From: A Twentieth Century History of Allegan County, Michigan

By Henry F. ThomasPublished 1907, Lewis Publishing Co.

JERVIS H. KIBBY seems to be fitted by nature for the hotel business, possessing a genial disposition and kindly spirit—qualities which are essential to the successful hotel proprietor. He has conducted the Douglas House at Douglas, Michigan, since 1874, and has gained a wide reputation for the able manner in which he caters to the public taste. One of Allegan county's native sons, he was born in the village of Allegan on the 10th of December, 1843, his parents being. Barton and Hannah (Star) Kibby, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio.

They emigrated to Michigan prior to their marriage, becoming pioneer residents of Allegan county, where they located in the early '50s. They became acquainted and were married here, and Mr. Kibby, who was a carpenter by trade and an expert mechanic in his line, became one of the useful and highly respected residents of Allegan. The family numbered three sons and two daughters: Lewis, William, Jervis, Mrs. Julia Knickerbocker and Mary, deceased. Jervis H. Kibby has spent his entire life in the county of his nativity, and in his youth acquired a good English education in the public schools.

He was about thirty-one years of age when he took charge of the Douglas House, of which he has since been proprietor. His hotel is large and of modern construction, thoroughly up-to-date in every respect. He can accommodate from forty to fifty guests, and since 1894 he has been largely entertaining city people who come to this locality for the summer. He has put forth every effort to make his house and its surroundings pleasing and attractive—a fact which his numerous guests appreciate to such an extent that the Douglas House is always occupied to its full extent through the summer months.

Beside being a prosperous and popular host he is also a successful horticulturist and fruit grower, and owns eighty acres of excellent fruit land, situated in Saugatuck township, and known as the Uba Dam Fruit Farm. There are three thousand peach trees, one thousand pear trees, one hundred cherry trees and a large number of apple trees upon his place, and as he has raised his fruit from good nursery stock, the size and quality of his products are such as to secure a ready sale on the market. This farm has been in possession of Mr. Kibby since 1881, and has been carefully controlled and successfully managed by him.

In 1864 occurred the marriage of Jervis H. Kibby and Miss Jane Updyke, a daughter of David and Elizabeth Updyke, who were early settlers of Ganges township. Mr. and Mrs. Kibby have a daughter, Mrs. D. Plummer, now of Chicago. In his fraternal relations Mr. Kibby is connected with Dutcher Lodge No. 193, F. & A. M. He has served as trustee of the village of Douglas and in community affairs is deeply interested.

Not to know Jervis H. Kibby in Douglas and in this part of Allegan county is to argue one's self unknown. His circle of friends is co-extensive with the circle of his acquaintance and he possesses a genuine worth and genial disposition which have made him very popular.