Archives Administrator Megan Sanford

*Valeria Gibson, date unknown.[2014.090.0001]*

There are so many papers, books and articles about Paris Gibson and how he won and lost 3 fortunes and his starting the town of Great Falls. His sons were well to do businessmen as well. But his wife, Valeria G. Gibson, has always been sort of a mystery. She was described as a long-time invalid at the time of her death and of poor health. She never attended social gatherings and only 2 photos of her are known to exist. What was she like? What were her interests? When researching someone there can be many questions that are never answered, but remember that history is a living thing, that is always updating and changing as we find new sources. So I’d like to look at what we know today.

*Souvenir photo of Brownfield, Maine, date unknown. [2021.058.0009]*

Valeria G. Sweat was born November 30, 1839, in Brownfield, Maine. She attended Fryeburg Academy, just 10 miles away. At age 19, she married Paris Gibson, age 28, in their hometown in 1858. Their first child, Phillip was born July 2, 1859, just after they moved to Minneapolis. In 1861 their daughter Helen was born, but died at 13 months. In 1863, she gave birth to their second son, Theodore. Tragedy struck again as their third son, Paris Gibson Jr. born in 1865, only lived to the age of 2.

*Daguerreotype of Valeria and Theodore Gibson, 1864. [2021.058.0001]*

*Diary Entries found inside Valeria’s Prayer and Hymnal Book, August 16 and 17, 1867. [1992.008.0115]*
*August 16, 1867 – My baby Paris died this morning at half past eight after on of the most tedious suffering(s) I ever knew. Oh the desolation of this home.”*
*August 17, 1867 – Baby buried.*

Valeria was soon given the task of helping raise her younger sister and brother, John and Jessie Sweat, as her mother had passed, and her father was not up to the task. They joined her in Minneapolis in 1870. Education seemed to mean a lot to Valeria as she made sure both siblings attended the University of Minnesota and Jessie also attended Wellesley College. In 1879, Paris Gibson left Minneapolis to seek a new fortune in Montana, taking his son Phillip with him. Theodore joined them later the same year. John Sweat heads back to Maine and receives his M.D from Bowdoin College in 1880, then returns to Minneapolis. Soon her siblings and children were all married and living in Great Falls. It is hard to say what she did during that time alone.

*Valeria Gibson’s Prayer and Hymnal Book, 1866. [1992.008.0115]*

Valeria made her first trek West in 1885, but due to her poor health, she was unable to stay. She was able to come and witness Great Falls in 1887, but again her poor health drove her back to Minneapolis. Paris and Valeria would not reunite permanently under the same roof until 1894, but she cared for her husband and his city from afar.

*Valeria Library Exterior photo, circa 1890. [1992.066.0138]*

*Interior of the Valeria Library, circa 1890. [1994.038.0165]*

*Valeria Public Library Book Listing, March 1895. [1994.038.0005]*

In 1889, the Valeria Library Association was formed. Though the name Valeria was probably offered up by Theodore Gibson or Jessie Sweat Ladd, both of whom were part of the association, Valeria herself gave a donation of several hundred books to the opening of the library. The association raised money and built the Valeria Library in 1890, opening its doors with about 800 books available. In 1892, the library was sold to the City of Great Falls, redubbing it the Valeria Free Public Library. When a new Carnegie library was built in 1903 next door, the now Valeria Hall served as community building for groups to meet and the YWCA for a couple of years.

*Photographs of the Park Hotel, circa 1895. [2002.094.0036X]*

When Valeria did make the permanent move to Great Falls in 1894, she joined Paris in residing in a suite of rooms on the third floor of the Park Hotel. She remained a quiet and solitary figure from the public until the end of her days. On August 18th, 1900, at age 60, Valeria died. The Great Falls Leader was subtle and vague in the description of her death, as a possible kindness to the grieving family:

MRS. GIBSON DEAD.

Succumbed This Morning After Long Years of Suffering

Funeral Tomorrow Afternoon

Mrs. Valeria Gibson, the wife of the Honorable Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls, died at her rooms in the Park Hotel at 3:30 [am]. Mrs. Gibson had been invalid for 30 years, and the past year had been in such feeble health that her death was expected at any moment. By an unfortunate accident last night, she received a shock that hastened the end by a few days.

Great Falls Leader, August 18, 1900

Other newspapers, such as The Missoulian, the Billings Weekly Gazette, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, MN and The Fergus County Argus (below) told the brutal truth:

MRS. PARIS GIBSON DEAD.

Great Falls, August 18 – While temporarily insane, Mrs. Valeria G. Gibson leaped from the window of her room on the third floor of the Park Hotel in this city about 11:30 last night, alighting on the pavement below. She sustained sever injuries from which she died 4 hours later.

Mrs. Gibson was the wife of Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls. She has been an invalid for several years and has been confined to her room in the hotel, which was conducted by her son. She has been under the care of two nurses day and night, but during their absence from the room last night she forced the screen from the window and leaped out. Her injuries were not of a fatal nature, but the shock upon her system, in its weak condition, caused her death. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock.

Fergus County Argus, August 22, 1900, p. 1

Though her physical time in Great Falls was brief, she made a lasting impression on its citizens:

THE LAST SAD RITES

Beautiful services over the remains of Mrs. Paris Gibson

The Funeral of the late Mrs. Valeria Goodenow Gibson occurred yesterday afternoon from the family residence at 402 Fourth avenue north. The casket containing the remains of the venerated and loved dead was placed in the front parlors, and was literally buried beneath rich and beautiful floral offerings sent as a last tribute of love and respect for her who had passed to her reward.

The beautiful services of the Episcopal church were read, after which appropriate sacred music was rendered by those present.

The casket was then placed in a hearse and taken to Highland cemetery for internment, followed by perhaps the largest concourse of people ever attending a funeral service in this city. And thus closed the life on earth of an affectionate wife and a loving mother.

In his loss Mr. Gibson and the members of his family have the sincere and earnest sympathy of the people of Great Falls and of Montana.

Great Falls Tribune, August 20, 1900

She gave one last gift to Great Falls, bequeathing 250 books to the Valeria Library in her will.

*One of the 250 books donated by Valeria upon her death,* Spiers & Surenne’s French Pronunciation Dictionary, 1885, [2001.003.0001]

The city did not forget her, naming a boulevard “Valeria Way”, but over time those places have changed or gone. Valeria way is no more and Valeria Hall was demolished along with the Carnegie to make room for our current library in 1965.

*Great Falls Tribune clipping, November 4, 1909.*

*Great Falls Tribune clipping, November 11, 1959.*

This is all I have been able to find on Valeria, through the efforts of others, myself and the Gibson descendants. Many have speculated on her life and death and now I’d like to give you, my interpretation:

I see a wonderful woman who believed in her husband, who raised 4 children while burying 2 others. She did her best as her husband made and lost 2 fortunes before finding lasting success. She became ill or pained, not only physically, but I believe at heart as well sometime during their time living in Minneapolis. She helped spread education and an appreciation for literature and art in the best way she could. Her family loved her, protected her and took joy in her presence. And at the end of her life, when she saw that her family was safe, secure, and having successful lives of their own, she decided she had done enough and could have her final rest. Nothing nefarious, nothing elaborate, but a beautiful person who struggled in life much like the rest of us.