SUDDEN DEATH OF R.F. GIBONS
Prominent Citizen Of This City Passes Away Last Wednesday.
Rupp Franklin Gibons, one of the prominent men of the city and Wasco County, died at his home on Fourth and Liberty streets about 12 Wednesday night, death resulting from heart failure after a brief illness of about a week. Mr. Gibons was born October 12, 1832 at Allentown, Pennsylvania, being 77 years of age. He removed from there, in his early years to Princeton, Illinois, where he was married to Miss Matilda Wixon, who died in this city June 5, 1899. From Princeton, he removed to The Dalles, becoming a farmer on Chenowith creek. Later, he went into the hardware business with J. M. Marden and A.S. McAllister of this city. After the fire of 1891, in which the store was destroyed, he became engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business with J. M. Marden in which he devoted his time until his death. The deceased was married on July 15 1903 to Mrs. Sarah J. Van Bebber of this city, who survives him. Mr. Gibons was mayor of the city in 1885. He also held the office of county clerk. He was Past Master of Wasco lodge Number 15, Past High Priest of The Dalles Chapter Number 6. He was a Royal Arch Mason and Grand High Priest of the State of Oregon, as well as Generalissimo of Columbia Commandery of the Knight Templars. He was a member of the Al-Kader Temple Nobles of the Mystic Shriners. Two children of a family of five remain to mourn his death, Ralph V. Gibons of this city and George Gibons of Bull Run, Oregon. A sister, Mrs. Blanch Stevens of Gainsville, Texas, and two brothers, Clarence and Harvey of Princeton, Illinois, survive him as well as six grandchildren.

*Published in The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Wasco County, Oregon, June 11, 1909.

*Rupp married Matilda Frances Wixon on September 9 1855 in Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois.

They had 5 Children:

George Gilbert Gibons
1856–1931
Mary Ellen Gibons
1858–1865
Ralph Victor Gibons
1859–1919
Wilbur Wasco Gibons
1863–1887
Frank Alfred Gibons
1867–1873

*Rupp married Sarah Joanne Marsh Van Bebber on July 15 1903 in Colfax, Whitman County, Washington.

A SURPRISE WEDDING
Two Dalles People Leave Home and Will Return One.
In times past Dalles people have been treated to what was meant by the parties to be genuine surprise in the wedding line; but in a small place the nervous young man has hardly made up his mind to submit the all important question, before the community is all agog with the news. It remained, however, for two prominent Dalles people, older in years, to succeed in thoroughly surprising their friends, who had had no intimation of such intentions on their part. And so when the news spread about the city this morning that Mrs. S.J. Van Bibber and R.F. Gibons had decided to spend the remainder of life as husband and wife, and to that end were made one last Thursday, the greatest of surprise was created. For some time past Mrs. VanBibber has been in the habit of traveling about visiting friends and relatives here and there and her visit to her sister in Colfax therefore caused no comment. But when R. F. Gibons, whose trips from home are few and far between and generally accompanied by a brother Mason, refused to act as clerk at the election last Wednesday and left for parts unknown without even a hint as to his intention, there was the slightest surmise that something was on hand, but what no one guessed. It was unkind of them, to say the least; but realizing the good common sense they displayed in their choice for the future they will be forgiven for thus eloping and welcomed back with all the good wishes and congratulations their friends can get together. The first intimation THE CHRONICLE had was contained in a Colfax dispatch to a Spokane paper of Saturday which read thusly: A quiet home wedding occurred at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. H. I. Willis, on Mill street, yesterday at 11 o'clock, when Mrs. Sarah J. VanBibber, sister of Mrs. Willis, became the bride of R. F. Gibons, of The Dalles, Or. The wedding was performed by Rev. U.F. Hawk, pastor of the Colfax Methodist church, in the presence of the relatives only, after which a wedding dinner was served, and Mr. and Mrs. Gibons left on the afternoon train for Victoria, B.C., to spend the honeymoon. They will make their home in The Dalles, where Mr. Gibons is a prominent merchant, and where both have lived for many years.

*Published in The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Wasco County, Oregon, July 22, 1903.