HISTORY
OF
CLERMONT AND BROWN
COUNTIES, OHIO
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From the Earliest Historical Times Down
To the Present
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IN TWO VOLUMES
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BY
BYRON WILLIAMS
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Milford, Ohio
Hobart Publishing Company
1913

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WILLIAM A. GILLILAND.

   Mr. William A. Gilliland, who has passed his eighty-fourth milestone of life’s journey, is remembered among the oldest native born sons of Brown county, and has resided for more than fifty years on his present home farm in the northern part of Union township. He is recognized throughout the county as one of its most influential men, known alike to rich and poor, he is esteemed by all with whom he is associated. Mr. Gilliland was born in Union township, April 20, 1829, and is a son of James and Narcissa L. (McLain) Gilliland.
   James Gilliland was born in South Carolina, in the year 1804, and the year following, his parents, Rev. James and Frances (Baird) Gilliland, became residents of Brown county, Ohio. Rev. James Gilliland was born in Lincoln county, North Carolina, in 1769, and his death occurred in Brown county, in February, 1845. He was a Presbyterian minister, and preached for over thirty-seven years at the Red Oak Presbyterian church, which was erected in 1817.
   James Gilliland carried on the business of farming for many years, and raised much good stock, always taking an interest in the improvement of both stock and land. In later years, he was associated with the Farmers’ Bank, as president, and his death took place on his farm in Union township, in 1881. He was a Whig and later a Republican in politics, and was a staunch member of the Presbyterian church, in which he was always active and a liberal contributor.
   Narcissa L. McLain was born in Pennsylvania, December 16, 1808, and passed from this life in 1882. She came as a child down the Ohio river, with her parents, who were early settlers of Brown county, and were prominent members of the Presbyterian church. She and James Gilliland were the parents of five children, of whom William A., of this mention, is the eldest. The others are: John L. and Amanda, died in infancy; James M., of El Paso, Tex., until recently a farmer of Union township; and Luther, deceased.
   William A. Gilliland enjoyed the educational privileges of the Marietta College, where he took a preparatory course of one year and one-half, after which he pursued his studies at Hanover College, graduating in the class of 1853. He then took up the study of medicine, under Dr. Alexander Dunlap, and further broadened his knowledge at the Jefferson Medical college of Pennsylvania. Following his graduation from this institution, he entered upon the practice of his profession at Hillsboro, Ohio. After a period of about one year, he concluded to give up his practice and this he did, purchasing his farm in Brown county, and turning his attention to the pursuits of agriculture.
   Mr. Gilliland was first united in marriage to Elizabeth Jane Hopkins, who was born in Union township, in 1832, and died in the latter part of 1860. She was a daughter of John and Nancy (Mayes) Hopkins, who were from South Carolina. Of this union, seven children were born:
   Frank W., a farmer of Union township, is the father of five children.
   Miss Hattie N., at home.
   Anna Mary, who is now Mrs. S. W. Kincaid, of Hillsboro, Ohio.
   Elizabeth, who became the wife of Dr. S. L. McCreight, of Chicago.
   James H. is in business in Los Angeles, Cal.
   Jeanette, who is the wife of Mr. Chambers Baird, of Ripley.
   Miss Althea, at home.
   For his second wife, Mr. Gilliland chose a sister of his former wife, Miss Harriet Ann Hopkins, the ceremony taking place in the year of 1871. Both ladies are sisters of Mr. Archie Hopkins. The present Mrs. Gilliland was born May 9, 1834, and is a lady of great intellectual ability, having had collegiate advantages.
   Mr. Gilliland and his family are members of the Red Oak Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a ruling elder and superintendent of the Sabbath school for many years.

-transcription by Kate Maynard, 2012