Kate’s Notes: Henry “Harry” B. Gilliland was a son of George A. and Charity (Butcher) Gilliland of Beaver, Ohio. As a descendant of Nathan Gilliland of Augusta Co., Virginia, his pedigree would be George>Nathan>Samuel>Samuel>Nathan(of Augusta)>Samuel>John.
   Henry married Nellie Buckner of Momence and is buried at Momence Cemetery, Kenkakee County, Illinois. One daughter, Marguerite Gilliland Black, is buried there as well. Although the Washington Post stated that Henry was survived by three children, at least one researcher lists four children for this couple: Smiley, Ida, Margarita “Rita” and Arthur Henry. See the Portfield Family Tree File at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1884074&id=I90934363
   Thanks to Dennis Roberts, who contributed an article on Henry's death published in the Momence Press Reporter, as well as the autopsy report and various genealogical notes, I have combined our collected articles and notes and moved Henry's obituary file to the archives for Illinois.

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The Washington Post
Washington, D. C.
July 17, 1911

DEATH OF HENRY GILLILAND
____________________

Son of Washington Couple expires at
Home in Chicago

   Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Gilliland, of 616 Eleventh street northeast, have received news of the death of their son, Henry B. Gilliland, at Chicago, last Friday. Mr. Gilliland was an employee of the Illinois Central Railroad.
   He was 39 years old. He is survived by his wife and three children.
   Mr. Gilliland was the brother of G. W. Gilliland, Miss Ada B. Gilliland, Mrs. Floreine Hanen, and Mrs. Victor M. Hurley, all of this city.
   Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland will attend the funeral, which will take place today in Momence, Ill.

-- Contributed and transcribed by Kate Maynard, 2009.

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from the Momence Press Reporter
Momence, IL
Friday, July 21, 1911, page 1

CARS KILL A YOUNG MAN
---
Harry B Gilliland Falls From Train and is crushed
---
WELL KNOWN IN MOMENCE
---
was a son-in-law of E. Buckner of This City - Remains Brought Here

   Word was received in this city last Friday morning by Mr. E. Buckner that his son-in-law, Harry B. Gilliland, who resided in Chicago, had been seriously injured the night before and was in a hospital at Blue Island. A short time afterwards another telephone message came stating that he had died.
   Mr. Gilliland resided in Momence for several years, holding a position with the C.E. & I. railroad. About five years ago he moved to Chicago, residing at Dauphin Park.
   For several years Mr. Gilliland had held the position of freight conductor on the Illinois Central, with a run out of Chicago. His crew had been laid off for two or three days, and on Thursday evening he was called to make a trip as brakeman in the place of a regular man who was sick. The train was composed of box cars and a coal car, the latter being the second from the engine. The train left Chicago at
10pm, and at Kensington, as Gilliland was in the act of climbing down to the coal car, the train gave a jerk or lurch, causing him to lose his hold and fall to the track. He did not lose his presence of mind, and as his feet struck the ground, Gilliland threw himself to one side, but not far enough to escape injury. The wheels passed over both legs below the knees, crushing them. He called to attract the attention of the men in the caboose as it passed but they did not hear.
   The injured man was unable to get anywhere, and he lay on the ground enduring untold tortures and his vitality being sapped by loss of blood. At about 1 o'clock in the morning, fully conscious, Gilliland saw an approaching train's headlight. In order to attract the attention of the engineer, Gilliland took a piece of paper and match from his pocket and made a feeble light which was heeded. A Kensington policeman took charge of the injured man and securing an ambulance had him conveyed to the hospital at Blue Island where everything was done to save his life. Gilliland retained his mental faculties until a few minutes before he died, telling his wife and those with him how the accident occurred and how he secured assistance. At the hospital he displayed great fortitude, issuing no complaint while he suffered intensely. Death came to him about 8 o'clock.
   The deceased was a man who stood high in the estimation of his employers, being known as a careful and efficient man in whatever position he was placed. He was well and favorably known in this city, and his sudden death caused many expressions of sorrow for his family.
   Harry B. Gilliland was born at Philo, IL on Feb. 12, 1872 and was 39 years old. He was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Buckner in this city, on June 19, 1897, and to whom four children were born. Of these, three are left to the care of their bereaved mother. He also leaves a father, mother, brother and two sisters who reside in Washington, DC.
   The remains were brought to Momence on Monday afternoon in a special car over the C. E. & I. accompanied by his family, parents, and about 20 employees of the I.C. railroad. Funeral services held at the M.E.Church at 10.30 o'clock, conducted by Rev Conner. Burial in the Momence Cemetery.
   Among the relatives who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Geo.Gilliland of Washington, DC, Mrs. O. Gilliland of Gatlin, IL and Will Buckner of Hume, Mo.

-- contributed and transcribed by Dennis Roberts

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Cook County Coroner’s Inquest
Inquest No. 60199, upon the body of Henry Gilliland at 608 E. 90th
Place in the City.
County of Cook, State of Illinois, on the 15 day of July, 1911.
VERDICT: The said Henry Gilliland, now lying dead at 608 E 90th Pl. in said City, County of Cook, State of Illinois, came to his death on the 14 day of July, A.D. 1911,:In the St. Francis Hospital in the city of Blue Island, IL, from shock
& injuries caused by the deceased being thrown from and being run over by part of freight train [3 words cannot be read] drawn by engine 977 owned by the Ill Cent R.R. Co., southbound on said company’s track at a point near the Calumet River Bridge on July 13, 1911. In the evidence presented to the jury was that the deceased was in the employ of said company as head brakeman of said train and in the performance of said duties at the time of said occurrence.
Names of Jurors:
Frank McCabe, Foreman
G.M. Baldwin
R.R. Smith
G.M. Thompson
H.A. Buhen
George King

Witnesses
Names		Residence
Nellie Gilliland 608 E 90th Pl.
Paul J. Michaels	1028 E 65th
John McAnmah (?) 86… 88th Pl
Frank J. Fisher 38 E. 99th Pl.

Genealogical Notes contributed by Dennis Roberts:

Henry B Gilliland
born 12 Feb 1872, Philo, IL (near Urbana, IL)
first appears with family in the 1880 census in Oakwood, Vermillion, IL

married Nellie Buckner 19 June 1897
Methodist Church, Momence IL
Marriage record Kankakee Co., IL, vol. 004, license # 6283

Henry and Nellie appear in the 1900 census
Kankakee Co., IL, vol 104, e dist 46, sheet 12, line 75
(Nellie's sister lives with them)

Chicago city directory listings in both 1906 and 1911

Died 14 July 1911, St Francis Hospital, Blue Island, Cook Co., IL
Momence Press Reporter, Friday, 21 July 1911, "Cars kill a young man" page 1
Cook County Coroners Inquest Record (Index 1872-1911)
Book #106, page 211 date filed 15 July 1911

Buried Momence Protestant Cemetery, Block 8, lot 5, near the
maintenance shed, look for Henry GILLILAND on stone

Nellie took the insurance money from his death and sent the kids to be
with his parents in Washington, DC while she opened a candy shop in
downtown Chicago. It went out of business but while there she met
William Tisbury, an immigrant from England. She married him, had the
kids move home from Washington DC, and moved to Kankakee, IL