Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 



Biography of William Hubb Gill and his father, John T. Gill
   (William: Nov 7, 1854-?, burial unknown)
   (John T: Sep. 19, 1819-Jun. 10, 1876, buried Oakwood Cemetery in Oakwood, 
      Leon Co., TX.)

Book - Biographical Sketches from Limestone, Freestone, and Leon Counties, Texas.  
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1893.  p. 565.


William Hubb Gill, the leading merchant of Oakwood, Texas, was born in Freestone
county, November 7, 1854, and was reared to merchantile pursuits in Freestone
and Butler counties [sic, There is no Butler county Texas.  They meant Butler, 
Freestone County. ] from the time he was large enough to stand behind a counter.
He is the son of John T. and Mary (Bonner) Gill, he a native of North Carolina 
and she of Alabama.  John T. was engaged in the warehouse business in Alabama
and came to Texas in 1852, locating in Freestone county, where he first engaged
in merchandising and in a warehouse business at West Point, on the Trinity 
river. He remained there two years, and then moved to Butler, where he opened
up business with a partner, and the firm name was Bonner & Gill.  This continued
until the opening of the war, but was closed during its continuance, and in 1867
the business was reopened as McDaniel & Gill and successfully conducted until 
in 1873, when Mr. McDaniel died.
  Mr. Gill continued the business until 1875, and then the firm was changed to 
J. T. Gill & Son, and was thus conducted for two years, when Mr. Gill, Sr., 
retired and died June, 1876, at Houston, while in attendance upon the Grand
Lodge.  He was born in Franklin county, North Carolina, June 19, 1819, and at
death he left a comfortable estate, which his heirs have been increasing.  His
wife bore the maiden name of Mary L. Bonner, and was a native of Alabama and a
daughter of Reuben M. Bonner, who came to Texas in  1851 and settled in 
Freestone county, thence to Waco, Texas, where he and sons were engaged in the
wholesale and retail grocery business; thence to Whitney and engaged in general
merchandise.  He and one son engaged in the business with Mr. J. T. Gill before
the war, and the firm name was Bonner & Gill.  Our subject was the second in a
family of ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gill, Sr., four of these living, as
follows: R. B., now engaged in the family grocery business in Oakwood, Texas;
John H., now in Childress, Childress county, engaged in the merchantile business
with W. E. McDaniel,- style of firm, McDaniel & Gill; and Callie A., at home 
with her mother at the family residence in Oakwood.
  Our subject received his education at the common schools, and then spent 
four months at Waxahachie, but the best part of his education he received by 
practice.  In 1876 he, in company with Mr. J. B. McDaniel, began the grocery 
and drug business at Waco, and remained there one year, then sold and returned
to Butler and engaged in the general merchandise trade in company with J. M.
Hammett; but in 1877 they were burned out, and they lost everything, as they
had no insurance.  Then for two years engaged in farming, but finally started
a supply store for the sale of goods to his farm hands, and remained there until
1880, when he came to Oakwood, and began business in the name of Gill Brothers
for four years.  He then took a partner named W. C. Gorman, and in 1890 he 
bought out the establishment and has since conducted it in his own name, making
it a success, as he is a born merchant. 
  Our subject is a fine young man, still unmarried, a member of the Masonic 
fraternity, and, like his father, a stanch Democrat.