| 252 cont'd | HISTORY OF ALLEN AND |
WILLIAM GWILLIM.
WILLIAM GWILLIM, of Elm township, who settled in Allen County, in the spring of 1871, was one of the first of the English colony to locate in his township and he came to it from Jo Daviess County,
| WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. | 253 |
Illinois. His sojourn in that State was only temporary and while there he was a visitor of a friend of his father's, hoping to get some information with reference to Kansas, in which State it was his intention of making a home.
Mr. Gwillim was born in Herefordshire, England, October 24, 1848. His father was John Gwillim, a representative of one of the old families of Monmouthshire in which shire they were farmers as far back as memory serves. In olden times the custom was to give the oldest son the Christian name and property of the father and in this family the practice prevailed yet in modern days. Our subject's grandfather was John Gwillim and his great grandfather bore the name of John.
William Gwillim is the third child of his parents and left Liverpool, England, on the steamer City of Paris in the month of May bound for New York. He was twelve days at sea and was accompanied by his brother's family. Upon coming into Allen County he purchased, on contract, a quarter section of railroad land, but when the League seemed in a fair way to win their contest for land in the odd sections he joined his fortunes with that organization and let his contract forfeit. When the railroad title was declared good he again purchased the land and owns now the west half of section 29, town 24, range 20. Cattle raising became one of Mr. Gwillim's industries and he has become known as a "feeder" in a small way. His premises present the appearance of thrift and financial independence and add greatly to the settled and matured condition of his township.
Mr. Gwillim was married April 5, 1870, to Sarah Farr, a daughter of James Farr, of Herefordshire, England. Their children are: Albert J., Sarah J. and William Frederick.
In National and State politics Mr. Gwillim is a Republican. He has been a member of the school board of Pleasant Prairie many years and is clerk of the board. In religious matters he is a Methodist.
Pages 252-253, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.
