William C. Gill, Sr.

William C. Gill was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, sometime between 1804 and 1808. He came to Texas in late 1835 or early 1836 and served during the Texas Revolution in William S. Fisher's company, the Velasco Blues (Co. I, Texas Volunteers). Gill fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. In Brazoria County, on 13 August 1838, he married Sarah Wade Woodruff, daughter of Rev. John Woodruff, who had brought his family, consisting of his wife, Rhody (Wade), two sons, and four daughters, from Maury County, Tennessee, to Texas in 1831, settling on Oyster Creek in the David Tally survey in the Municipality of Brazoria. In 1846, the William C. Gill family resided in Goliad County (Gill's land there later became part of Bee County). In 1850, the Gills were living in Liberty County. William and Sarah were the parents of two sons and three daughters: Margaret, William C., Andrew, Mary Ellen, and Annette. (According to the 1850 census, Gill was born in Maryland in 1808.) On 22 March 1854, in Galveston County, William C. Gill married a second time, to Elizabeth Vicke. William and Elizabeth were the parents of Charles C. Gill, who was born in 1857. In 1860, the Gill family resided in Galveston County, in the mainland portion of the county near the mouth of Clear Creek (nearest post office, Clear Creek). (According to the 1860 census, Gill was born in 1805.)

At Velasco, Brazoria County, Texas, on 17 September 1861, William C. Gill enlisted for the duration of the War Between the States. He was a private upon enlistment and so served throughout the war. His military records, besides listing his place of birth, show that he was a saddler by trade (though, census records always listed him as a farmer) and give a rather detailed physical description of him. He was either fifty-six or fifty-eight years of age at the time of his enlistment (conflicting information is shown in this regard by the records), was five feet nine and one-quarter inches tall, had blue eyes and dark hair and complexion. He was assigned to Captain Samuel L. S. Ballowe's Company, known as the "Austin Grays." Ballowe's company was "successively designated as Captain Ballowe's Company; Captain Ballowe's Company and (1st) Company A, Bates' Regiment Texas Volunteers; and (2d) Company B, 13th Regiment Texas Infantry," according to the printed notations provided by the National Archives on the service record cards. Ballowe's Company was stationed throughout the war in the area of the Texas coast between and including Velasco and the island of San Luis. During part of his enlistment (the spring and summer of 1864), Gill was on detached service with the Quartermaster's Department, working as a harness-maker. Gill's son, Wm. C. Gill, Jr., joined with his father and served in the same company. Bates' unit was at various times known as the 4th (Bates') Regiment Texas Volunteers, Bates' Battalion Texas Volunteers, and the Brazoria Coast Regiment. The place, date, and circumstances of the death of William, Sr., are not known. Likewise details concerning his burial are unavailable. (The author is a great-great-great grandson of William C. Gill, Sr.)

Submitted by Ronald Howard Livingston

Texans in the Civil War
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