Ernest Benjamin Gillis Family History

May Gertrude GILLIS[1, 2, 3]

Female 1879 - 1980  (100 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name May Gertrude GILLIS  [4, 5, 6, 7
    Born 20 Sep 1879  Landgrove Town Center, Bennington, Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5, 6, 7
    Gender Female 
    Residence 1900  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    _UID AE5334A1A05B4A21A3A94257BA373A83CFB2 
    Died 12 Feb 1980  Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5
    Person ID I37  tag1
    Last Modified 5 Sep 2018 

    Father 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) 
    Mother Mary Elizabeth CODVILLE,   b. 11 Sep 1849, Quebec, , Qu?bec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Apr 1940, Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years) 
    Married 24 Apr 1877  Quebec, , Qu?bec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11
    • 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. [4, 5]
    Family ID F10  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • May, the daughter of William McNab Gillis and Mary Elizabeth Codville Gillis, was born
      9/20/1879 in Langrove, VT. She graduated  Valdictorian from Pine Island High School  in 1897, delivering an oration at the ceremony titled "The Mission of the Beautiful".

      Attending Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, May graduated with a four year degree in teaching. Following her formal education, May taught for seven years at Marshall, Minnesota and also taught at Preston and Sauk Center, Minnesota. Later she was employed at several dry goods stores.

      At the age of 50, May was united in marriage to Herbert E. Hakes, a widower with three sons. The wedding took place Tuesday, July 16, 1929 at the home of the bride's mother. The  Rev. B. C. Gillis , uncle of the bride, performed the ceremony and various vocal selections were performed during the ceremony by brothers and sisters of the bride. A three-course wedding dinner was served by neices of the bride, after which May and Herbert left for a trip to Duluth and down through the Great Lakes.

      Following their marriage May and Herbert traveled quite extensively. They visited every state in the union as well as Mexico with their camper trailer. In 1941 they journeyed to Alaska, an area Herbert had always wanted to visit.

      After Herbert's death in Sept of 1942, May continued to live in Windom, Minnesota. In January of 1967 she gave up housekeeping and became a resident of a rest home in Windom. When she turned 100 years old, the rest home gave her special recognition

      May was musically very talented. In college, she was a member of the Hamline Trio and continued to play the piano until just a few years before her death.

      May's health was always remarkably well for a woman of her age, but on February 12, 1980, May passed away at the age of 100 years, 4 months, and 22 days. At the time of her death, she held the distinction of being the oldest known living graduate of Hamline University. [4, 5, 12]

  • Sources 
    1. [S92] .

    2. [S112] .

    3. [S162] Ancestry Family Trees (Reliability: 3).
      http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=26120745&pid=1782492180

    4. [S2] .

    5. [S68] .

    6. [S161] Year: 1900; Census Place: Pine Island, Goodhue, Minnesota; Roll: T623_764; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 49. (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  Sep 1879Birth place:  VermontResidence date:  1900Residence place:  Pine Island Village, Goodhue, Minnesota
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1900usfedcen&h=75969054&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    7. [S163] Year: 1920; Census Place: Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota; Roll: T625_828; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 69; Image: . (Reliability: 3).
      Birth date:  abt 1880Birth place:  VermontResidence date:  1920Residence place:  Windom, Cottonwood, Minnesota
      http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1920usfedcen&h=26648703&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

    8. [S87] .

    9. [S202] (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

    10. [S202] (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

    11. [S161] 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

    12. [S89] .