A Hill Country Family: Gurley and Reba Gilliland: Update # 3

by Terry Thornton
with assistance from Jim Middleton of Georgia
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

Gurley Webster Gilliland (1892 - 1981) and Reba Faulkner Gilliland (1891 - 1968), late of Splunge, Monroe County, Mississippi, were featured earlier in this series, A Hill Country Family. The original article is here (click to read) and the followup is here (click to read). Additionally, Gurley's parents were the subject of an article posted here (click to read).

Hill Country reader Jim Middleton of Georgia recenty sent a list of Gurley and Reba GIlliland's children. Jim has Monroe and Itawmaba County roots through the Robert Jackson Middleton family --- he is a grandson of Robert and the son of Elgin Middleton --- and through the Thomas Richard "Bud" Thornton family --- he is the grandson of Bud and the son of Bud's daughter Bessie Thornton (Bud Thornton was my grandfather's brother). Jim knew the Gillilands from his schooling at Splunge and still remains friends with Travis Gilliland who lives in Wisconsin.

According to Jim, the children of Gurly and Reba Faulkner GIlliland were: sons Clinton, Roy, Travis, and Verlon; daughters Madalyn, Joan, and Leona. Only Travis survives.

Armed with Jim's list, my computer files were checked for references to the family.

G.W. Clinton Gilliland (1920 - 1962) is buried in New Hope Cemetery, Parham, Monroe Country, Mississippi, in Section E, grave # 4. To view Clinton's grave marker, click here. Clinton, as many of you will remember, was a survivor of childhood polio which left his severely crippled. He is pictured as a young man at Brock School; the photograph may be viewed here (click to read) Clinton is the teenager far left front. Later Clinton taught at Brock School. He married Aileen Bird.

Roy Green Gilliland (1925 - 1963) is buried at New Hope Cemetery, Section E, grave # 5. To view Roy's grave marker, click here. According to Jim Middleton, Roy was killed in an automobile wreck at Splunge.

Verlon D. Gilliland (1934 - 2007) is buried at New Hope Cemetery, Section E, grave # 18. To view Verlon's grave marker, click here.

Leona Gilliand (1922 - 1923) is buried at New Hope Cemetery, Section E, grave # 17. Note that her marker spells the surname with only two "l's" To view Leona's grave marker, click here.

Madalyn and Joan Gilliland are both deceased but without the name of their spouses, I've not been able to provide any additional information,

Gurley Webster Gilliland and Reba Faulkner Gilliland are buried at New Hope Cemetery, Section E, grave # 16a and 16b. Click to view grave marker.

Mr. Gurley's parents, Greenberry Jerome Gilliland and Sarah J. Bird Gilliland, are also buried at New Hope Cemetery in Section C, grave # 92 and 93. Click here and here to view their markers.

Sources:

Children of Gurley and Reba Gilliland by Jim Middleton, email to Terry Thornton, February 25, 2010.

Gilliland Family Grave Marker Information from New Hope Cemetery, Parham, Monroe County, Mississippi by William Terrance Thornton, August 2008, page 13.

Gilliland Family Grave Marker photographs, New Hope Cemetery, by Terry Thornton, Fulton, Mississippi June 2008, All Rights Reserved. Photographs at Flickr account external to this blog.

For additional information see the previous articles posted about the Gilliland Families of Monroe Country at the links embedded within the article above.