WILLIAM OWENS GIBSON

    William O. Gibson traveled to Oregon in 1847 with his wife, mother, and six children.   One daughter, Polly, and two sons died.   They came to Cornelius and connected with Harvey Clark who offered them work in constructing a log cabin for a church and for Tabitha Brown to care for orphan Children.   This was completed in 1848, for $28, and the following year it became Tualatin Academy, the precursor of Pacific University.

    Gibson took a land claim on the Tualatin River which included the property later to become Dilley Station.   Partnering with his neighbor, Horace Parsons, a grist mill was built in 1850, producing flour which was sent to California for $50 a barrel.

    In 1858 Gibson sold the mill site to two sons of Horace Parsons and by 1862 had sold his entire DLC, save the Dilley site, to the Parsons and in 1875 he moved to Hillsboro where he remained until his death.

    In 1854 Gibson was a councilman on the Agricultural Committee which was charged to develop a Washington County Fair.   The opening date was 1854 with premiums offered totaling $420. It was held first in Forest Grove and, in 1861, moved to Hillsboro on the courthouse lawn; later moved to 50 acres south of Baseline, Shutes Park, and finally to where we now find it across from the airport.