Biographical Sketch of C. L. Gillilan, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** C. L. Gillilan, secretary of the American Trust Company, Warrensburg, is a native of Johnson County and a member of a prominent pioneer fam- ily of Columbus township where he was born January 2, 1880, the son of John M. and Rachel Ruth (Kelly) Gillilan. John M. Gillilan was born June 16, 1837 in West Virginia, the son of George Gillilan, with whom he came to Missouri. John M. Gillilan was fifteen years of age when he came to Missouri with his father in 1852 and located on the farm in Columbus township, Johnson County, where twenty-eight years later his son, C. L., the subject of this review, was born. George Gilillan died shortly after coming West and his remains were interred in Mt. Tabor cemetery in Lafayette county. This cemetery is one of the oldest in Missouri and was laid out by John McNeel, an uncle of C. L. Gillilan. Rachel Ruth (Kelly) Gillilan was born March 1, 1842 in Columbus town- ship, Johnson county within two and a half miles of her present home. She is the daughter of Captain John Kelly, who received his title while in service in the Mormon War. His wife's maiden name was Ray and Ray county, Missouri was named in honor of her father. Both parents of Mrs. Gillilan are now deceased and their remains were buried in the Kelly cemetery on the old homestead in Columbus township. To John M. and Rachel Ruth Gillilan were born the following children: Mrs. Martha Grinstead, wife of W. D. Grinstead, who resides near Holden, Missouri; W. P., deceased; Mrs. Anna F. Van Meter, wife of Joseph A. Van Meter of Odessa, Missouri; Mrs. Lydia C. Violet, who was the wife of Harry Violet, who is now deceased, and she resides at Fayetteville; J. G., Columbus; R. R., Odessa, Missouri; Beatrice, Centerview; Mrs. Gertrude Anderson, wife of Leonard Anderson of Odessa, Missouri; C. L., the subject of this sketch; Ethel, Centerview; C. G., Centerview; and W. R. deceased. John M. Gillilan is a well known and highly respected farmer and stockman of Columbus township. He was eighty years of age June 16, 1917. For sixty-five years he has lived in Johnson county and he has nobly done his part in aiding the development of his township and county. C. L. Gillilan attended the public schools of Johnson County. His boyhood was spent on the farm and until he was twenty-one years of age he was engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. In 1902 he was appointed deputy assessor and served under T. J. Summers for seven years. In the election of 1908 C. L. Gillilan was elected county ass- essor of Johnson county and in 1912 was re-elected, his term of office expiring June 1, 1917. Mr. Gillilan has been elected secretary of the American Trust Company of Warrensburg, a position which he now holds. He is unmarried. The American Trust Company of Warrensburg was organ- ized in 1908 and was known as the Johnson County Trust Company. In 1913 the Johnson County Trust Company consolidated with the American Bank and the name was changed to American Trust Company. The present capital stock is $50,000 with a surplus fund of $25,000. The deposits on March 5, 1917 amounted to $240,000. The present officials of the bank are: C. A. Harrison, president; George W. Lemmon, vice-president; C. L. Gillilan, secretary and treasurer; W. E. Crissey, general manager; R. L. Campbell, P. D. Fitch, C. A. Shepard, T. H. Doolin, T. B. Mont- gomery, C. J. Rucker, Nick M. Bradley, and William Shockey, directors. The American Trust Company is one of the best managed and soundest financial institutions in Johnson County. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================