Ernest W. Gibson Jr.

Ernest W. Gibson Jr.
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont
In office
August 25, 1966 – November 4, 1969
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byBernard Joseph Leddy
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont
In office
October 18, 1949 – November 4, 1969
Appointed byHarry S. Truman
Preceded byJames Patrick Leamy
Succeeded byJames L. Oakes
67th Governor of Vermont
In office
January 9, 1947 – January 16, 1950
LieutenantLee E. Emerson
Harold J. Arthur
Preceded byMortimer R. Proctor
Succeeded byHarold J. Arthur
United States Senator
from Vermont
In office
June 24, 1940 – January 3, 1941
Appointed byGeorge Aiken
Preceded byErnest Willard Gibson
Succeeded byGeorge Aiken
Secretary of the Vermont Senate
In office
February 2, 1933 – January 7, 1941
Preceded byMurdock A. Campbell
Succeeded byWillsie E. Brisbin
State's Attorney of Windham County, Vermont
In office
February 1, 1929 – January 1, 1933
Preceded byRoger A. Brackett
Succeeded byRalph E. Edwards
Personal details
Born
Ernest William Gibson Jr.

(1901-03-06)March 6, 1901
Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.
DiedNovember 4, 1969(1969-11-04) (aged 68)
Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.
Resting placeMorningside Cemetery
Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Dorothy P. Switzer (m. 1926–1958, her death)
Ann H. Haag (m. 1961–1969, his death)
Children4, including Ernest III
Parent(s)Ernest W. Gibson
Grace Fullerton (Hadley) Gibson
EducationNorwich University (A.B.)
George Washington University
Law School
ProfessionAttorney
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUS Army
United States Army Reserve
Vermont National Guard
Years of service1922–1945
RankColonel
Unit43rd Infantry Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards

Ernest William Gibson Jr. (March 6, 1901 – November 4, 1969) was an American attorney, politician, and judge. He served briefly as an appointed United States Senator, as the 67th governor of Vermont, and as a federal judge.

Born in Brattleboro, and the son of a prominent Vermont political figure who served in the United States Senate, Gibson graduated from Norwich University in 1923, attended The George Washington University Law School, and attained admission to the bar in 1926. A Republican, he served in several elected and appointed positions in state government. When his father died while serving in the Senate, Gibson was appointed to temporarily fill the vacancy, and he served from June 1940 to January 1941.

A veteran of the United States Army Reserve and Vermont National Guard, during World War II, Gibson served in the South Pacific and on the staff of the United States Department of War, and received several decorations for heroism. In 1946, he ran for Governor of Vermont and defeated the incumbent in the Republican primary, the only time this has ever occurred in Vermont. He went on to win the general election, and won reelection in 1948.

Gibson served as governor until accepting appointment as judge of Vermont's U.S. District Court; he remained on the bench until his 1969 death in Brattleboro. He was buried at Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro.