WYNDHAM R. GILMER
Was born at Hansonville, Russell county, Virginia, May 6, 1843, and
is now one of the farming residents of Washington county. He is a
son of the late Hon. Charles H. Gilmer, who represented Russell county
in the Virginia legislature, in 1854, 1859, and 1861. He was a zealous
States Rights man, and supported the Ordinance of Secession,
passed during his last term in the Lower House. He also served a long
time in Russell county as commissioner of revenue and as magistrate.
His father was the Rev. Wm. Gilmer, of the M. E. Church, an extensive
land and slave owner, who at his death freed his slaves, and requested
that none of his children should ever own any. The father of Rev. Wm.
Gilmer came to America from Ireland, settling first in Pennsylvania,
then in Russell county, Virginia. The mother of Wyndham R. Gilmer
was Frances, daughter of George Gose, of Russell county, an early settler
there. Her grandmother was captured by Indians in that county.
The first wife of Wyndham R. Gilmer was Ellen, daughter of T. P.
Clapp, of Abingdon. She was born in 1842, they were married February
25, 1869, and she died March 18, 1873. Two children were born
of this union: Lou W. and Earl H., the latter now deceased.
In Pulaski county, Virginia, December 19, 1877, Mr. Gilmer married
Maggie Cecil, who was born in that county, October 18, 1857. Their
children were born in the order named. Howard C., Bessie May, Maggie
P., Robert C., John Baker, Fred. Garland, the latter now deceased.
T. K. Cecil, of Pulaski county, is the father of Mrs. Gilmer. He is a
son of Rev. John Cecil, of the M. E. Church, Holston conference. Her
mother is Priscilla, daughter of Rev. Richard Buckingham, of the M. E.
Church, Botetourt, in which church three of his sons are ministers, also.
Mr. Gilmer entered the Confederate Army in the fall of 1862, Company
G, 29th Virginia regiment, serving mostly in Virginia, wounded at
Five Forks, April 7, 1865, at that time sergeant-major of the regiment.
A brother, John W., served in the Confederate States Artillery, under
Gen. Joe Johnston, and another brother, Arnold P., was captain in the
Virginia Reserve forces. John W. was accidentally killed while hunting,
near home, in December, 1866.
