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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

H. L. Gillis

H. L. Gillis of West Virginia started associating in 1885. We need a full biography. Can you help?

7 comments:

jerome said...

The 1910 census for West Virginia has H L Gillis, aged 74, widowed, occupation: labororer in woollen mill. Living with him is his single son, J A Gillis, aged 48 and a neice Mary Moss, aged 17. Other records show a Mrs H L Gillis who died in 1905, and was born approximately in 1849. A James Andrew Gillis (we assume the son) died in 1934.

Sha'el, Princess of Pixies said...

There seem to be two Hamilton Lincoln Gillis, probably father and son. Can we tell which was Russell's associate?

jerome said...

One Hamilton L Gillis (if this is the right person) is in the 1880 census, aged 18. Born Mifflin, Penn in c. 1862, died Allegheny, Penn. 1917. In 1910 he is a court clerk. However, this man's father is James H Gillis, b. c.1833. Are you sure that H L Gillis of West Virginia is actually Hamilton L Gillis?

Sha'el, Princess of Pixies said...

Well, I was. It's Bruce's research. But now I'm not certain.

Sha'el, Princess of Pixies said...

In 1887 he lived in Preston County, West Virginia.

Sha'el, Princess of Pixies said...

The only H. L.Gillis in Preston County WVa is Hamilton Lincoln.

Greg Leatherman said...

Hamilton L. Gillis of Terra Alta wrote several letters about Russell to newspapers near Terra Alta after 1906. Although he expected to be bodily resurrected, I believe these letters prove that he did not die in 1906. (For example, see Preston County Journal 19 Nov 1908, pg. 2).

You may also find it interesting that he often wrote letters signed only with the initials HLG, or his nom de plume "Ham." Although many of his letters appear in the Preston County Journal, an even richer batch can be found in the pages of the Oakland Republican, which was published less than 20 miles from his home. In these later letters, he grew critical of Russell, who had spoken at Mt. Lake Park several times (quite near Terra Alta).