Morton County Archives — North Dakota Genealogy

Biography of W. C. Gilbreath of Mandan, North Dakota

W. C. Gilbreath, born September 9, 1851, in McMinn County, Tennessee, moved to Oregon in 1853. After his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage, they relocated to Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1864. Gilbreath graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1874 and pursued mercantile and banking interests in Illinois. He also served in the Illinois National Guard. In 1878, he moved to Iowa, engaging in various businesses. By 1893, he returned to Illinois briefly before moving to North Dakota, where he became a newspaper editor and held several political positions, including Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor. He married Lillie D. Lyon in 1874 and had three children.

Biography of William C. Gilbreath of Mandan, North Dakota

William C. Gilbreath, born on September 9, 1851, in McMinn County, Tennessee, played a significant role in his community’s development. After his father’s death, his family moved to Illinois, where he attended public school and graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1874. Gilbreath engaged in mercantile and banking businesses and served in the Illinois National Guard. He moved to Iowa in 1878, pursued various businesses, and worked in the newspaper industry. In 1901, he became North Dakota’s deputy commissioner of insurance and later served as Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor. He married Lillie D. Lyon in 1874, and they had three children.