Kate’s Notes: From some research of census and other historical records, it appears that most if not all of the Gillilands, both black and white, listed in this Memphis Directory are of Mississippi origins, including those associated with the Irby & Gilliland Co.

R. L. POLK & CO.’S

1909
MEMPHIS CITY DIRECTORY
_______________

CONTAINING AN ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED LIST OF BUSINESS
FIRMS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS; STREET, AVENUE AND HOUSE-
HOLDERS’ GUIDE; MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTORY; CITY AND
COUNTY OFFICERS;  TERMS OF COURT; CHURCHES, COL-
LEGES AND SCHOOLS; PUBLIC PARKS AND BUILD-
INGS; BANKS, RAILWAY AND STEAMSHIP LINES;
SECRET, BENEVOLENT, TRADE AND SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS, ETC., ETC., ETC.,
AND A COMPLETE

CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY
________________

R. L. POLK & CO.
COMPILERS AND PUBLISHERS
MEMPHIS, TENN.
________________

MEMBER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN DIRECTORY PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHTED 1909, BY R. L. POLK & COMPANY.

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

Key to abbreviations:
av....avenue
bds....boards
bkpr....bookkeeper
boul....boulevard
(c) Gilliland of color
clk....clerk
mtrmn....motorman
ns....north side
res....resides
rms....rooms
Ry....Railway
slsmn....salesman
tel....telephone
trav....traveler

Gillihan James A, slsmn, res 357 Richmond av.
Gilliland Anne (c), res 13 W Carolina av.
Gilliland, Benj F. Died Nov 10, 1908.
Gilliland Charles E., brakeman, rms 69 Talbot av.
GILLILAND EDWARD C
   Vice Pres and Treas Irby & Gilliland Co., res 619 Linden av.
Gilliland Evin E., mtrmn, Mem St. Ry Co.
GILLILAND FLETCHER M
   Pres Irby & Gilliland Co, res 313 S Pauline, Tel Cum 2271
Gilliland Frank M, student, bds 313 S Pauline
Gilliland F Norfleet, clk Irby & Gilliland Co, res ns Spottswood av 2 w of        
   Greer [or Green] av.
Gilliland George (c), bds 694 Florida.
Gilliland James L (c), res 458 S Wellington
Gilliland Lucy (c), res 694 Florida
Gilliland Robert, student, rms 636 Marshall
Gilliland Samuel N, trav W B Mallory & Sons Co, res Kosciusko, Miss.
Gilliland Walter F. slsmn Irby & Gilliland co, res 582 S Bellevue boul.
Gilliland Wm R, bkpr Irby & gilliland Co, bds 313 S Pauline.
Gillin Jas, rms 230 Madison av.

-- Compiled and transcribed by Kate Maynard, 2009.

Additional notes:
The Irby & Gilliland Co of Memphis manufactured a number of items for the household and advertized their business as follows:

W. H. Irby. 
F. M. Gilliland, Jr. 

Irby & Gilliland, 

China, Glass and Queensware, 
Lamps, Tinware, Wood and Willow Ware, 
Cut Glass, White China for Decorating, 

37 UNION ST., between main and second, Memphis, Tenn.

One of the most noted items manufactured by Irby and Gilliland was the “The Efficient” pendant arc lamp. The company was eventually sold to W. C. Coleman, who had sold these lamps for Irby and Gilliland, and who founded the well-known Coleman company, producer of camping stoves and lanterns, among other types of camping equipment.

For a look at the Irby & Gilliland lamp that started it all, see:
http://terrence.marsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/lantern/colelampbeforemid1920s.htm