Gordon Hall Gile (1828 - 1902)

Born 29 May 1828 in Oxford, Chenango County, NY

Ancestors

Died 10 May 1902 at age 73 in Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI

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Note

Note: @NI327@

@NI327@ NOTE/Burleigh #689 - "He has been clerk of the Circuit Court and supervisorof Winnebago Co.; was engaged in the real estate business, iron mining, andlumbering at Oshkosh, Wis."> Gordon Gile was born May 29, 1827, in Oxford, Chenango county, New York. Hisfather was a well-to-do tailor. The son received his early education in thepublic schools of his birth place. When only twelve years of age he began towork on farms in summer months and later he ran rafts of logs on thetributaries of the Susquehanna river. His labors brought him a splendidphysique and a hardy constitution. In 1845, Mr. Gile started west and in the spring of that year he came to TwoRivers, Wisconsin, where he worked in a sawmill. The same fall he was a sailoron a schooner on the great lakes. Returning afterwards to New York state heremained until he was twenty-one years of age and then came back to Wisconsin,locating in Waushara county as a farmer. For eight or ten years he served asclerk of the court of Waushara county, running on the Whig ticket. He wasafterward county treasurer for two terms. He followed the lumbering business on the Wisconsin river for some time andin 1871 he removed to Oshkosh with his family and resided here ever since. Hecontinued his lumbering business actively until 1882, but in the meantime alsobecame interested in mining. Mr. Gile's interests in mines and mining were very extensive. At the timeof his death he was treasurer of the Northern Chief Iron company, which ownsand works large properties including the Germania, Cary, Superior, Windsor andothers. The post office of Gile, WI in the mining country, is named after him. - "A Biographical History of Prominent Men of the Great West"

 !1855 Census, Dakota, Washara Co., WI - G. H. Gile, 2 males, 5 females - sinceno children, guess is his wife, William and Ann, his parents, and Mahala,Joseph's widow.

 !1860 census Wautoma, Washara, WI, age 33, b. NY, occupation Clerk of theCourt., with wife and two daughters.

 !Undated Oshkosh City Directory, Gile, Wilson & Wakefield, real estate andlumber dealers, postoffice blk.

 !1900 census, Oshkosh, Winnebago, WI, age 72, b. NY, living with wife Sarah,age 68 b. NY and daughter Jennie C. age 42 b. WI.

 !Extensive biography in file. Vice president of German National Bank ofOshkosh.

 !Gile, WI named after him.

 !Death date per Hugh Swofford from Milwaukee Court House records 6/26/90.

 !Biography in - "A Biographical History of Prominent Men of the Great West"edited by J. A. Campbell. In file - a letter from the Postmaster, DeloresGenisot, at Gile, WA 54525, in response to my enquiry as to the source of thename of the postoffice - "Gile was named for Gordon H. Gile of Oshkosh, WI. Hewas one of the owners of Northern Chief Iron Co., who mined ore in our area."

 !From "The Columbian Diographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of theRepresentative Men of the United States - Wisconsin Volume" ed D. I. Nelke,Lewis Publishing Co. 1895 Chicago - copy in file - relates that "Gordon HallGile, one of the most prominent men of Oshkosh, and in fact the entire State,is the son of William and Ann (Stephens) Gile. ... father was a well-to-dotailor ...at the age of twelve...hired out to work on farms during thesummer...sixteen years old...during the early spring and fall seasons he ranrafts of lumber on the tributaries of the Susquehanna river...developing asplendid physique and a hardy constitution...1845 to Wisconsin...spring came toTwin Rivers where he found employment in a sawmill...fall worked as a sailor onthe Great Lakes..again at home in New York...until he was twenty one years ofage. In 1850 Mr. Gile again set forth for the West and came to Waushara county(WI)...began the life of a farmer. After a few years...became the candidtatefor the office of the Clerk of the Court on the Whig ticket..served..eight orten years...afterwards became County Treasurer for two terms..in 1871...movedto Oshkosh..continued his lumber and pine-land business until 1882...alsoturned his attention towards mineral lands and mining....Mr. Gile's interestsin mines and mining are very extensive. He is the treasurer of the NorthernChief Iron Company, which owns and works such properties as the Germania, Cary,Superior, Windsor and others. ...Masonic fraternity....including thethirty-second degree Scottish Rites. In addition to his varied mininginterests, Mr. Gile is vice-president of the German National Bank of Oshkosh."

 !Obituary in file, The Daily Northwestern, 12 May 1902. - Gordon H. Gile Dead - " A Prominent Oshkosh Man Passes Away After an Illness Covering a Period ofBut a Few Days - Heavily Interested in Mining Properties" After only a brief illness, Gordon Hall Gile of 285 Algoma street, one ofthe prominent and widely known citizens of this city and this state, diedSaturday evening about 7:10 o'clock of heart disease and diabetes. He wasseventy-five years of age. He passed away peacefully in the presence of hissorrow stricken family. Apparently for some time previous to the end he didnot suffer any pain. Mr. Gile returned home last Tuesday from a business trip to Milwaukee andwas observed on the streets of Oshkosh last Wednesday, as he went to his officeand transacted necessary business. From all appearances he was enjoying fairlygood health, considering during last summer he was very ill and it was fearedat that time his attack would prove fatal. On his way home from the trip toMilwaukee he began to feel ill, but on Wednesday he managed to attend tobusiness duties. It was not until Friday that his condition becams so seriousthat a physician was called. As he had been in fairly good health since lastsummer, his many friends will be pained to learn of his sudden passing away. The surviving members of the family are a wife and two daughters, Mrs. G. S.Luscher and Miss Jennie C. Gile of this city, also two brothers, William Gileof Kansas and Joshua Gile of Iowa. Gordon H. Gile has been prominently associated with the efforts to developthe resources of Wisconsin, ever since he came to this state in 1845. He wasfirst identified with the lumbering interests and later as a mine owner. Itmay be said of him that whatever he did in either private or public affairswas done without ostentation and so modestly as to indicate a positiveshrinking from observation or notoriety. He never posed as a philanthropist,but by the most honest and honorable methods by which he acquired a fortune,and especially by the manner in which he used it, he was justly entitled to therespect he received, the confidence and esteem of the entire community in whichhe lived. His business integrity was without a flaw. Many were the acts ofcharity which his generous nature performed. He attended to his businessaffairs conscientiously and displayed great intelligence and energy. Hisprivate and public life was exemplary and he was a home-loving man, his regardfor his family being a strong trait of his character. Mr. Gile was born May 29, 1827, in Oxford, Chenango county, New York. Hisfather was a well-to-do tailor. The son received his early education in thepublic schools of his birth place. When only twelve years of age he began towork on farms in summer months and later he ran rafts of logs on thetributaries of the Susquehanna river. His labors brought him a splendidphysique and a hardy constitution. In 1845, Mr. Gile started west and in the spring of that year he came to TwoRivers, Wisconsin, where he worked in a sawmill. The same fall he was a sailoron a schooner on the great lakes. Returning afterwards to New York state heremained until he was twenty-one years of age and then came back to Wisconsin,locating in Waushara county as a farmer. For eight or ten years he served asclerk of the court of Waushara county, running on the Whig ticket. He wasafterward county treasurer for two terms. He followed the lumbering business on the Wisconsin river for some time andin 1871 he removed to Oshkosh with his family and resided here ever since. Hecontinued his lumbering business actively until 1882, but in the meantime alsobecame interested in mining. Mr. Gile's interests in mines and mining were very extensive. At the timeof his death he was treasurer of the Northern Chief Iron company, which ownsand works large properties including the Germania, Cary, Superior, Windsor andothers. Mr, Gile was married in 1867. His wife's maiden name was Miss Sarah Wilson,of Franklin county, New York. At one time Mr. Gile was vice president of the German National bank ofOshkosh and was also vice president of the People's Building and Loanassociation. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity." (Masonic Service at Trinity Episcopal Church.)