousand carefully selected volumes. He was president of the Cornell Association of Railway & Supply Men, which met annually at Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was for seven years president of the Pennsylvania Jersey Cattle Club, whose annual meetings were held in Pittsburgh. He was one of the incorporators and the first treasurer of the Franklin Hospital. He was the author of sundry reports, papers, communications, addresses, literary essays, humorous articles, aphorisms and inspiration mottoes. Some of his humorous productions have appeared in Puck and in the Buffalo Illustrated Express. A paper read before the Pennsylvania State Dairymen's Association on "Some of the Elements of Success in Breeding Dairy Cattle" was printed in the Jersey Bulletin of Indianapolis and called forth numerous favorable criticisms from the editor and from correspondents. A wall card entitled "Administration of Life" was commended by Bishop John H. Vincent, chancellor of Chautauqua, and by Hon. Andrew D. White, United States ambassador to Germany and president of the American delegation to the Hague peace conference, and by many other men eminent as educators or as leaders in practical affairs. An address delivered at Atlantic City on "Some of the Prizes of Life" was first printed in the columns of the Cornell Alumni News and was subsequently reprinted in England in a journal edited by James Allen, author of "As a Man Thinketh," and of many other works widely read in England and the United States. [GPHAV, 319]
1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 312.
2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 507.
3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 318.
4 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 792.
5 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 320.
6 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 321.
7 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (NW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 153.
8 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 506.
9
George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (NW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 152.
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