Mills Bordwell Gelston (1817 - 1903)

Born 27 Aug 1817 in Sherman, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline Elizabeth (Fanning) Gelston — married 10 Sep 1851 in New York, United States

Died 28 Feb 1903 at age 85 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Mills Gelston is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Mills was born in 1817. He was the son of Maltby Gelston and Jane Bordwell. ^[1]

He graduated from Yale in 1843. ^[2]

He was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1847. ^[3]

His first church was First Presbyterian Church in Albion, Michigan, where he served from 1846-1855.

He married Caroline Fanning in 1851. ^[4]

In 1855 they moved to Naples, New York where he served First Presbyterian Church Of Naples (Now Trinity Federated Church of Naples) until 1876. ^[5][6][7][8]

They moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1876. ^[9][10]

Mills died in 1903. ^[11][12]

Obituary

Rev. Mills B. Gelston died at his home, 403 Washington street, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28, at the age of 85 years and 6 months. The funeral was held at his late residence Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Mr. Gelston was born in Sherman, Conn., in 1817. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, the family having come to this country early in the eighteenth century and settled in Southampton, Long Island.

He was educated in the traditional ways of early New England clergyman's families, and after studying with President Noah Porter as a private tutor he entered Yale College, where he graduated in 1845. Entering the ministry, his first pastorate was in Albion, Michigan, from 1846-1855, where he identified himself with the pioneer life. He went then to Naples, N. Y., where he was pastor of the Presbyterian church for 21 years.

Since 1876 he has resided with his family in Ann Arbor, supplying churches at Stoney Creek and Salem until advancing age rendered him too feeble.

He leaves a wife, two sons, William F., of the Provident Loan and Trust Co., Buffalo, N. Y., Arthur M., of the Michigan Sugar Co., Bay City, and three daughters, Mary C., of Alma College, Anna B., of Ann Arbor, and Mrs. James A. Woodburn, of Bloomington, Ind.^[13]

Children

1. Mary Catherine Gelston 1853–1940
2. William Fanning Gelston 1855–1929
3. Anna Bordwell Gelston 1857–1926
4. Martha Gelston 1859–1942
5. Arthur Mills Gelston 1860–1941
6. Caroline “Carrie” Louise (Woodburn) 1866–1943

Sources

1. ↑ Connecticut. Church Records Index. Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut.Free Image

   Name: Mills Bordwell Gelston

   Father: Maltby Gilston

   Baptism Date: 12 Oct 1817

   Baptism Place: Sherman, Connecticut, USA

2. ↑ Catalogue of the Graduated Members of the Linonian Society of Yale College During One Hundred Years. Published by the Linonian Society, 1853. Page 72. Free Image.

   Rev. Mills Boardwell Gelston, Albion, Mich.

   Class of 1843

3. ↑ Ministerial Directory of the Ministers of the Presbyterian Church. Oxford, OH, USA: The Ministerial Directory Company of Oxford, Ohio, 1898.

   Name: Mills B. Gelston

   State: MI

   Country: U.S.A.

   Birth State: CT

   Birth Country: U.S.A.

   PostID: 5980

   Ordination: 1847

   City: Ann Arbor

   Birth City: Sherman

4. ↑ Giddiness, Minor S. ”The Giddings family, or, The descendants of George Giddings : who came from St. Albans, England to Ipswich, Mass., in 1635 : with a record of others of the name not yet traced, also a sketch of prominent persons connected with the family”. Page 23
5. ↑ "New York State Census, 1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K63F-XZ3 : 3 March 2021), Mills Gelston, Naples, Ontario, New York, United States; citing p. 48, line #18, family #407, county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 590,802.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC7G-BVK : 18 February 2021), Miles B Gelston, 1860.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8VX-BVT : 29 May 2021), M B Gelston, 1870.
8. ↑ "New York State Census, 1875," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTDZ-JTX : 18 February 2021), Mills B Gelston, Naples, Ontario, New York, United States; citing p. 38, line 29, State Library, Albany; FHL microfilm 590,810.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW3V-DVG : 14 January 2022), Mills B. Gelston, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district ED 223, sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9BP-LY1 : 9 March 2022), Mills B Gelston, 1900
11. ↑ "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHR6-TZ1 : 23 February 2021), Mills B. Gelston, 1903.
12. ↑ "New York, Yates County, Swann Vital Records Collection, 1723-2009," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8B-8PXC : 1 March 2021), Mill B Gelston, 28 Feb 1903; citing Death, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States, Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society and Oliver Museum and Underwood Museum, Yates.
13. ↑ The Death Of Rev. M. B. Gelston Ann Arbor Argus-Democrat, March 6, 1903.

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #61603710: : accessed 23 September 2022), memorial page for Rev Bordell Mills Gelston (27 Aug 1817–28 Feb 1903), citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Betsy (contributor 46541776) .