Peter McKenzie Gilson (1811 - 1874)

Born 28 Feb 1811 in Maine

Husband of Judith (Alexander) Gilson — married 1 Feb 1835 in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

Descendants

Died 21 Mar 1874 at age 63 in Allamakee County, IA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Betty Jones [send private message]

Biography

Peter was born in 1811, A city directory of 1834 includes a "Peter Gilson, Jr" as a laborer, who is boarding in Lowell, MA. He and Judith were married in 1835 in Lowell, MA and were residents there. As the census reveals, he traveled west with his family, then returned to IL, and NE before again settling in Iowa with his wife. On Sept 10, 1844 he purchased 3961 acres in Illinois. He passed away in 1871. He was briefly mentioned in a travelog written in the mid-1800s as a miller with whom the travelers stopped for a night.

Note is made in the "Early Pioneers of Harrison, Maine" that Gilson is an ancient Scottish name, and this supports the family legend that the family is descended from Robert Bruce.

Sources

• US Census, 1820 - Ludlow, Allamakee, IA
• US Census, 1850 - Algonquin, McHenry, IL
• US Census, 1860 - Fairbury, Jefferson, NE
• US Census, 1870 - Franklin, Allamakee, IA

• Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

• "Early settlers of Harrison, Maine : with an historical sketch of the settlement, progress and present condition of the town"

• Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 August 2018), memorial page for Peter McKenzie Gilson (28 Feb 1811–21 Mar 1874), Find A Grave Memorial no. 48251323, citing Cleveland Cemetery, Postville, Allamakee County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by GERALD (FORSJORD) OLSEN (contributor 46817791) .