GILLUM-Osborn
History of Fountain County, H. W. Beckwith, Chicago, 1881, pp. 406
Osborn Gillum, farmer & stock raiser, Harveysburg was b. in Chatham Co NC July 22, 1817and is a s/o John & Susana (Martin) Gillum, both natives of the state. The Gillums came from England to Va then settled in NC. John & Susanna with their family, moved in 1828 to Orange Co In where both d., he March 20 1848 aged 64 y and she Jan 3, 1864 aged 79 years. They were QUAKERS or friendsl He was a whig. They had 5 boys & 5 girls. Each boy wa sset at liberty by the father at 18 years of age, with the admonitionn to "go, select an occupation, push ahead, be honest, tell the truth and be temperate." This was all the fortune he had for them. Four boys became farmers, and one, John W studied law and was a member of the state convention when the constitution was revised. Osborn left home & engaged on a farm at $11 per month for 2 years saving a part of his wages until he was able to pay $00 for the 180 acres of land on which he now lives. He came to Fountain Co in 1839 and secured his place, built a cabin and began to clear and soon planted an orchard. Aug 26, 1841 he was marr to Emiline Sowers d/o George & Eliz. Sowers who came from NC an early day. She was in that state July 31, 1821. Mr. & Mrs. Gillum settled on their woody farm and began in earnest the pioneer labors. He cleared 3 acres and planted an orchard. He owns 120 acrs. Whig; and later a radical republican. Mason. Their children: John; Ira H; Howard S; William B and Charles W. John enlisted in the 31st Ind Reg and was badly wounded at Donelson. Ira H enlisted 63rd reg and served through the war and is a physician in Parke Co. Howard S enlisted 3 diff. times. He was afterward at Wabash College and becoming overheated in walking home from school took sick & d. Ira H was elected to the state leg in 1880."
Osborn Gillum son of John Gillum and Susanna Martin was born in Chatham County, NC (July 22, 1817) and as a boy (age 11) came with his parents following several other Chatham Quakers to Orange County, Indiana. It is noted that the Gillum family were English and came to Virginia then settling in North Carolina. A dozen years thereafter, he moved to Fountain County. Osborn was one of ten children and fathered with Emiline Sowers (daughter of John George and Elizabeth Hedrick Sowers who also came from NC in an early day) nine (John, farmer and Civil War soldier; Ira H. who was a physician; Howard Solomon who died as a young man; William Butler who owned a hardware in Parke County; George who died at age two; Elizabeth Susan Jane wife of Robert Dix, Parke County farmer; Delilah Ellen wife of Ira Hadley and Charles, a carpenter in Kingman.
Ira Hamilton Gillum (born 1 August 1843) likely attended the Bloomingdale academy. Watching the nation split apart, he studied the situation and at not yet 20 years old, joined Co. H, 63rd Indiana Volunteers. He saw several large battles include Franklin, Tennessee and a tight skirmish at Columbia, same state, after which he became very ill with the dreaded typhoid fever and spent a considerable among of time in the hospital but finally regained his health toward the end of the war. Afterwards he returned home to continue his studies. He taught in Fountain and Vermillion counties. At Newport, Ira married Sarah Richardson in August 1867. After having married they worked together for him to study and practice medicine and surgery as well graduating from Rush College in Chicago. Desiring to obtain the greatest in his profession he returned to Rush and graduated in 1873.. He practiced in Parke County (Sylvania) where he remained ten years. “He became the beloved family physician in many a household.” Active in a number of medical societies he kept abreast with his profession, perusing medical and other scientific journals, and reading anything he could get his hands upon. Six children were born to them, two of those dying young along with Elizabeth, Olive, Fleet and William Jenner. The family went to Milford, Illinois. He served as the medical examiner at Milford and while living in Indiana he served in the state legislature. In his professional world, Dr. Gillum treated all patients with the same concerned, whether they could pay or not. Patriotic, educational affairs were utmost in his priorities, helping to establish the Milford Public Library and quite active in the Masons and Grand Army of the Republic. He passed away 6 March 1906 and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in his adopted home, Milford, Illinois.
Sources: gilliamsofvirginia; Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain County, p 462; Beckwith History of Fountain County p 406; census records; Beckwith’s 1880 History of Parke County, Indiana.
Prepared by: Karen Zach