Cleburne Gilliland

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Biography

Son of Samuel S. and Esther J. Gilliland.

"My two main interests for the last thirty years have been writing children's books and studying world cultures. Believing that the way to learn about and understand a culture is to live in it, I have lived in the homes of indigenous peoples on all five continents and the Pacific islands.

"I grew up on a horse ranch in Southeast Colorado. I still love to do ranch work and ride horseback. I also hike and climb, and spend one to two weeks each summer backpacking in the Montana wilderness areas."^[1]

CAREER

"Public school teacher in Richland, WA, 1950-53; Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, supervising teacher, 1953-60; Montana State University--Billings, professor, 1960-80; Lake and Peninsual Schools, Alaska, bilingual and multicultural specialist, 1980-84. Council for Indian Education (a publisher of educational and children's books), president and editor, 1970--. Has directed various educational programs serving Indian reservations and chaired numerous committees dealing with Indian and general education. Has conducted teacher training workshops. Has been a visiting lecturer and speaker at numerous institutions. Military service: U.S. Air Force, 1942-46."

"Dr. Gilliland is chairman of the Intertribal Cultural Editorial Committee that selects all material to be published by the Council for Indian Education."

Cleburne “Hap” Gilliland, Educator and Author, dies at 98.

Growing up on a ranch in Colorado fostered Hap Gilliland’s passion for exploring nature. His adventures in the mountains and curiosity about the world around him became the basis of his writing and professional work. During World War II while serving in the Army Air Corps, Hap was stationed in New Guinea and the Philippines. Here his life-long interest in learning about indigenous people developed. These interests led Hap to travel through many countries on six different continents, writing about his experiences. After earning his Ed.D. from the University of Northern Colorado in 1959, Hap worked as a Professor of Education at Eastern Montana College (now the University of Montana at Billings). At EMC he established the Reading Clinic and mentored generations of elementary educators. Hap was instrumental in developing the Montana Council for Indian Education, which published several hundred children’s books written by Native American authors. For many years, he worked with the Lame Deer Public Schools on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Hap wrote five adventure novels, 19 children’s books about the lives of Native American people, and 22 college education textbooks. His last book, published in 2015, includes poems he composed over an 85-year period.

After his retirement, Hap continued to enjoy traveling, hiking, and writing. He worked as a reading consultant in Alaska, Australia, and New Zealand. He always looked forward to his yearly backpacking trip in the Beartooth Mountains with friends who called themselves the “Over the Hill Gang.”

Hap was born in 1918 on a homestead near Willard, Colorado. His parents had a mule ranch and taught in a two-room schoolhouse. After marrying his wife, Erma Louise Rodreick in Denver, they moved to Gunnison, Colorado, where Hap completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. He taught in Washington and California before settling in Billings in 1960. Hap and Erma were married 70 years. In 2012, the couple moved from Billings to Bozeman to live near their daughter Diane. On Jan. 6, Hap passed away from pneumonia with his wife and family nearby. His children include Lori (Steve) Sargent of Louisville, Kentucky, Diane (Peter) Bakun of Belgrade, and son Dwight (Kristi) Gilliland of Billings who died in 2014. Hap had three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Obituary, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 10 Jan 2017. ^[2]

Census Records

1920 Census:

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

S S Gilleland Head Male 31 Kansas

Esther J Gilleland Wife Female 29 Nebraska

Viletta Gilleland Daughter Female 5 Colorado

Vail Gilleland Son Male 4 Colorado

Ruth Gilleland Daughter Female 3 Colorado

Cleburn Gilleland Son Male 1 Colorado

^[3]

1930 Census:

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Samuel S Gilliland Head Male 42 Kansas

Esther J Gilliland Wife Female 40 Nebraska

Viletta G Gilliland Daughter Female 15 Colorado

Vail R Gilliland Son Male 14 Colorado

Ruth G Gilliland Daughter Female 13 Colorado

Cleburne S Gilliland Son Male 11 Colorado

^[4]

1940 Census:

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Samuel S Gilliland Head Male 52 Kansas

Esther J Gilliland Wife Female 50 Nebraska

Ruth Gilliland Daughter Female 23 Colorado

Cleburne Gilliland Son Male 21 Colorado

^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Rec/rec.arts.books.childrens/2008-08/msg00044.html
2. ↑ https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/obituaries/cleburne-hap-gilliland/article_e1d3c7f6-6454-5cf1-b763-a5789d6ae2ca.html
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXL3-T2J : accessed 5 February 2020), Cleburn Gilleland in household of S S Gilleland, Willard, Logan, Colorado, United States; citing ED 192, sheet 5A, line 6, family 101, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 167; FHL microfilm 1,820,167.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X743-DQH : accessed 5 February 2020), Cleburne S Gilliland in household of Samuel S Gilliland, Coal Creek, Fremont, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 31, sheet 2A, line 6, family 28, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 241; FHL microfilm 2,339,976.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRD5-43R : 5 November 2019), Cleburne Gilliland in household of Samuel S Gilliland, Tract 26, Denver, Election District R, Denver, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16-212A, sheet 8A, line 13, family 218, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 490.

"Colorado, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKVM-4B99 : 14 August 2019), Cleburne Samuel Gilliland, 16 Oct 1940; records extracted by (FamilySearch or Partner), images digitized by (Family Search or Partner); citing Draft Registration, Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States, citing "Draft Registration Cards for Colorado, 10/16/1940 – 3/31/1947", NAID 5833895. Records of the Selective Service System, 1926 - 1975, RG 147. National Archives at St. Louis, Missouri, n.d.