Kate’s notes: The biographies of James and John Gilliland were not presented as separate entries, as were those of other Gilliland men to be found in this book. I’m assuming this was simply an error on the part of the editor/publisher and although I am providing the biographies of both men here, I have provided a break between the two biographical sketches.

A PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL
RECORD
OF
ALLEN AND VAN WERT
COUNTIES, OHIO.

CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY

PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS,

TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHIES AND PORTRAITS OF ALL THE

PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE

GOVERNORS OF OHIO.
_______________

CHICAGO
A. W. BOWEN & CO.
1896.

************************

    JAMES M. GILLILAND, son of Thomas and Catherine Gilliland (see genealogy of Gilliland family) is a native of Van Wert county, born in the year 1843. Reared on a farm in the vicinity of the city of Van Wert, he enjoyed the usual advantages of acquiring an education and began his life as a farmer, purchasing, in connection with his brother, Hon. E. B. Gilliland, the old homestead, when but nineteen years of age. Later he disposed of his interest in the farm, and subsequently purchased a farm consisting of 155 acres two and a half miles southeast of Van Wert, which he has highly improved, its present condition and close proximity to the city making it one of the most valuable pieces of land of its area in the county.  In July, 1892, Mr. Gilliland purchased two acres on South Walnut street, Van Wert, and in January of the following year moved to his city home, which is one of the most desirable residence properties on the street on which it is situated.
    April 10, 1878, Mr. Gilliland and Miss Mary Ellen Gorham, were united in marriage. The parents of Mrs. Gilliland were both natives of Clinton county, Ohio, and the names of their children are as follows: Elvira B., died in infancy; Mary Ellen; Melvina  F., wife of Lafayette Hudgel;  Elmira E., wife of Calvin C. Gamble, and Agnes Ann, deceased. The mother of these children died on the 5th day of March, 1862.
    Mrs. Gilliland’s father served in the late war, enlisting in 1861, in the Seventy-ninth regiment, but was afterward transferred to the Seventy-third, Ohio volunteer infantry. He served throughout the war without receiving an injury, except the partial loss of the sense of hearing, caused by the heavy cannonading during one of the battles in which he was engaged.
    Mr. Gilliland has been quite successful in his business ventures, accumulating thereby an ample competence. Politically he is a democrat and religiously subscribes to the creed of the Methodist church, his wife also being an active member of the same church, and both belonging to the congregation worshiping in Van Wert.

    JOHN GILLILAND was born in Ridge township, Van Wert county, Ohio, July 5, 1836, the first white male child born there, and is a son of Adam and Sarah (Shaffer*) Gilliland, full particulars regarding whom will be found in the history of their family on another page. John Gilliland, our subject, was reared to manhood on the home farm, was educated in the common schools, and in the spring of 1857 made a trip to Woodford county, Ill., where he passed the following summer in farm labor, returning, the next winter, to his native township of Ridge, where he re-engaged in farm work, and was so employed until his marriage in 1866, further mention of which important event in his life will be made a little further on. In the year named he settled on eighty acres of land owned by his wife in section No. 31, Ridge township, to which he has since added twenty-one acres, the combined tracts constituting his present home. To this farm he devoted his undivided attention, and improved and assiduously cultivated until 1873, when he began dealing in live stock, shipping to the eastern markets, and this trade, in conjunction with agriculture, claimed his attention until within the past few years, when he made live stock his sole occupation, in which he has met with abundant success.
    The marriage of Mr. Gilliland took place in Ridge township, June 9, 1866, with Miss Lucy Cavett, who was born in Williams county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Cavett, and to this happy union ten children have been born, viz: Ella, wife of H. V. Cooper;  William C., Adam and Emma J., all of Ridge township; Bertha, wife of J. Huffine; Pearl, wife of Delbert A. North; an infant, deceased; Hugh, Sarah and Ira. Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are very liberal in its support. In politics Mr. Gilliland is a democrat, and in 1890 was elected land appraiser of his township, serving one year; in 1891 he was elected trustee of his township, and served until 1893, and in 1895 was re-elected to the same office. He is a highly honored citizen, and the attention of the reader is called to another page, on which is opened the history of the Gilliland family, prepared by T. S. Gilliland of Van Wert. Of the children of our subject, William C. married Delaura Crothers, March 24, 1897, and Adam married Rosetta Tumbleson, December 28, in the year 1893.

-transcription by Kate Maynard, 2013

*This was a typo by the publisher and should have read, “Shaffner”.