GILLEN, James W. (1887 History)

GILLEN, MOORE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/19/2014 at 03:36:38

Biography ~ James W. Gillen

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 187-88:

JAMES W. GILLEN, of Lamoni, is a native of County Derry, Ireland, born March 18, 1836, and is of Scotch and Irish ancestry. When he was six months old his father, EDWARD GILLEN, died, leaving his widow with five small children, four sons and one daughter. In the spring of 1841 she immigrated to Canada with her family and lived at Montreal till her death, in 1845, at the age of forty-five years. She was provided with means to keep the children together until they were able to care for themselves. At the age of twelve years JAMES W., our subject, began learning the nail-maker’s trade which he followed two years, after which he was employed in the foundry of John Molsom & Co., for eighteen months. He then worked at the nail-maker’s trade near Quebec for two years during which time he learned paper-manufacturing. In the summer of 1853 he hired out as a farm laborer, attending school in the winters of 1853-’54 and ’55, in Essex County, New York. In 1856 he attended an institute at Fort Edward, New York, for six months, and from there came West to Boone County, Illinois, where he passed his examination before Judge FULLER, the county superintendent of schools, who granted him a teacher’s certificate. He taught school for two years, and in 1858 removed to Harrison County, Iowa, where he purchased 276 acres of land. In 1859 he entered the employ of the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, at St. Joseph, Missouri, as shipping and receiving clerk. The next year, on the opening of the Platte County Railraod to Atchison, he went with the first train to Winthrop, where he remained as shipping and receiving clerk until the commencement of the war. He then returned to his farm in Harrison County, Iowa, teaching school the following winter. December 9, 1861, he joined the Latter-Day Saints by communion and baptism, and June 11, 1862, was ordained an elder, and preached in Iowa and Nebraska till the following October. He was then sent to Illinois where he labored for his religion until 1863, and from there was sent on a mission to Canada, and was in that field during 1863 and 1864. In 1865 he labored in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Wheeling, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, spending the following winter in Canada. In the spring of 1866 he was appointed as a missionary to Utah, crossing the plains with two other missionaries from Omaha. Mr. GILLEN was married in August, 1867, to Miss NANCY A. MOORE, and of the seven children born to them, six are living – ARTHUR, BYRON, ELNORA, ALICE, WILBUR and LULU. The second child, NELLIE, died July 5, 1881, aged eleven years. Elder GILLEN remained in Utah until November, 1868, when he went to California, arriving there January 4, 1869. He labored in that State for two years, and in 1871 he worked for the cause in Oregon. In 1872 he returned to California for his family, and moved with them by wagon to Bozeman, Montana, where he bought a farm, and followed farming during the week, and preached on the Sabbath. At this time he was Territorial lecturer for the Good Templars, and for his services as such received $100 per month. He came with his family to Decatur County, Iowa, June 30, 1876, when he purchased 120 acres of improved land on section 10, Fayette Township, where his family lived until March, 1886. January, 1879, Mr. GILLEN was appointed missionary to Australia, remaining in the field three years, reaching his home June 7, 1882, since which he has remained with his family, preaching on Sabbath days. He removed to Lamoni in March, 1886, and the following summer built a fine residence which is now occupied by his family.

Transcribed by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historial Society Musuem, January of 2014