Born in the County Donegal, Ireland, in March, 1848, being the youngest child of John and Cecelia (Carr) Gibbons. His father, though a farmer of limited means took great pride in the education of his children but as he died in 1851, and as educational advantages were few in that part of the country, John was compelled to work on the farm until he was about seventeen years of age. His brother, the Honorable Patrick Gibbons, now of Keokuk, Iowa, enabled him to commence his scholastic training at a private academy at Londonderry, which was resumed on coming to American in 1866 at Broadstreet Academy in Philadelphia and afterward pursued at Notre Dame University in Indiana. He returned to Philadelphia in 1868 to enter the law office of William H. Martin to work for his board. In March 1870 he was admitted to the bar at Keokuk, Iowa. Shortly after his coming to Keokuk, he was appointed assistant prosecuting attorney. He held the place until he resigned it, nearly five years later. From 1873 to 1876, he was also city attorney, kept in the place by the vote of both republicans and democrats. He was elected to the Legislature in 1876, as a member of the most brilliant and probably the best delegation Lee County ever had in the General Assembly. Before the Legislature adjourned he was conceded to be the highest authority in the house upon questions of constitutional law. While pursuing the practice of the law Mr. Gibbons was for some years professor of Medical Jurisprudence in the Keokuk Medical College, and was also editor and part owner of the Keokuk Constitution. In the field of journalism he did some effective work during the Tilden campaign. He is independent in politics and thoroughly American in sentiment. In 1879, he removed to Chicago, where he has built up a good practice. For a man who received so few early advantages, his career has been somewhat remarkable.