JOHN
A. GILL, farmer, post-office Centretown, is a son of Hugh and Annie
(Anderson) Gill. The father was born in Washington County, Penn., in
1782, and came here in 1798 with his father, William Gill, a native of
Ireland, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. They settled near
Courtney’s Mills, in what is now Liberty Township, and William died
there in 1832. The father of our subject was a soldier in the War of
1812. He finally settled near Harrisville, Butler Co., Penn., and died
there in 1866. His widow died in 1872. Their family consisted of six
children, four of whom are still living: Margaret, Mrs. Joseph
Humphrey, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; John A., our subject; Elizabeth A. and
Hugh, living on the homestead. The father voted the Democratic ticket
in his early days, and afterward joined the Republican party. He paid
for his farm by teaming. He hauled the timber for the first bridge
across the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh, and for the first steamboat
run down the Ohio River. Our subject was born on the homestead March
22, 1823, received his education at the pioneer school-house and a few
terms at the public schools. In 1857 he married Sarah E., daughter of
Caleb and Sarah Russell, of this township, and by her has eight
children: Samuel S., of Butler County; Hugh R. and William J.,
merchants of Pittsburgh; M. G., of Kansas; Newton; Otis A., of
Pittsburgh; Ira H. and Harry L., at home. In 1847 he came to this
county and purchased his present farm of 100 acres, then mostly
woodland. He built a saw-mill on Wolf Creek, which he ran for twenty
years. He has held the offices of county auditor, supervisor and school
director of the township. In 1856 he was elected justice of the peace,
which office he has since held with the exception of one or two terms.
He votes the Republican ticket, and he and family are members of Amity
Presbyterian Church.
History of Mercer County, 1888, page 1022
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