GENERAL HISTORY

OF

MACON COUNTY
MISSOURI

CHICAGO
HENRY TAYLOR & COMPANY
1910

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Kate's Notes: The author of this volume was Edgar White, whose name does not appear on the title page of the book, at least in the original 1910 edition.
   This biography is particularly interesting because we've recently had a number of Gilliland records pertaining to families who either moved to Canada from the U.S., emigrated from Canada to the U.S., or moved back and forth between the two countries as was the case of Beatrice and Tom Gilliland, whose family story can be found in the Gilliland Trails library.
   The subject of this biography was a son of John W. Gilleland, a native of St. Catherine's province in Ontario, where there has long been a substantial Gilliland/Gilleland presence. I have not, however, researched the connections of this particular family to the others in St. Catherine's though I would like to do so in the future. Meanwhile, any information on John W. Gilleland's Ontario connections would be most welcome.
   I've included here not only the biography for John E. Gilleland but that of Dr. John P. Foster who married Claribel Gilleland, the daughter of John and Margaret Gilleland. In John Gilleland's biography she is referred to as "Belle".

JOHN E. GILLELAND.

   John E. Gilleland, who has been the postmaster of New Cambria continuously during the last twelve years, and has long been very active and serviceable in behalf of the political party to which he belongs, is not only a leading light in the counsels of that party, but one of the most prominent and influential citizens of the township in which he lives. He is also engaged in merchandising and holds a high rank in business circles.
   Mr. Gilleland was born in Macon county, in December, 1863, being a native of Lingo township. He is a son of John W. and Margaret (Jobson) Gilleland, who were born in St. Catherine’s in the province of Ontario, Canada, the father’s life having began there in 1828. He came to Missouri and located in Macon county in 1859, and for a while after his arrival in this section followed farming with success. He then turned his attention to merchandising at New Cambria. In 1856 he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Jobson, a daughter of Robert and Judith Jobson. Her father, Robert Jobson, was one of the contractors for the construction of the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, and was connected with other works of improvement in this portion of the country, to which he moved with his family from St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.
   Mr. and Mrs. John W. Gilleland had five children, all of whom are living. They are: Melta, the wife of Albert Mervin, of Brookfield, Missouri; John E., of New Cambria; Belle, the wife of Dr. J. P. Foster, of Lacrosse, Missouri; Harvey, who is employed in the railroad service in Colorado; and George, who is living at Taylorville, Arkansas. The mother died in 1876 and the father in 1908, both leaving as memorials to their children what is more precious than gold or lands, good names and the stimulus of excellent examples in upright living and the faithful performance of every duty.
   Their son, John E. Gilleland, was reared in his native place and began his education in the public schools near his home. He supplemented and enlarged the instruction they gave him by a course at the Kirksville Normal school, and when he had completed that, at once entered upon the active duties of life as an optician and jeweler, conducting his undertaking on a small scale and in a modest way. This was in 1882. Some little time afterward he added to his lines of merchandise a complete stock of house furnishings, and he has ever since carried on an increasing business in all.
   Public affairs have deeply interested him from his boyhood, and ever since he reached man’s estate he has taken an earnest and active part in political contests as a Republican. He early won confidence and esteem in his party, both among the leaders and the rank and file, and by steady progress and efficient service has risen to a position of leadership himself. He is at present chairman of the Republican county central committee and has a potential voice in the councils of the party, helping to direct all its movements and select all its candidates. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster of New Cambria, and so satisfactory have his services been in connection with the office that he still holds it and almost without opposition. He also served as a member of the town board for many years, and much of the improvement made in the town during his tenure of this office is attributable to his enterprise and progressiveness. His fraternal affiliation is with the Masonic order, in which he takes great interest. In 1891 he was married to Miss Linnie Jones, a native of New Cambria and a daughter of John O. and Clara (Potter) Jones. They have one child, their son, Howard J., aged seven years, a very bright and promising boy.

JOHN P. FOSTER, M.D.

   Active in the practice of one of the noblest and most beneficent of all the professions, with a large and loyal body of patrons, connected with a number of the financial and industrial interests of the county in a leading way, prominent in the fraternal life of his community and energetic and influential in local public affairs, Dr. John P. Foster of La Crosse, Richland township, in this county, is deservedly regarded as one of the most useful and representative citizens of this portion of the state, and as a man is well worthy in every way of the high regard the people feel for him.
   Dr. Foster was born on May 9, 1866, in Kirksville, Adair county, Missouri, which is known as an educational center of prominence all over the country because of the excellent normal school which is located there. He is a son of Hiram B. and Martha J. (Ferguson) Foster, the former a Kentuckian and the latter an Indianian by nativity. Of the eight children born of their marriage four are living: James M., a resident of La Crosse; Dr. John P.; Jeanette, the wife of John T. Farmer; and Emmett O., whose home is also at La Crosse. The parents were married in 1861, and the father died on March 30, 1904. The mother is still living and has her home at La Crosse. 
   The father moved to Missouri in 1852 and was engaged in merchandising until the beginning of the Civil war. Being warmly attached to the Union, and abhorred at the possibility of its dismemberment, he deemed it his duty to aid in saving it at any hazard, and with him to be convinced was to act. He enlisted in the Twenty-second regiment of Missouri infantry and was made lieutenant of his command. This was soon after its enrollment at the front and during the memorable conflcit saw considerable active and dangerous service. Mr. Foster took part in the battles of Vicksburg, Nashville and other places where tragic history was written in blood, and also in many minor engagements. After the war he located in this county, coming here in 1866. He did not, however, return to mercantile life, but gave his attention to farming, and also practiced law. He attained good standing as a professional man and considerable influence as a citizen, using all his opportunities and powers in promoting the welfare of the region in which he lived and advancing the interests of its people.
   The Doctor was reared in his native town and began his education in its public schools. His academic training was completed at the Kirksville Normal school, and his professional preparation was made by private reading and a thorough course of instruction at the Marion Simms Medical College, from which he was graduated on March 23, 1893. He at once began his creditable professional career at La Crosse, among the people who know him well and esteem him highly, and he has found them so fruitful in benefits to him and so appreciative of his services to them that he has remained with them ever since. Their interests have been dear to him had he has sought in every way available to him to promote them. He is vice-president of the Bank of Gifford and also a stockholder and director of the Gifford Brick and Tile company. In addition to these, other institutions of value to the locality have the benefit of his active interest and helpful counsel and assistance. He also serves both the government and the people as a United States pension examiner.
   In politics he is an ardent and active working Republican, prominent in the councils of his party and zealous in advancing its interests. For a number of years he has been a member of its county central and executive committees. Yet, although his loyalty to his party never wanes and his efforts in its service never cease, he has never consented to accept a political office for himself, and has resolutely put aside all appeals to him to become a candidate for one. Several times he has been requested urgently to accept a nomination for representative in the lower house of the state legislature, but has always declined positively and promptly.
   Before he began the study of medicine Dr. Foster taught in the public schools several years. This experience gave him intimate knowledge of the people and of himself, and has been valuable to him in all his subsequent career, pofessional and in other lines of action. He is prominently connected with the fraternal life of the community as a member of the Masonic Order, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the American Mutual Benevolent Association, and in his professional work and studies is ably and extensively assisted by active membership in the National, State and County Medical Associations. He was married on October 1, 1896, to Miss Claribel Gilleland, a native of this county, and one of the cultured and popular ladies of this portion of the state. She presides over his home with grace and dignity and gives great animation and brillancy to the social life of which it is a hospitable and refined center. Like the Doctor, Mrs. Foster stands high in the estimation of the public, and like him, too, she richly deserves all the regard that is bestowed upon her.

-- transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2010