Josiah Gilleland (1914)

GILLELAND, CRESWELL, GRIGSBY, JACKSON, HELMICK

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 3/17/2007 at 20:15:37

Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
February 11, 1914

JOSIAH GILLELAND

Josiah Gilleland, was born in Bartholomew county, Ind., Aug. 3, 1841, died at his home near Uneas, Okla., Saturday morning, Jan. 24, 1914, aged 72 years, 5 months, 21 days. In his boyhood, his parents moved to Madison county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. He was married March 13, 1866 to Cosby Creswell. Their residence was in Iowa till the fall of 1867 when they moved to Harrison county, Missouri, which was their home for 24 years. In 1891, they moved, with their family to Cowley county, Kansas, and lived there two years. Getting a home in the race for claims, September, 1893, his home has been in Kay county, Oklahoma, for over 20 years.

During the last ten years, he spent a few months in Colorado and New Mexico, where, as everwhere he went, he made many a friend. No one was ever richer in friends than "Uncle Joe", as he was called for miles around his home. Full of kindness of heart, and gentleness, he was the favorite of children and loved by everyone. A neighbor who fully measured to Christ's standard of a neighbor - one who thought of others before himself. He always had a glad hand and a cheery word. Friends and neighbors, in expressing sympathy for the family, speak of their own deep persons grief. He was good to all, loved by all.

The father of ten children, he leaves four to share the burden of grief with the aged wife. A daughter, Effie and a son, George, died in recent years, four died in infancy. The living children are Louis, Misses Cynthia and Shone and Mrs. Mary Grigsby. There are also two little grandchildren, Lloyd and Mary Grigsby.

His mother Susan Helmick Gilleland, has been dead 37 years and his father, James Henry Gilleland, has been dead 10 years. Of a family of ten children, only three are living. These are George R., of Gowrie, Iowa, Achelles B. of Madison, Nebr., and Mrs. Kantippe Jackson of Battle Creek, Nebr. Besides these there are many nieces and nephews, who are as loving sons and daughters. Among all his friends and in the home there is a void.