CENTRE LINES

The GILL Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on GILL. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Two books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal with the Gill family. They are: Walter Braun's The Family of John Gill of Beccaria Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania (1994). and David Haskil Gill's Maude Wilson and Wyatt Gill: Their Ancestory and Family (1979).

There are 12 different first-name entries for Gill in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' GILL neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Margaret--11 W. Linn Mary Sarah--48 S. Water Nancy

In BENNER Township:

Lillie--Pleasant Gap

In FERGUSON Township:

Maud O.--Pine Grove Mills

In HUSTON Township:

George, 47, blacksmith--Martha Susan Sarah Thomas 9 Emma M. Minnie S. George W. 3 Martha--Julian Angus 16 William H., 44, retired--Julian Mary M. Sarah E. Alice M. John H. 4

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Cecelia--Presquisle St. Martin, 23, laborer--Cass St. Michael, 48, laborer--Cass St. Thomas 15 Martin 14 Mary John 10 Matthew 8 Joseph M. 6 Ellie Harry 3 Bernard 2 mos. William, 28, laborer--10th St. Ellen John M. 1

In RUSH Township:

Edward M., 18--Philipsburg Laura C. John D., 60, retired--Philipsburg Priscilla A. Robert A. 30 Annie E. Ida G. John D. Jr. 19 William F. 17 Emma B. Edith P.

In SNOW SHOE Township:

Michael, 47, miner--Clarence Anna N. John M. 22 Margaret A. Mary A. Rose Caroline Augusta

In SPRING Township:

Albert, 34, laborer--Pleasant Gap Alice Clarence 10 Ira C. 6 Bertha J. Anna M. Amos J., 51, stonemason--Pleasant Gap Elizabeth Savilla David E. 22 Sadie E. Virtue B. Maggie M. Ambrose 6 James, 55, laborer--Bellefonte Agnes A. Franklin 6 Jeremiah W., 39, shoemaker--Pleasant Gap Sarah E. Nettie Lizzie B. Elmer E. 9 Myra A. Abner M. 3 Mary A. Newton 23 George 21 Franklin O. 19 Susan Nathaniel L., 28, laborer--Pleasant Gap Mary E. Alfred 9

In UNION Township:

Joseph, 38, laborer--Fleming Hannah M. Eva Bertha I. Forrest I. 1