Wibaux's late life (1900-1913)

Pierre Wibaux continued to run cattle here until 1900 when settlers began to come in such numbers that ranching on a large scale was no longer feasible. Consequently, his holdings have been gradually reduced, as he embarked in other enterprises. Thus, he was both the president and the principal owner of the State National Bank of Miles City (where he moved in), which turned out to be a strong and successful financial institution, and of the Clover Leaf Gold Mining Company in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where a mining estate has been called Roubaix.

In addition, he has large business interests in France and investments in Mexico, California, and in Arizona. Actually, much of his time during the last years of his life was spent in travel.

A 20-dollar bill signed by Pierre Wibaux, head of the State National Bank of Miles City

In spite of his great success, he kept on refusing the American citizenship and on remaining faithful to his native town. He contributes twice to the financing of charitable institutions of Roubaix. First, he is among the first and the biggest subscribers for the Hôpital de la Fraternité. Second, he makes a big donation of 25.000 F for supporting the Comité roubaisien de protection de l’enfance which had been struggling against infantile high death rate due to the bad conditions of feeding hygiene. This donation enables the development of the Comité which then creates the Goutte de Lait, which aims at promoting breast feeding or, for those who can’t, providing sane and controlled milk.

At a national scale this time, Pierre Wibaux received the Légion d’honneur (1903), the French highest civil and military distinction. In the file, there are letters from three governors, one senator and the president of the Northern Pacific railroad, acknowledging Pierre Wibaux’s action. There are also a letter from the French ambassador in the US (who accepted to be Wibaux’s sponsor) and a sent letter to Theodore Roosevelt (which is due to prove his efforts to tighten links between France and the US). In a nutshell, this reward shows us how influential Wibaux ended up to be.

Cyril Wibaux, the only child, was educated at home and by tutors. When he was 14, his father felt that time has arrived for his son to prepare for his career in life. Hence, he leased a suite of apartments in the fashionable quarter of Paris, rue d’Iéna, where Mrs. Wibaux and his son were from now on installed. Pierre Wibaux’s desire was that his son shall acquire a thorough business education, and also take a few years’ service in the army.

 

Wibaux's family

Late in 1912 Pierre Wibaux was hospitalized in Chicago, and he died March 21, 1913, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Chicago, at the age of 55. Death was attributed to liver cancer. He bequeathed $10,000 to Miles City for a public park. His substantial estate went primarily to his son, Cyril (then a lieutenant in the French Army), with remainders to his widow and two nephews in France.

His will directed that his remains be cremated without religious ceremony and that his ashes be placed in an urn. He also directed his son to commission a bronze statue of himself, to place his ashes in the ground at Wibaux, and to then position the statue over his final resting place.

Wibaux's tomb

Wibaux's tomb

Wibaux's bronze statue

Wibaux's bronze statue