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WILLIAM GILLMAN, tinsmith, Olin; born in Warren Co., Ind., in 1842, and came to Iowa in 1855, and settled in Rome Township, and remained until the fall of 1865; then went to Mechanicsville, Cedar Co., and remained until 1870, when he returned to Olin, and is now with S. L. Easterly. He owns town property. In politics, Republican; in religion, liberal. Has been Town Clerk two years, Constable one year. His wife, Ida Rogers, was born in Jones Co., Iowa, in 1853; married in 1875, and has one child—Allen Benton.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 647.
For more than a half century William Gillman has lived in Jones county, taking an active and helpful interest in the work of general improvement and progress as the years have gone by. He has ever been recognized as one of the representative citizens here, a man whom to know is to esteem and respect. He is now acting as rural mail carrier on route No. 1 and resides in Rhodes. He was born in Warren county, Indiana, November 29, 1842, and in 1855, when a youth of twelve years, he accompanied his parents on their removal to Rome, Jones county, Iowa. His father, John Gillman, was born in Monroe county, Illinois, August 8, 1819, and died in Olin, Iowa, September 12, 1885, at the age of sixty-six years, one month and four days. He was but eight years old when his father died and was left an orphan by his mother's death when he was but a month old. He was the youngest of a family of eight children, two sons and six daughters, all of whom lived to mature years and raised families with the exception of one brother, who died at the age of seventeen. On the 4th of January, 1841, John Gillman was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Lower, with whom he lived happily for forty-four years, seven months and twenty-eight days. There were born unto them three sons and two daughters, all of whom are yet living with the exception of the oldest daughter, who died in infancy; William is the first in order of birth; Allen, the second son, resides in Oregon; Jane is the wife of Daniel Starry residing in Olin; and Jess completes the family.
 John Gillman, the father, was a man of independent thought, who formed his own conclusions after the careful consideration of a vital question. He was fearless in the expression of his honest convictions and was known for his strict probity in all his dealings. He was, moreover, a kind and devoted husband and father and a good neighbor, so that he left to his family the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.
William Gillman, as previously stated, was in his thirteenth year when he came to Iowa and upon the frontier of Jones county he was reared, assisting in the development of the home farm. His education was acquired in the public schools and when he had arrived at years of maturity he wedded Miss Ida Rogers, their marriage being celebrated on the 19th of December 1875. Unto this marriage were born four children, but the eldest died in infancy. Allen Benton, the next of the family, was born in Olin, February 10, 1878, and met death by accident at Cedar Rapids, February 14, 1901, when twenty-three years of age. He had prepared himself for life's work in the public schools of Olin and Rhodes and had pursued special work in the Commercial College of Des Moines. He was converted in the Methodist Episcopal church at Rhodes and was a faithful member of that denomination. Caddie, the third child, was born March 10, 1880, was educated in Olin and Rhodes and after completing the course of study in the latter place was married, on the 19th of December, 1904, to Ellis Tribley of Rhodes. They have become the parents of three children: Ruth, three years of age; and Charles Lester and Clarice Esther, twins, who were born January 7, 1907. John Rogers Gillman, the youngest son of the family, was born in Olin, January 2, 1891, was graduated from the Rhodes high school in June, 1906, and then taking up the study of pharmacy has made rapid advance therein and will soon become a registered pharmacist.
William Gillman through an active and busy life has been called to various offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity. He has held the position of township clerk for four years, was deputy postmaster four years and is now acting as rural mail carrier on route No. 1, in which connection his obliging manner and unfailing courtesy have rendered him very popular to the people on the line. In 1865 he joined Putnam Lodge, No. 155, A.F.&A.M., at Mechanicsville, and later transferred his membership to Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 200, and afterward to Eden Lodge, No. 466. He is also a member of Mount Olivet commandery at Anamosa, having attained the Knight Templar degree in the York Rite. He and his wife, as well as their daughter Caddie and her husband, are members of Crystal Chapter, No. 11, 0.E.S.S. of Rhodes. Mr. Gillman is a republican of the pronounced type and has voted for every candidate of the party with the exception of Fremont, when he was too young to have the right of franchise. During their residence of thirty-three years in Olin, Mr. and Mrs. Gillman affiliated with the Christian church, but on coming to Rhodes fifteen years ago united with the Methodist Episcopal church. They are both people of general personal worth, having the high regard of all who know them, by reason of their many excellent traits of character and the kindly spirit which they display on all occasions.
It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the family of which Mrs. Gillman is a representative. Her father, Frederick C. Rogers, was born in Herkimer county, New York, May 27, 1819, and died in Olin, Iowa, March 8, 1882, at the age of sixty-two years, nine months, and eleven days. On the 14th of September 1842, he was married to Mercy Ann Allen, of Howard, Steuben county, New York. Unto them were born the following named: Helen M., who became the wife of William Thuston in 1862; Charles E., who married Alice Barton in 1866 and resides at Boone, Iowa; Benton S., who died October 19, 1866; Julia Ann, who was born in 1848 and was married in September, 1866, to A. J. Comstock; William Henry, who died in infancy; Mary Jane, who was born March 10, 1852, and was married in 1870 to Daniel Smith; Ida, who was born April 8, 1855; Fannie M., who was born June 8, 1857, and is the wife of Columbus Rose; William Allen, who was born March 8, 1859, and died in 1880; Henry Ellsworth, who was born in June, 1862, and wedded Mary Allen. Of the father, Frederick C. Rogers, it has been truthfully said that he was a man universally respected by all who knew him, who possessed a big heart and kindly manner and, moreover, had a keen appreciation for the beautiful as well as the true and the good. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and sound judgment. His charitable nature was manifest in the assistance which he rendered to all in need who applied to him for aid. His wife, too, was a favorite in the community, esteemed and loved by her neighbors as well as her family, to whom she was most devoted. She belonged to the Christian church and died in that faith. She had become a resident of Hale township in the year 1854. Benton S. Rogers, Charles E. Rogers and their brother-in-law, Daniel Smith, were all members of Company G, Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, during the Civil war. H. E. Rogers, the youngest of the family, has resided in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the past sixteen years and has been honored with selection for various important offices, including that of councilman and city treasurer.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 642.
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