W.B. GILLINGHAM
History of Arizona, 1893

The name above mentioned is one well known in Maricopa 
County and the possessor is not only an expert mining 
engineer of this section but a most worthy and influential 
citizen. He was born May 26, 1850 in Port Huron, Michigan 
and is a son of Lewis and Louise (Bartle)  Gillingham, both 
natives of the Empire State.  The father was a dealer in 
lumber in Michigan but moved from that state to Pennsylvania, 
where he carried on the same business for a number of years.  
He and wife were Quakers and very quiet and reserved people.  
Mr. Gillingham died in Philadelphia in 1876 but his wife is 
still living and resides in New York City.  They had but one 
child besides our subject, Harriet who became the wife of 
Edgar Conger of Columbia, South Carolina.

During his youth in Pennsylvania our subject attended Columbia 
College, New York, graduated in 1886, taking the engineering 
course and subsequently made his way toward the Pacific 
coast.  His object in making this trip was to further a 
project for irrigating the country by means of the Colorado 
River, but as this proved a failure he secured employment 
as manager of the Phoenix Mining Company, which was the 
largest gold mine company in the Territory.  He remained 
with this company for five years after which he resigned.  
While manager of the same he put up a $100 stamping mill 
for them and also made over two miles of development.  
This mine has been worked for over fifteen years and has 
been very productive.  

In 1893 he resigned his position and began working mining 
property for himself and is the owner of several valuable 
claims some of which are producing very good ore.  Mr. 
Gillingham is an expert mining engineer and is associated 
with Hon. T.E. Farrish of Phoenix.  He is an active young 
man and is the owner of considerable real estate in 
Phoenix. He also owns some ranch property, but turns his 
attention principally to mining and engineering.

On the 19th of July 1891 he married Mrs. Rose Burchett, 
a native of California, and they have one child, Ross.  
Mrs. Gillingham is a member of the Methodist Church South.

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