Sheboygan Press April 29, 1927 LIMA - HINGHAM - GIBBSVILLE - WAKEFIELD - SIX CORNERS Part 1 GIBBS BROTHERS BUILT LOG CABIN AND MADE THE FIRST CLEARING The first settlement in the town of Lima was made at an earlier date than at any other place in the county, with the exception of the town of Sheboygan and Sheboygan Falls. In the fall of 1836, John D., James H. and Benjamin L. GIBBS, brothers, of the state of New York, came by boat to Milwaukee and settled on the N. E. Quarter of Section 26, town of Lima. This was the first evidence of civilization in the town. Log cabins were soon rolled up, and the following year a clearing of about eight acres was opened and planted to oats and potatoes. For nearly two years this was the only settlement in the town. Milwaukee was the most convenient market where the GIBBS brothers bought groceries, which were brought by mail carrier. Flour was obtained at Sheboygan, from a company dealing in lumber and provisions. In the fall of 1838, Benjamin FARMIN settled on Section 9. The FARMIN cemetery is located on Dye road and in this sacred ground has been buried Mr. FARMIN, members of his family and many of the pioneers who first settled in that section of the county. The following winter Newel UPHAM also settled on Section 9. COME FROM SHEBOYGAN In the spring of 1839, A. G. DYE, removed from Sheboygan where he had lived for about two and one-half years, and settled on Section 8. In the spring of 1840, John JOHNSON removed from Sheboygan where he had lived for about three years, and settled one mile south of the GIBBS brothers, on Section 35. About the same time, Steve and William PALMER came and located on land directly south, on the S. W. Quarter of Section 35. >From the years of 1840 to 1850 a large number of settlements were made in the town, and in the latter year, the town of Lima, which up to that time had been a precinct of the town of Sheboygan Falls, received a separate organization. The first town meeting was held in the school house in Gibbsville, on April 2, 1850, the board of organizers were Hiram HUMPHREY, James FYFE, and Orrin C. JONES. The first town officers elected were: S. ROBERTS, chairman; Hiram HUMPHREY, assistant supervisor; J. D. PARRISH, clerk; Thomas CURRIER, superintendent of common schools. GIBBSVILLE FIRST HAMLET Originally the land in the town of Lima was covered with a dense growth of timber, and for a number of years Gibbsville was the only hamlet located in the town. The soil is of a rich clay loam, and taken as a whole, the town is about as fertile and well adapted to agricultural purposes and dairy pursuits as any in the county. The first school was taught by J. D. GIBBS at his home, Gibbsville, in 1840. The first school house was built at Gibbsville, the original building having since been replaced with a larger and more modern structure. The first religious service was conducted in this school house in the fall of 1840, by Rev. Isaac LEWIS. Elder HITCHCOCK of the First Baptist church, conducted services on January 2, 1847, in the A. G. DYE home at "Wakefield," as the town was then called. This is supposed to have been the first Baptist service held in the town of Lima. The first birth was a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. John GIBBS, in 1839. The first marriage was that of John H. GIBBS and Clarissa TERRY, in 1842.