Henry Earl Gilson (abt. 1847 - 1894)

Born about 9 Jun 1847 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Died 9 Dec 1894 at about age 47 in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Private Henry Gilson served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 5th Mass. Infantry, 6th Mass. Inf.

Henry Earl Gilson was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1847, the son of Henry and Mary (Bailey) Gilson. (Based on his age at the time of his death - 47 years and 6 months - he was born about June 9, 1847). He grew up in Cambridge and, by 1860, the family lived in neighboring Somerville, Massachusetts. His father was a last-maker.^[1] He was one of 8 children, though an older sister died before he was born.

He was 15 years old and a student when he enlisted to serve in the Civil War, on August 20, 1862. He mustered in as a drummer-boy with Company B of the 5th Mass. Infantry. He was big for his age and soon "exchanged his drum for a gun."^[2] He served a 9-month term and was discharged on July 2, 1863. He later served with the Unattached Company, 6th Massachusetts Infantry, from May 4, 1864-August 2, 1864.^[3]

After the war, he lived in Somerville for the rest of his life. In 1870, he was a salesman when he married Marion Augustua Harmon of Charlestown, MA, the daughter of Eben and Elizabeth (Crockett) Harmon.^[4] They had four children:

• Henry Yend, 1870-1936
• Howard Augustus, 1873-1944
• Valentine Earl, 1876-1937
• Mary Elizabeth, 1878-1964

Henry was a traveling salesman^[5] and, according to his death record, a trunk-maker. He filed a patent for an improved metal frame of a trunk in 1882, as an assignor to Crouch & Fitzgerald of New York.^[6] At the time of the 1870 census, he owned real estate valued at $20,000.^[7]

He was a member of the John Abbott Lodge of Masons in Somerville. In 1889, he and other veterans of the 5th Mass. Infantry toured the battlefields of North Carolina.^[8]

He died at his home on 26 Boston St. in Somerville in 1894. He was 47 years old.^[9] He is buried with his wife at the Cambridge Cemetery in Cambridge.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 83; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Digital film/folder number: 005170088; FHL microfilm: 803506; Image number: 430; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01735-6
   FamilySearch Record: MZHY-99D (accessed 23 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9BSS-867
   Henry E Gilson (13) in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Massachusetts.
2. ↑ Roe, Alfred S., The Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1911, p. 383: "Gilson, Henry E., 15, S.; student, Somerville; d. 1894, Somerville; b. Cambridge, June 10, 1847; later May 4, '64, 6th Unattached Co., 3 ms.; the youngest man in the regiment, he enlisted as drummer-boy, but on account of his six-foot stature exchanged his drum for a gun."
3. ↑ National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database, accessed 8 January 2024, Henry E. Gilson
4. ↑ Marriage: "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004279595; FHL microfilm: 001433029; Record number: 91; Packet letter: A
   FamilySearch Record: N4SZ-7MY (accessed 23 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-6R99-1F6 Image number 00010
   Henry E Gibson (22) marriage to Marion A. Harmom (20y) on 12 Jan 1870 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.
5. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing Volume: 1; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00026; Digital film/folder number: 005160807; FHL microfilm: 1254546; Image number: 551; Sheet number: 274; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: C56338-3
   FamilySearch Record: MHXW-6QT (accessed 23 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YB4-97ZJ
   Henry E Gilson (31), married, Travelling Salesman, head of household in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Massachusetts, United States.
6. ↑ Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Vol. 22, December 26, 1882, p. 2179
7. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 149; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 12; Digital film/folder number: 004271382; FHL microfilm: 000552130; Image number: 362; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01514-2
   FamilySearch Record: MD31-Q5F (accessed 23 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6S4W-XQY
   Henry Gilson (23) head of household in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Massachusetts.
8. ↑ Roe, Alfred S., The Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1911, p. 262
9. ↑ Death: "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004225008; FHL microfilm: 961513; Record number: 97; Packet letter: H
   FamilySearch Record: NW4R-GDZ (accessed 23 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DWT7-1S2 Image number 360
   Henry E Gilson death 9 Dec 1894 (age 47), son of Henry Y. & Mary S. Bailey, in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.
10. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #161447324 (accessed 23 January 2024)
    Memorial page for Henry Earl Gilson (10 Jun 1847-9 Dec 1894), citing Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA

See also:

• 1890 Census: "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890"
  citing Affiliate Publication Title: Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War,1890.; Affiliate Publication Number: M123; Digital film/folder number: 004679076; FHL microfilm: 338171; Image number: 777
  FamilySearch Record: K8SV-22Z (accessed 23 January 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 939V-5GH4-2
  Henry E Gilson in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.