LEWIS W. GILL Lewis W. Gill. Many years have come and gone since a little house in New York was brightened by the birth of a first-born child. Nearly four-score summers have come with their flowers and fruits, and as many winters with their frosts and snows, and time in its flight has seen the child grow into the sturdy lad, and manly youth, the successful farmer and venerable man. Now in the twilight of his useful life, he can look upon the past without remorse, and upon the future without fear. The heritage of an honorable life, unspotted by aught that would mar its purity, such will descend as his legacy to his posterity. Madison County, N.Y., was the birthplace of Mr. Gill, and September 4, 1817, the date of his birth. He was the eldest child of Samuel and Sarah (Plum) Gill, natives of Massachusetts. During the opening years of the present century, the schools of the Empire State were primitive both in appearance and in mode of instruction, the houses being rudely constructed of logs, with puncheon floors and slab benches upheld by wooden pins; apertures in the walls covered with greased paper answered the purpose of windows, the chimney was made of mud and sticks. The textbooks were few in number, consisting principally of the olfashioned "blue-back" spelling book, Testament, and an arithmetic, from which the pupil learned to figure. Amid such surroundings as these, our subject gained his primary knowledge of the "three R’s," but the information there obtained has been since supplemented by careful and systematic reading upon all subjects of general interest. At about the age of twenty years, Lewis W. gill commenced in active life for himself, and for a time followed the occupation of a farmer in the Empire State. Thence, in 1857, he removed to Michigan, and coming to Ottawa County, settled upon the farm where he has since made his home. He cleared the land, improved the farm, and gradually introduced first-class improvements, thereby greatly enhancing the value of the place. He now conducts general farming upon the forty acres which he has placed under cultivation. He is a man of prominence in his community, and in politics affiliates with the Democrats. His fellow-citizens have chosen him to represent them in various positions of responsibility, and in all of these posts of duty he has served with efficiency and success. While filling the position of Roadmaster, he was enabled to contribute materially to the promotion of the best interest of the Township, and the fine roads here are due in no small measure to his labors. The marriage of Mr. Gill occurred in 1841, and united him with Miss Lydia Eddy, who at that time resided in Wyoming County, N.Y. This venerable couple celebrated their golden wedding on the 7th of October, 1891, at which time they were the recipients of the congratulations of hosts of warm personal friends, to whom they had endeared themselves during all the years of their residence in this locality. They have been the parents of three children, two of whom are now living. Ophelia became the wife of McMaster Bryant, and makes her home in Cooper, Kalamazoo County, this State. Amelia married Richard Chappel, and resides in Ottawa County.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & Ottawa Counties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company

Transcriber: Charles Armstrong
Created: 6 May 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index