Dr. H. J. GILFILLAN, Sr., 1868-1951

GILFILLAN, MOON, MILSTEAD, MAHANNAH

Posted By: Volunteer-Betty Hootman
Date: 9/12/2012 at 18:45:59

Dr. H. J. Gilfillan, Sr., 83, Dies At Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD---Dr. H. J. Gilfillan, Sr., who spent half a century in service in southeastern Iowa as a physician and surgeon died at his home in Bloomfield Saturday afternoon. A heart attack proved fatal to the 83-year-old doctor. He had spent the last several years in retirement at his home here.

He was born in Milton, Iowa, April 28, 1868. Before entering the medical field Dr. Gilfillan was in the newspaper business, first at Milton, and later a Cantril. He established Cantril’s first newspaper in 1895. But he left the field of medicine which had been a family tradition for 150 years.

Both of Dr. Gilfillan’s grandfathers were doctors. They were Dr. Alexander Gilfillan of West Alexander, Pa., and Dr. G. H. Swartz who starred his practice in 1831 in Pennsylvania and later moved to Iowa. His father Dr. G. W. Gilfillan was a pioneer Iowa physician. He had six sons, all of whom followed in their father’s footsteps.

Dr. Gilfillan started his practice of medicine in 1896 in Trenton, Henry county, following his graduation from Keokuk Medical college. He remained there until 1901. During the next 17 years, he maintained his office in Mt. Pleasant. He then moved to Milton, his birthplace, where he remained until 1928. His last 20 years of practice were at Cantril.

He was a member of the Van Buren County and Iowa State Medical societies and the American Medical association. He also was a member of the Masonic lodge, Shrine, Knights of Pythias, Order of Eastern Star and the Methodist church.

Four of his six sons are now associated with the Gilfillan clinic in Bloomfield. They are Dr. C. D. N. Gilfillan, Dr. Earl Gilfillan, Dr. Edwin O. Gilfillan, and Dr. H. J. Gilfillan, Jr. Another son Dr. Harold M. Gilfillan is a surgeon in San Francisco. The oldest son, Dr. G. W. Gilfillan, preceded his father in death last March.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Clara Moon Gilfillan, the five sons, and three daughters, Mrs. Wallace Milstead of New York city[sic], Miss Esther Gilfillan of Bloomfield and Mrs. Harry Mahannah of Cherokee.

Funeral services were conducted this afternoon at the Milton Methodist church by Rev. Carl Wilson of Ft. Madison, former pastor of the Bloomfield Methodist church. Burial was at Milton.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book A-2, page 209, Keosauqua Public Library; Keosauqua, IA

Van Buren Obituaries maintained by Rich Lowe.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen