Captain Andrew Harrington Bibber was born July 22, 1837, Lubec, Maine and Died Oct. 8, 1913, Orange, CA. His Father was Charles Bibber, born Eastport, ME, died and buried in Eastport.
His mother was Adeline Harrington, born in 1813 in Eastport, ME, died in 1881, Eastport, ME.
He marriedAnnie Louise Ansley who was born July 11, 1854, who is thought to have died Feb. 5, 1938 in Los Angeles. They married Sept. 27, 1876, Eastport, ME
Andrew Harrington Bibber and family arrived in Los Angeles, September 20, 1890 and in 1892 purchased the first ten acres of what was later a large orange ranch, where the family lived for forty-one years. The following is taken from the Orange California News:
“War Captain Passes on.”
“The passing of a staunch patriot and pioneer citizen occurred last night with the death of Captain A. H. Bibber, bringing sincere sorrow to the friends of the beloved veteran. —— Capt. Bibber has for many years been a prominent local figure, noted for his patriotic spirit, and an exceptional talent as an artist.”
“Andrew Harrington Bibber sprung from sturdy New England stock. He was born in Lubec, Maine, July 22, 1837, and reached the age of 76. Most of his early life was spent in Eastport, Maine, and he won his spurs in the Civil War with the First Maine Cavalry, serving more that the entire four years, as he enlisted in June, 1861, and was mustered out in October, 1865. Beginning service as a private, he rose steadily to the rank of Captain, and was finally a staff officer with the rank of Assistant Adjutant General. Through his private life following the War he retained the title of Captain.He was an enthusiastic member of Gordon Granger Post, G.A.R., of which for many years he was commander.
He was also a charter member of the Los Angeles Commandery of the Loyal Legion.
His wife also was a prominent citizen and the following information throws some light on her life, and indeed their life together. The information is taken from the History of Orange County, CA by Samuel Armor, p. 524, 527
A very interesting representative of fine old Revolutionary stock is Captain Andrew Harrington Bibber, renowned in the late Civil War, and doubly honored today as the husband of a lady whose singular talents and exceptional personality have enabled her also to attain social eminence such as always afford influence for good.
Mrs. Annie L. Bibber was born at St. John, N.B., the daughter of John Annesley, also a native of that place, and the granddaughter of Daniel Annesley, who crossed the Atlantic from Devonshire, and settled at St. john, where he became a shipping merchant operating so extensively that he owned his vessels, and made sixty or more ocean trips. John Annesley was a mill owner, but he gave up milling on account of ill-health, after which he took a government position under Queen Victoria; and that responsible post he held until his death. Mrs. Annesley was Lucy Hayden before her marriage, and she was born at Beacon Hill, Boston; Grandfather Aaron Hayden was a native of Massachusetts, and was born in the neighborhood of what became Haydenville. He was a merchant in Boston, and married Ruth Alden Jones, of that city, who proudly traced her New England lineage back to the famous John Alden. Lucy Hayden, in fact, was the sixth lineal descendant of the illustrious patriot, and resided at St. John until she joined Mrs. Bibber at Orange, and here she breathed her last. Of the six children in the family, three grew to maturity and are still living; the other two, besides Mrs. Bibber, being Mrs. Frances Paine, of Berkley, and Mrs. Lucy C. Coulson of the same town.
The youngest of all, Mrs. Bibber was educated at St. John’s Young Ladies’ Academy and at Vassar College. At Eastport, Maine, on Sept. 27, 1876, she was married to Captain Andrew Harrington Bibber, a native of Lubec, Maine, and the son of Charles Bibber, a native and merchant of the same state. His mother was Adeline Harrington, and she was born at Eastport, Maine. Grandfather Andrew Harrington was a businessman whose family belonged to some of the original settlers of Concord, Mass. There were eleven of the Harrington brothers in the Revolutionary War, and all fought in the battle of Lexington, and one, Jacob Harrington, was the first man killed in that battle, so that the Harrington home at Concord, Mass., is now maintained as a relic of Revolutionary headquarters.
Captain Bibber served as captain of the First Maine Cavalry throughout the Civil War, or for four years and seven months, and was present at Appomattox at the surrender of Lee. His regiment was in two hundred engagements from Bull Run to Appomattox. After marrying, he brought his wife to Eastport, Maine, engaging in the dry goods business. His spare moments he gave to painting, for he was an artist of ability, and noted as a marine painter. He exhibited his work in an art gallery in Philadelphia, and at Williams E Evarts well-known art rooms at Boston, and at each exhibition received his quota of praise.
In 1890 Captain and Mrs. Bibber came out to California and located at Orange where they purchased twenty acres between Schaffer and Cambridge streets, to Culver and Palmyra; and this acreage they set out to oranges. They also built a fine residence. From 1895 until 1901 Captain Bibber was again active as a dry goods merchant, this time at Orange, but in the latter year he sold his mercantile business and on October 7, 1912m he dies. During his latter years he again devoted himself to painting, and Mrs. Bibber possesses some fine specimens of his art. The Bibbers laid out ten acres of the land in lots, and this was soon sold and built up. In 1919 Mrs. Bibber sold her larger residence and her ten-acre orange grove, and since then has had built for herself a comfortable bungalow at the corner of Van Bibber and Harwood streets.
One child blessed this marriage of Captain Bibber and Miss Annesley-Alice Alden, a graduate of the Girls’ Collegiate School of Los Angeles, where she was a member of the Class of ’03, and she is now the wife of Ray O. Van Bibber, who is engaged in the oil business.
Captain Bibber’s first wife was Miss Sarah Houghton of Eastport, Maine, a daughter of the Hon. Partman Houghton, who was a member of the state legislature in Maine. She died in Boston, leaving a daughter, Edith Prince Bibber, who also makes her home with Mrs. Bibber. She was educated at Vassar College, and teaches music in the El Modena schools, and she has built herself a studio adjoining their home, where she teaches private pupils.
Captain Bibber was a Unitarian, while Mrs. Bibber is a member of the Baptist Church of Santa Ana. She is also one of the early members, and one of the executive committee of the Ebell Club of Santa Ana. Both Captain and Mrs. Bibber have been Republicans; and he was a member of the Southern California Commander, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, being thrice commander of Granger Post.
My thanks go to Paula Bibber for supplying the above info and photo.