The Denison Daily Herald
Monday, October 15, 1906
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OBITUARY
Judge Samuel Abijah Gilbert, aged 70 years, died last night at midnight at his home, No. 930 West Sears street, after a five weeks' illness from congestion of the lungs.  The funeral will take place from his late home tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.  Services will be conducted by Rev. J.W. Hill, pastor of Waples Memorial Church, and Rev. M.C. Johnson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.  Burial will be in Fairview cemetery, and will be under the auspices of the Knights Templar.
Judge Samuel A. Gilbert was born May 19, 1836 in Joliet, Illinois.  He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Abel Gilbert, who moved with their family in 1839 to Weston, Missouri, where they lived a number of years.  Mr. Gilbert was an unusually bright boy and early showed his ability, having graduated from the high school with honors, was valedictorian of his class in 1855, when he was graduated from the Masonic College at Lexington, Missouri and was winner of the medal of oratory.  From his earliest manhood the life of Mr. Gilbert was a very interesting one.  He figured prominently in public and political affairs for a number of years and was personally acquainted with the prominent men of his state.  Before the advent of the railroads
in the Middle West, Mr. Gilbert's father ran a wagon train from Missouri points to Santa Fe and Salt Lake City.  Young Gilbert went on some of these expeditions with his father when a mere boy, and later often recounted scenes of adventure fascinating to his boyish life.  During one of these expectations he had business transactions with the famous Brigham Young.  In 1874 Mr. Gilbert spent a year at Atchison, Kansas, and from there went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where for 4 years he was editor of the St. Joseph Gazette.  While in the newspaper work he was associated with Eugene Field and a number of other prominent literary and political men of the times.  In 1879 he went to St. Louis, where he resided till coming to Denison in 1883, where he has since figured most prominently in the city's affairs.  During all that time he was engaged in
the practice of law.  He was the first of the law firm of Gilbert, Pasko & Finley of Sherman, at one time attorney for the Choctaw railroad, and later practiced law alone in this city.  Judge Gilbert was specially interested in the educational advantages of the city, served several terms as school trustee, and was prominently identified with every institution for the betterment of Denison.
Judge Gilbert has long been a strong worker in Masonic orders, and was elected to a life membership to all Masonic bodies in Missouri.  He was at one time worshipful master of his Blue Lodge in Missouri, high priest of his chapter of Royal Arch Masons, was grand commander of the Knights Templar of the state of Missouri and was the first eminent commander of Denison Commandery No. 24, Knights Templar, under whose auspices his funeral will be held.  Judge Gilbert united with the Southern Methodist Church when a boy, and was ever a loyal member of the same.
April 8, 1859 Judge Gilbert was happily married to Miss Martha McConnell at Weston, Missouri.  To this union came three children to bless their home life, one child, a son, dying in early childhood.  Mrs. Gilbert died in February 1903.  The other two children, Mrs. Ed Leeper, who has been making her home with her father some time, and was with him in his last illness, and the son, S.A. Gilbert, Jr. of the City of Mexico, survive.  There are also two grandchildren, Miss Aline Leeper of this city and little Alice Gilbert of Mexico City.  Other surviving relatives are two brothers, Thompson A. Gilbert and William Gilbert of Denver, Colorado; and a sister, Mrs. C.E.Lithgow of Weston, Missouri.  Mrs. Lithgow has been in Denison
several days to be with her brother in his last illness.