Benjamin H. Gilson and Ida Ash

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Husband Benjamin H. Gilson ^{1 2}

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           Born: 10 Sep 1849 - Crawford Co, PA 1 3
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         Father: Richard B. Gilson (1813-1893) 2 4 5
         Mother: Betsey Harrison (1828-1906) 2 6

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       Marriage: 5 Jun 1877 3

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Wife Ida Ash ^{1 3}

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           Born:  - Warren Co, PA
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         Father: David Ash (      -Bef 1915) 1 3
         Mother: Anna Barber (      -Bef 1915) 1

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Children

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1 F Bertha Gilson ^{1 3}

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           Born: 1878 3
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2 M Earl O. Gilson ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
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         Spouse: Ida Wilman (      -      ) 3

         Spouse: [Unk] Burns (      -      ) 3

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General Notes: Husband - Benjamin H. Gilson

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He was born on Gilson Ridge, a half mile north of Hydetown, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. His early years were spent on the farm of his father, whom he assisted as soon as his strength enabled him to do so. His opportunities for acquiring an education at this time were very limited, but he overcame this deficiency in later years by judicious and earnest reading and study, and the best use of his keen power of observation and assimilation. He made a specialty of reading along legal lines, and in many cases which went to court he was considered as much of an authority as those who were admitted to the bar. He commenced working in the sawmill owned by his father at the age of twelve years, and learned the operation of this and the lumber business from the very beginning and in the most thorough and practical manner. He also assisted in the cultivation of the farm, and in very early manhood became engaged in local oil operations, and then became an oil producer at Maxburg, Ohio, for a period of four years. Returning to Rome township, Crawford County, he became identified with the lumber business, and was the owner of two portable sawmills. Both of these were kept in operation the greater part of the time, and he moved them all over that section of the country. In 1904 he moved one of his mills to Hydetown, and then erected a permanent mill there, and engaged in the lumbering and sawmill business there. Before locating there permanently he had been for the most part engaged in contract work. He was always a loyal Democrat in political affairs, and served as school director and in several other offices in Hydetown. In Rome township he was elected, and served, as justice of the peace for a period of ten years, and in Hydetown he served some years in that office as well. He was known by all as "Squire" Gilson, and his counsel was sought by all and highly esteemed. [GPHWP, 1608]

1 Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Our County and Its People, A Historical and Memorial Record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (W. A. Fergusson & Co., 1899), Pg 912.

2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1607.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1608.

4 —, The History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner Beers & Co., 1885), Pg 914.

5 Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Our County and Its People, A Historical and Memorial Record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (W. A. Fergusson & Co., 1899), Pg 911.

6 Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Our County and Its People, A Historical and Memorial Record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (W. A. Fergusson & Co., 1899), Pg 794, 911.