William D. Gibbs

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = William D. Gibbs

| image = William_D_Gibbs.jpg

| order = 2nd

| title = President of New Hampshire College

| term_start = 1907

| term_end = 1912

| predecessor = Charles S. Murkland

| successor = Edward Thomson Fairchild

| birth_date = March 15, 1869

| birth_place = Winchester, Illinois

| death_date = {{death date and age|1944|12|6|1869|3|15}}

| death_place = Wisconsin

| spouse =

| children =

| education =

}}

William David Gibbs (March 15, 1869 - December 6, 1944) was the second elected President of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts from 1907-1912, in Durham, New Hampshire, United States, which in 1923 became the University of New Hampshire. During his presidency student numbers tripled to 315, and the number of college buildings reached 15. He believed that students' time should be divided equally between cultural studies, pure science, and vocational studies.{{cite web|url=https://www.library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/william-d-gibbs-papers-1907-1912|title=Guide to the William D. Gibbs Papers, 1907-1912|publisher=University of New Hampshire Archives|accessdate=31 January 2019}}

He was born in Winchester, Illinois.

In 1912 there was a student strike 2–6 May after Gibbs suspended a student, William Henry Langdon Brackett, for setting off a false fire alarm. The suspension was overturned by the Board of Trustees.{{cite web| url=http://www.izaak.unh.edu/archives/history/chronology/| title=Significant Events at the University of New Hampshire| publisher=University of New Hampshire Archives| accessdate=29 May 2013}} Gibbs resigned later that year, stating in his 1 July letter of resignation that "Business opportunities which particularly appeal to me have influenced me to my decision, although I regret to sever associations which have brought to me much pleasure."{{cite journal| date=September 18, 1912| title=College without a President: Successor to W.D. Gibbs Not Yet Elected.| journal=The New Hampshire| volume=2| issue=1| pages=1, 4| url=http://www.library.unh.edu/digital/object/tnh:0036| accessdate=29 May 2013}}

Gibbs died in Wisconsin on December 6, 1944 {{cite web| url=https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/9VPH-BWJ/william-david-gibbs-1869-1944| title=Family Search - William D. Gibbs}}

The University of New Hampshire built a residence hall named Gibbs Hall in his honor, it was dedicated on June 14, 1947.{{cite web| url=https://library.unh.edu/find/archives/buildings/student-residences| title=Student Residences| publisher=University of New Hampshire Library| access-date=May 6, 2021}}