Background
GILCHRIST, Gibb was born on December 23, 1887 in Wills Point, Texas, United States. Son of Angus J. and Kate (Douglass) Gilchrist.
GILCHRIST, Gibb was born on December 23, 1887 in Wills Point, Texas, United States. Son of Angus J. and Kate (Douglass) Gilchrist.
He briefly attended Southwestern University and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a civil engineering degree.
Gilchrist served as a Texas state highway engineer, president of Texas A&M University and the first chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. He is the namesake for several transportation-related entities. Gilchrist spent several years with the Santa Fe Railroad, where he rebuilt the Galveston County rail line between High Island and Port Bolivar that had been destroyed in the area's 1915 hurricane.
Gilchrist served in World War I and became a captain of engineers. He went to work for the state highway department in Texas after the war. They had one child, Henry Gilchrist, who became a Dallas attorney.
In 1924, Gilchrist was named state highway engineer. He resigned the next year, shortly after Ma Ferguson was replaced roads advocate Pat Neff as Texas governor. He became an engineering consultant to private business but was again appointed state highway engineer in 1928.
Under his direction, a system of roadside rest stops was constructed throughout the state. He resigned in 1936 after Governor James Allred used state highway funds to finance an assistance program for the elderly. In 1937, Gilchrist became the dean of engineering at Texas A&M University.
He was appointed university president in 1944. During his presidency, new rules were issued against student hazing, which prompted some student cadets to call for Gilchrist's dismissal. He became the first chancellor of the Texas A&M College System in 1948.
He served in that capacity until 1953. He spent his retirement in College Station. Gilchrist died in College Station on May 12, 1972.
The community of Gilchrist, Texas is named for him. The Gibb Gilchrist is one of the vessels in the Galveston Island Ferry fleet. A street in College Station, Texas is named after the Gilchrist family.
The Gibb Gilchrist Building of the Texas Transportation Institute is located in Texas A&M's Research Park. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) issues the Gibb Gilchrist Award to recognize outstanding service within TxDOT. In 2000, Texas A&M removed a photograph of Gilchrist that had hung at the university because Gilchrist was pictured in front of Confederate Army general Robert E. Lee. In 2002, the picture was returned to the Gibb Gilchrist Building, but it was placed in a first-floor conference room rather than its former location in the building's lobby.
A member of a Christian Church should support all social initiatives having a purpose to maintain and strengthen well-being and progress of the whole community and its members.
The strong feature of Methodism is the role of local people take for the fabric of church buildings and manses and for the handling of money. They share with ordained ministers the role of setting direction for the churches in a particular area or 'circuit'.
Member: American Society of Civil Engineers. American Association State Highway Officials. American Road Bldrs. Association.
Masons; Knights of Pythias.
Spouse Vesta Weaver, March 29, 1920, Cumby, Texas.