Kate’s Notes: The William S. Gillilan in this profile was a brother of Capt. Coleman Gillilan, records for whom are found elsewhere in our library. Their father Jesse was a son of James Gillilan, Jr. and Margaret Boggs, who migrated from Greenbrier Co., WV to Ohio.

Biographical Sketch extracted from....

HISTORY OF THE LOWER SCIOTO VALLEY, OHIO:  together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.. Chicago: Inter-state Pub. Co., 1884.

   William S. Gillilan was born in Jackson County, Ohio, in 1836, a son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Colman)1 Gillilan. His mother died in 1850, and his father in 1864. He was reared on a farm, attending the common schools, and subsequently the academy at Ewington. He then taught school several years, and clerked for John Culbertson, at Lawrence Furnace five years. In 1868 he formed a partnership with R. T. Collins, in the general mercantile business, in Webster.2  In 1870 they became members of the Webster Fire-Brick Company, and since then he has been General Superintendent of the business. He was married in 1871 to Martha E., daughter of William M. Walls, of Webster. They have two sons and three daughters.

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1. “Colman” should read Coleman.
2. The town of “Webster” is now know as South Webster.

-- Article contributed and transcribed by Kate Maynard, 2009.