Gillen, John 1833-1917

GILLEN, HENGEL

Posted By: Janet Brown - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/13/2013 at 18:35:51

From the February 3, 1917 Alton Democrat (the microfilmed image was very difficult to read and several lines are totally illegible but I did my best):

Soldier, Pioneer Dies Quietly

John Gillen, a veteran of the Civil War and pioneer resident of South Dakota, passed away quietly Tuesday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Peter Schroeder. The funeral was held Thursday morning from St. Mary’s church, with Rev. F. J. B____ officiating.

John Gillen was born in Bartringen, Luxembourg, Europe on April 25, 1833, being 84 years old at the time of his death. He came to America when 22 years old, working in Wisconsin for eight months and then moving to Michigan where he worked in the _____ _____. After a short time, he went to Paha(?), Missouri where he went to work in the lumber camps, staying two years. From there Mr. Gillen moved north to Lake Superior and Eagle Harbor, Michigan where he was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Hengel (?) on July 7, 18__ (1861?). They moved to a farm in Washington ____, Wisconsin, (2 totally illegible, absent lines here). In 18___, Mr. Gillen joined the army, going with the ___ Wisconsin regiment. During this time he endured many hardships in the ___ of ___ and after the war returned home to his family with his eyesight somewhat impaired as the result of hardships endured.

In 1885, Mr. and Mrs. Gillen moved to Hartford (?), S.D. where they settled again on a farm in 1900 moved to Alton where they have lived since.

Nine children were born, namely: Nic Gillen of Willowdale, Kansas; Anna Gillen Robinet, Frank Gillen, Mary Gillen Even, John Gillen, and Henry Gillen of Watertown, S.D., Margaret Gillen of Watertown, S.D., Celeste Gillen Gilcrist of Worthington, Minn., Frances Gillen Schroeder of Alton. Anna, Frank and John are dead. The wife and six children survive him; also 35 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Poster’s note: Family trees on ancestry.com have Mrs. Gillen’s maiden name as Catherine Hengel so although the “n” is illegible in the obituary, that is probably right. They give the marriage date as July 7, 1861 (July 7 is legible in the obituary but not the 61).

It is hard to tell but it looks like Nic, Henry, Margaret, Celeste, Frances survived him and probably Mary Gillen Even; however, her address is not given in the obituary. But from census information, it looks like she also lived in Alton, Iowa (probably why her residence was not given) and that she did not die until 1956.

Mr. Gillen's birth place looks like Bartringen and I see that place used in relation to Bertrange when I google it so I that is how I transcribed it.

According to his military record on this site, Mr. Gillen was Drafted to Company U, Wisconsin 25th Infantry Regiment on 01 Dec 1864.