87. Eli Gilbert 1, 2 (Josiah , Josiah , Thomas , Thomas , Thomas , Thomas , Thomas ) was born on 23 Jan 1789 in Washington, Sullivan County, New Hampshire. He died on 7 Oct 1875/1879 in Ashley, Jefferson County, Illinois and was buried in Gilbert Cemetery, Waltonville, Jefferson County, Illinois.
BIOGRAPHY: In a sketch about Eli Gilbert we learn his ancestral family originated in England and came to settle in Massachusetts from 1632 to 1644. Descendants spread out onto American soil to various states which included New Hampshire and Vermont. This is where Eli was born in 1789 and grew up thereafter, eventually marrying Susanna who was from Vermont.
"In 1816, Eli Sr. with his family and friends decided to move to the Ohio country which had been opened to setlement as a result of the Northwest Ordinance. They moved by covered wagons across Pennsylvania and New York, working along the way to defray expenses. They arrived at Olean Point two years later.
The families lived in tents while building flat boats. Loading their families and possessions on the flat boats they floated down the Allegheny River to the Ohio, arriving in Marietta in 1818. They lived there 21 years.
Eli Sr. was an expert cloth dresser by trade, a farmer, and also ran a water mill for grinding grain and a sawmill.
In 1838 Eli Sr. explored the length of Illinois and decided to move his family to Jefferson County. He chose a spot just north of where the Cyrus Gilbert Cemetery is now located. Returning to Ohio in the fall, he sawed lumber for a two-story frame dwelling, a store, mill and several flat boats before dismantling the mill. The flatboats were loaded with families and possessions including livestock, the mill, lumber, tools, grind stones and glass window panes for their new home.
After encountering many hardships, they reached Shawneetown and eventually settled at Knob Prairie in 1839. Eli Sr. built the first two-story home with glass window panes. He also set out the first apple orchard in Jefferson County. Eli Sr. and Susannah organized the first Universalist Church in Jefferson County. The church was moved to Waltonville in 1895."
Considering the average lifespan for that time period, it was a pretty ambitious undertaking to take your family to the west, to lands uncivilized when one was close to 50 years of age. It is obvious that the blood of exploration flowed through this man's body, and that he lived a long satisfying life afterwards having died in 1875 at the age of 87. He was buried next to his wife Susannah who had died in 1865, in the Cyrus Gilbert Cemetery.
Additionally, a biographical sketch is found In the History of Jefferson County, Illinois by Perrin on Eli's son, Cyrus Gilbert which gives the following information about his parents: "... The father was a cloth dresser by trade, and worked at it for several years in Ohio; he also ran a water mill, and in after years gave his attention to agriculatural pursuits. He was a very enterprising man, and after coming to Jefferson County in 1839, built the house where our subject now resides, out of lumber brought from Ohio. The old folks had a family of seventeen children, ..."
Eli married (1) Susanna Gale 1 on 8 Mar 1808 in Colchester, Chittenden County, Vermont. Susanna was born on 13 Oct 1791 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. She died on 11 Jul 1865 in Jefferson County, Illinois and was buried in Gilbert Cemetery, Jefferson County, Illinois.
They had the following children:
+ 88 M i Eli Gilbert Jr. + 89 M ii Ira Gilbert + 90 M iii Stephen Gale Gilbert 91 M iv Truman Gilbert was born on 25 Aug 1813 in Colchester, Chittenden County, Vermont. He died in 1885. Truman resided in Washington County, Illinois. 92 M v Josiah Gilbert was born on 8 Mar 1815 in Colchester, Chittenden County, Vermont. + 93 M vi Henry Gilbert + 94 M vii Asa Gilbert + 95 M viii Philo Gilbert + 96 M ix Cyrus B. Gilbert 97 M x Silas Gilbert was born on 9 Sep 1824 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. He died in 1830/1831 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. 98 F xi Susannah Malica Gilbert was born on 25 May 1826 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. 99 M xii Ezra Gilbert was born on 20 Jan 1828 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. He died in 1842 and was buried in Gilbert Cemetery, Waltonville, Jefferson County, Illinois. 100 M xiii Linas Gilbert was born on 11 Sep 1829 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. + 101 M xiv Mengis Raynor Gilbert + 102 M xv Waldo Gilbert 103 F xvi Lois Gilbert was born on 8 Jun 1835 in Decatur, Washington County, Ohio. + 104 M xvii Alvin H. Gilbert
Eli also married (2) Sary Wells. Sary died on 13 Jan 1868 in Ashley, Jefferson County, Illinois.