Ernest Benjamin Gillis Family History

Mary Elizabeth CODVILLE[1, 2, 3, 4]

Female 1849 - 1940  (90 years)


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  • Name Mary Elizabeth CODVILLE  [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
    Born 11 Sep 1849  Quebec, , Qu?bec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15
    Gender Female 
    Residence 1852  Qu?bec County, Canada East (Quebec), Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    Residence 1871  Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [15
    Arrival 1877  [12
    Arrival 1877  [7
    Arrival 1877  [10
    Arrival 1877  [7
    Residence 1880  Wardsboro, Windham, Vermont, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [11
    Residence 1900  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Residence 1900  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Residence 1910  Walnut Grove, Redwood, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    Residence 1920  Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    _UID 279C098E581D4ED6A8D0A500F6F8AA17BF32 
    Died 22 Apr 1940  Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6, 14, 16
    • Y
    Buried Lakeview Cemetery, Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 16
    Person ID I35  Ernest Benjamin Gillis
    Last Modified 14 Jul 2014 

    Father Hilary CODVILLE,   b. 6 Jan 1797, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Jan 1873, Quebec City, QB - Wesleyan Methodist Church Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years) 
    Mother Mary Ann ROBINSON,   b. 1814, COUNTY TYRONE, IRELAND Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Nov 1856, Quebec City, QB Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 42 years) 
    Married 24 Nov 1846  Quebec Ctiy, QB - Wesleyan Methodist Church Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 17, 18
    Family ID F11  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Rev. William McNab GILLIS,   b. 20 May 1845, Inverness, Megantic County, Quebec, Canada (Gillis Corners) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Jul 1928, Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years) 
    Married 24 Apr 1877  Quebec, , Qu?bec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6, 8, 9, 16, 19
    • The couple married April 24, 1877 at 3pm in the afternoon in the home of her brother, in Quebec City.  The service was performed by the Rev. H. E. Blaud.

      Their honeymoon consisted of a trip to Rutland, Vermont, where William was ordained as a minister and received his first appointment to the Methodist-Episcopal Church at Landgrove, Vermont. [5, 6]
    Children 
     1. Winnifred Martha GILLIS,   b. 5 Mar 1878, Landgrove Town Center, Bennington, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jul 1963, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
     2. Ernest Benjamin GILLIS,   b. 11 Jul 1888, South Royalton, Windsor, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Mar 1976, Redmond, King, Washington, United States Of America Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years)
     3. May Gertrude GILLIS,   b. 20 Sep 1879, Landgrove Town Center, Bennington, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Feb 1980, Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 100 years)
     4. William Hillary GILLIS,   b. 27 Jan 1881, Wardsboro, Windham, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Apr 1973, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 92 years)
     5. Edith Mabel GILLIS,   b. 2 Jul 1882, Wardsboro, Windham, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Aug 1964, Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    Last Modified 26 May 2014 
    Family ID F10  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Mary Elizabeth Codville
    Mary Elizabeth Codville

  • Notes 
    • Mary Elizabeth Codville Gillis was the daughter of a very wealthy
      family and grew up in Quebec City, Quebec. Her mother,  Mary
      Ann Robinson Codville , died when Mary was seven. Mary had an older brother, Hilary
      Jr., who died when he was 16, and Mary was just 14. Mary's father,
      Hilary Codville , was a merchant. Hilary died when Mary was a
      young woman of the age of 24.

      Family lore
      states that Mary was a sole heiress to the prospering family
      business of exporting; however, when her marriage was announced
      in the newspaper, it stated that she was married at the home of her
      brother, now identified as John James Codville, and letters and
      legal documents between the two have been found.

      It appears that when Mary's father died, the family assets were
      dispersed between the two siblings. Shortly after, John was a
      principal investor in the Thompson, Codville Co. which later
      became The Codville Co., a successful grocery wholesale business
      throughout Canada.

      Legal documents show that when Mary married William, she
      signed over power of attorney to her brother, John. It is likely that
      due to distance and difficulty transferring funds between the
      United States and Canada that Mary entrusted her brother to assist
      in managing her portion of their inheritance.

      Before her marriage to William McNabb Gillis, Mary was accustomed to having many maids and servants; it is said that she never even combed her hair.  Her son Ernest Benjamin Gillis later related to his grandsons that his mother, Mary, had extremely long hair - down past her knees.  It must have been quite an adjustment to be married to a poor country preacher.

      The couple married April 24, 1877 at 3pm in the afternoon in the
      home of her brother,  John James Codville , in Quebec City. The
      service was performed by the Rev. H. E. Blaud.

      Their honeymoon consisted of a trip to Rutland, Vermont, where
      William  was ordained as a minister and received his first
      appointment to the Methodist-Episcopal Church at Landgrove,
      Vermont. You can read more about their married life including
      their 25th and 50th wedding anniversary celebrations under William's story.

      Ernest also related that his mother, Mary, had a habit of hiding paper currency (large bills) in books.  Once in a while they had to use those funds to get by; sometimes, she had forgotten where they had put the money and would accidentally find money in books being pulled out to read.

      According to Bill Baker, a grandson of William Mc Nab, Mary's father, Hilary (or Frank?) Codville, owned the Codville Company, a wholesale grocery distribution in western Canada.  Frank gave her stock in the company.

      After William died in 1928 at the age of 83, Mary kept up her own
      home, living there in summers and spending winters with her
      daughters who also lived in Windom.  Mary  passed away at age 90
      on April 22, 1940. [5, 6]

  • Sources 
    1. [S92] Marchand GEDCOM 2009, compiled by Frederick J Marchand.

    2. [S112] Rogers: 2009 Gillis GEDCOM, compiled by Peter Rogers.

    3. [S162] Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Trees (Reliability: 3).
      http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=26120745&pid=1782402530

    4. [S134] McKay GEDCOM 2009, compiled by Scott McKay.

    5. [S2] Jim Marchand Gillis GEDCOM, compiled by F. J. Marchand [(E-ADDRESS) FOR PRIVATE USE\,].

    6. [S68] P. Rogers GEDCOM, compiled by Peter Rogers [(E-ADDRESS) FOR PRIVATE USE\,].

    7. [S161] 1900 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 18), 1,7602::0., Year: 1900; Census Place: Pine Island, Goodhue, Minnesota; Roll: T623_764; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 49. (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  Sep 1849Birth place:  Canada EngMarriage date:  1877Marriage place:  Residence date:  1900Residence place:  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, MinnesotaArrival date:  1877Arrival place:
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1900usfedcen&h=75969052&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    8. [S202] Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data - Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut G?n?alogique Drouin.Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec,), 1,1091::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Marriage date:  1877Marriage place:  Qu?bec (Methodist) (Qu?bec (Wesleyan Methodist Church)), Qu?bec
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=drouinvitals&h=11888242&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    9. [S202] Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data - Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut G?n?alogique Drouin.Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec,), 1,1091::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Marriage date:  1877Marriage place:  Qu?bec (Methodist) (Qu?bec (Wesleyan Methodist Church)), Qu?bec
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=drouinvitals&h=14458511&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    10. [S163] 1920 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Reco), 1,6061::0., Year: 1920; Census Place: Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota; Roll: T625_828; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 69; Image: . (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  abt 1850Birth place:  CanadaResidence date:  1920Residence place:  Windom, Cottonwood, MinnesotaArrival date:  1877Arrival place:
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1920usfedcen&h=26648702&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    11. [S160] 1880 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ? Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited), 1,6742::0., Year: 1880; Census Place: Wardsboro, Windham, Vermont; Roll: 1349; Family History Film: 1255349; Page: 530C; Enumeration District: 241; Image: . (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  abt 1850Birth place:  CanadaResidence date:  1880Residence place:  Wardsboro, Windham, Vermont, United States
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1880usfedcen&h=24470461&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    12. [S165] 1910 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Was), 1,7884::0., Year: 1910; Census Place: Walnut Grove, Redwood, Minnesota; Roll: ; Page: ; Enumeration District: ; Image: . (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  1850Birth place:  Canada EnglishResidence date:  1910Residence place:  Walnut Grove, Redwood, MinnesotaArrival date:  1877Arrival place:
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1910uscenindex&h=160040555&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    13. [S200] 1851 Census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Census of 1851 (Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada.Census of Nova Scotia, 1851. Halifax, Nova Scotia,), 1,1061::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  abt 1849Birth place:  QuebecResidence date:  1852Residence place:  Qu?bec County, Canada East (Quebec), Canada
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1851canada&h=1976968&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    14. [S201] Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.Original data - State of Minnesota. Minnesota Death Index, 1908-1002. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Minnesota Department of Health.Original data: State of Minnesota. Minnesota Death Index, 1908), 1,7316::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Death date:  22 Apr 1940Death place:  Cottonwood, Minnesota
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=mndeaths&h=839656&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    15. [S199] 1871 Census of Canada, Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Appreciation is expressed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for providing the 1871 Canada Census Index..Original data - Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada,), 1,1578::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  abt 1850Birth place:  QuebecResidence date:  1871Residence place:  Quebec, Canada
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1871canada&h=2748277&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    16. [S87] Peter Rogers, Peter Rogers.

    17. [S9] Codville, Delores.

    18. [S202] Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data - Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut G?n?alogique Drouin.Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec,), 1,1091::0. (Reliability: 3).
      Marriage date:  1846Marriage place:  Qu?bec (Methodist) (Qu?bec (Wesleyan Methodist Church)), Qu?bec
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=drouinvitals&h=12552701&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    19. [S161] 1900 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 18), 1,7602::0., Year: 1900; Census Place: Pine Island, Goodhue, Minnesota; Roll: T623_764; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 49. (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  May 1845Birth place:  CanadaMarriage date:  1877Marriage place:  Residence date:  1900Residence place:  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, MinnesotaArrival date:  UnknArrival place:
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1900usfedcen&h=75969051&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt