Person Page 319

Milton Harrison Gilstrap

Parents

Father	John Milton Gilstrap (b. 8 November 1832, d. 2 December 1863)
Mother	Martha Camilla Pascoe (b. 17 September 1838, d. 27 April 1923)

Children with Emily A Martin (b. 22 May 1864, d. 2 October 1928)

Son	Homer Marlow Gillstrap+ (b. 29 December 1884, d. 1 October 1931)
Daughter	Flora Daisy Gilstrap+ (b. 26 December 1886, d. 4 September 1958)
Son	Grover Gordon Gilstrap (b. 16 February 1891, d. 22 January 1966)
Son	Oscar Dillard Gilstrap+ (b. 17 June 1894, d. 23 July 1984)
Son	Edker Millard Gilstrap (b. 17 June 1894, d. 20 July 1894)
Son	Comer Wiley Gilstrap+ (b. 7 August 1899, d. 25 April 1973)
Daughter	Fanny May Gilstrap+ (b. 15 August 1900, d. 2 April 1924)
Son	John Oliver Jennings ("Johnnie") Gilstrap+ (b. 1 May 1903, d. 25 February 1983)

Person Exhibits

Biography

Person Source		Milton Harrison Gilstrap had person sources.1
DNA Verified		4 DNA matches through Milton Harrison Gilstrap
ChildParent2,2
Anecdote		Milton Harrison Gilstrap was the "beloved Grandson" of Wiley Gilstrap. Named after both his father and uncle, he went by the name of Harrison and usually spelled his last name Gillstrap. Harrison grew up in the household of Helum Bowen and he had seven siblings, two half brothers and five half sisters. There was one other half brother who died an infant. I had assumed Harrison was somewhat isolated from the Gilstrap family by growing up in the Bowen family, but I now believe he remained close to his Grandfather Wiley. As mentioned earlier, I think that when Harrison's father, John M., went off to war, Martha continued to live with Wiley and his second wife. Harrison was born April 10, 1862, and he and Martha continued to live in Wiley's house until Martha married Helum Bowen in 1865. Wiley would have been the only father Harrison knew up until then and I feel certain this is where the close attachment between Wiley and Harrison came from. We do not know if Harrison and his father, John M., ever saw each other. After marrying Martha Gilstrap, Helum Bowen took Harrison in to raise as his son. Helum did not, however, adopt Harrison or change his last name to Bowen. I believe this is more evidence that Harrison was Wiley's only living descendant. Had Helum Bowen adopted Harrison and changed his name to Bowen the Gilstrap line through Wiley would have ended, at least in name. As explained earlier, Helum was appointed executor of John M.'s estate and handled the sale of his assets and settlement of the estate. Harrison's part of his father's estate came to $168.58. Because Harrison was only four years old at the time, Helum petitioned the Court in White County to be the legal guardian of Harrison and held his portion of the estate in trust until Harrison reached the age of 21. Harrison was seventeen when his Grandfather Wiley died. According to Wiley's will, Harrison immediately inherited part of Wiley's land. Wiley's wife, Letticia, was given a life estate on the other part of the land. Her part included the 150 acres first purchased by Wiley in 1833. We can assume that Wiley built his house on this parcel and Letticia continued to live in the house. Wiley also left Letticia a portion, although we don't know how big, of the 120 acre tract he purchased in 1836. Harrison inherited the other portion of this 120 acre tract, plus 200 acres that Wiley had purchased in 1847. He and Letticia each also received half of Wiley's money and notes (money loaned out at interest) and various other articles listed in the will. We don't know how much this inheritance totaled up to, but it appears that Harrison had a good financial head start on life. There is nothing to show when Letticia died or if she moved away. There is also nothing to show when or if Harrison inherited the other portion of Wiley's property. Letticia just disappeared and Wiley's land suddenly belonged to others. The White County property records lack any indication of what happened. There comes a point around 1885-90 when Helum Bowen owns and sells portions of Wiley's lands. Harrison also begins to buy and sell land in this time period,but it is all in other areas of the county, mostly in the Shoal Creek area. Wecould assume that Harrison and Helum did some trading of land and those trades were never recorded at the courthouse. It is also possible that as Harrison's legal guardian, Helum had control of these assets until Harrison reached the age of 21. Whatever the real story is, there are a lot of land transactions recorded in White County under Harrison's name. So many that is it difficult to draw any conclusions from them as to what his land holdings were and what he did with them. The first purchase I have found was on March 11, 1887. Harrison purchased 40 acres from John C. Martin for $100.00. He had apparently learned something about real estate from Helum Bowen because a month later, on April 12, Harrison sold the 40 acres to Mary E. Logan for $150.00. Mary Logan was a very wealthy land owner in White County. It is also interesting to note that in 1899 the White County Board of Education discussed establishing a school site "near Wiley Gilstrap's old place in Mossy Creek". This was never approved apparently because some of the Shoal Creek district did not want the school to be on the other side of the mountain. Harrison had school age children at this time and may have been involved in the recommendation to build near his Grandfather's land. Harrison was appointed as a Trustee of the Shoal Creek School in 1900 and again in 1911. On September 9, 1883, Harrison married Emily A. Martin. Emily was born on May22, 1864. We are fortunate to have a set of pictures of them that were taken around the time of their marriage.3
Anecdote		Harrison was a carpenter and brick mason. In fact, he was known as the "best carpenter in White County". He built many prominent buildings in White County and the surrounding area, including the Shoal Creek Baptist Church, Shoal Creek School, the Westmoreland House, many commercial use buildings, and many more houses. It has been said that he would drive a nail by setting it with a tap and then driving it home with one blow of his hammer. Two of Harrison's sons, Marlow, the oldest, and Johnnie, the youngest, also became carpenters. They worked with their father on many of the White County projects. In 1885, at the age of only 23, Harrison completed building the Shoal Creek Baptist Church. He completed the entire building for $100. When he was paid for the job he gave back $25 to the church. This building stood until 1957 when it was torn down and replaced by the current brick structure. Harrison also made some furniture. He and Emily were married under a Walnut tree in White County and Harrison was able to salvage the wood from the tree when it came down. He made a bedstead, dresser and dining table from the wood and these were used in their house. He also made a broach for Emily from brass inlaid with some of the wedding tree's walnut wood. Harrison owned and operated at least two saw mills. One of them was located in Lumpkin County, Georgia, but the exact location is not known. White County records indicate that Harrison operated this saw mill in the time period of 1889 - 1891, but he wasn't able to make a success out of it. White County records show that on January 11, 1889, Harrison, S.G. Martin and J.C. Martin borrowed $100.00 from Marion C. Smith for one year. Things did not progress well from that point and by January 1890 Harrison and the Martin's had paid only $8.00 towards the loan. Smith sued for the remaining $92.00 and the Court ordered the debt paid and placed a levy on Harrison's saw and other equipment. This matter continued to progress for several years as Harrison and the Martins filed for injunctions. In 1895 Harrison sued Smith for fraud. The other saw mill that Harrison started was located in Alabama. The exact location of this saw mill is also not known; however, a letter written by Harrison's business partner in the mill gives some clues. A. O. LaPrade was Harrison's brother-in-law, the husband of Harrison's half sister Emma Bowen. On May 17, 1906, Laprade writes, "I rec'd a letter from Harris just a little bit a go stating that his machinery, Tools and all had arrived there last Tues. eve. and for me to come at once." Soon after, LaPrade, Harrison, and son Marlow were in Alabama setting up the saw mill and getting ready to open for business. On June 2, 1906, LaPrade wrote to sister-in-law Josie Bowen responding to her letter in which she informs them of the imminent death of her father, Helum Bowen. The letter is postmarked from Enterprise, Alabama; however, further research into the location muddies the water. According to the Historical Atlas of Alabama - Historical Locations by County, Vol. I, there have been four communities in Alabama named Enterprise. The northern most one was a flagstop along the Alabama-Chattanooga Railroad about 5 miles west of modern day Gadsden. It no longer exists and probably did not have a post office. The second was directly west of there and was an earlier name for the modern day town of Bremen. The third Enterprise is a current place directly in the middle of the state, about 6 miles south of the town of Clanton. The fourth is also a current town and just west of Dothan. The mystery is solved by another letter from LaPrade to Josie Bowen in which he states he and Gilstrap are going to Ozark to run a saw mill. Ozark is just northeast of the Enterprise, Alabama, that is close to Dothan. LaPrade states in his next letter that "Our saw has not come yet but we expect it Monday or Tuesday". He adds that "we are all ready for business if it was here". Harrison and Marlow are mentioned as being there, and it seems that Marlow has brought his wife and family also. There is also mention of another person, Joe, who has been cutting logs for them. What we do know from oral history and documentation is that this saw mill was also a failure. According to family stories, the saw mill was destroyed soon after it started operating by a deliberate fire set by a competitor. Harrison returned to White County having lost his entire investment. LaPrade writes in 1909 from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he has moved his family to, that he has managed to pay back the rest of the money he borrowed on the mill that "broke Gillstrap and myself". LaPrade and Harrison also worked together on the building of a new power dam on the Wahoo Creek in north Georgia. Harrison seems to have done some farming, too. According to a letter he writes to his half sister Josie Bowen Simmons on September 29, 1911, "we are in the fodder business now … have up some of the finest fodder I ever saw. Our bottom corn is sure fine. The Wilkey & Richardson corn is the corn for me." Around this time Harrison also ran a Grist Mill outside of Cleveland with his son-in-law, Fed West. Regardless of all of his other business ventures, Harrison was foremost a carpenter and a builder. In 1922 he contracted with the School Board to build a new Shoal Creek School building. The contract called for Harrison to build a two story building 40 feet by 52 feet for $500, a lock and key job. The Cleveland Courier newspaper reported on May 19, 1922 that Mr. Gilstrap and his son John began work on the new Shoal Creek School building. Johnnie would have just turned 19 at the time. On October 30, 1922, a rally and picnic was held at the new school building with speeches and dinner on the grounds. The building stood for over 50 years and almost defied destruction, according to those who tore the building down in the early 1970s. It was purchased from the County by one of Harrison's grandsons, Lester West, who lived next to the school . The building was torn down by a later owner. Harrison wrote to his son Johnnie on September 24, 1928, and said "your Ma is not any better & I don't think she will ever be any better with out a great change. I think she is gradually getting worse all the time. She has got soshe cant eat mutch & she has to set up in a rocker & doe the most of her sleeping at night as she cant lie down & sleep to doe any good. I don't think she is going to be here long if she don't get better soon & I don't see no chance for that." Emily died October 2, 1928, 8:45 pm at age 64 from Heart Dropsy. Harrison married again on January 5, 1931, to Harriett White. Miss Harriet, as she was known, always addressed Harrison as Mr. Gilstrap. She was from an area known as Wahoo and she had never been married before. After Harrison died Miss Harriet is reported to have moved to Gainesville. Details of her after that we don't know. Described in his later years as a "Country Gentleman", good natured but stubborn as an ox, tall with a heavy build, bald on top, with a heavy mustache that was always neatly trimmed. He loved to hear music played. He had an organ in his house but he could not play. He didn't go to church a lot but he always went to the Camp Meeting, usually at Loudsville Campground north of Cleveland.4
Birth	10 April 1862	He was born on 10 April 1862 in White, Georgia, United StatesBGO.5
Residence	22 June 1870	He lived in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 22 June 1870. Name: Milton H Bowen, Age: 8, Birth Date: abt 1862, Birth Place: Georgia, Gender: Male, Race: White, Post Office: Cleveland, Household Members: Helm Bowen, Martha C Bowen, Mary J Bowen, Alpha Bowen, Martha Bowen6
Residence	12 June 1880	He lived in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 12 June 1880. Name: Milton H. Gilstrap, Age: 18, Birth Date: Abt 1862, Birth Place: Georgia, Record ID: 6742::8293172, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relationship: Stepson (Step Son), Marital Status: Single, Father's Birth Place: Georgia, Mother's Birth Place: Georgia, Occ7
Marriage	9 September 1883	He and Emily A Martin were married on 9 September 1883 in White, Georgia, United StatesBGO.8,5 Marriage
Residence	15 June 1900	He lived in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 15 June 1900. Name: Milton Gillstrap, Age: 38, Birth Date: April 1862, Birth Place: Georgia, USA, Record ID: 7602::9694519, Gender: Male, Race: White, Relationship: Head, Marital Status: Married, Spouse's Name: Emily A Gillstrap, Marriage Year: 1883, Years Married: 17,9
Residence	6 May 1910	He lived in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 6 May 1910. Name: Milton H Gilstrap, Age: 49, Birth Date: 1861, Birth Place: Georgia, Record ID: 7884::3857599, Gender: Male, Relationship: Head, Marital Status: Married, Spouse's Name: Emily E Gilstrap, Father's Birth Place: South Carolina, Mother's Birth Place: Geo10
Residence	23 January 1920	He lived at Tesnatee GapBG in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 23 January 1920. Name: Milton H Gilstrap, Age: 51, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birth Place: Georgia, Marital Status: Married, Relationship: Head, Occupation: Carpenter, Industry: House, Able to Speak English: Yes, Father's Birth Place: Georgia, Mother's Birth Place: Georgi11
Residence	1930	He lived at Gainesville RdBG in Shoal Creek, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, in 1930. Name: Milton H Gilstrap, Age: 67, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birth Place: Georgia, Marital Status: Widowed, Relationship: Father, Occupation: Carpenter, Industry: Hause, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Able to Speak English: Yes, Age at12
Marriage	5 January 1931	He and Harriett White were married on 5 January 1931.
Residence	8 April 1940	He lived at West Underwood StreetBG in Cleveland, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO, on 8 April 1940. Name: Haman M Gilstrop, Age: 77, Estimated Birth Year: ca 1863, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birth Place: Georgia, Marital Status: Married, Relationship: Head, Residence in 1935: Rural, White, Georgia, Occupation: Carpenter, Highest Grade Completed: Element13
Death	15 April 1944	He died on 15 April 1944 at age 82 in Cleveland, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO. Harrison died April 15, 1944, at his home in Cleveland from complications from diabetes and possibly influenza. On the day he died he wrote a letter to his son Johnnie. The letter describes in great detail his condition and suffering. Better than to describe the letter is to include it here in its entirety as written: Cleveland, GA. April the 15, 1944 Dear son a few lines to let you hear from us. We are boath in very bad shape with the flue. One not able to wait on one or & other. Neither one of not able to to wait on one or another. Fed went down to Clermont yesterday & brought Dr Williams up here to see me & carried him back home & Paid the bill. He said I had a bad case of sugar diabeties & incuriable disease. & I met up with Dr Philips from Helen down here in town & he talked with me a good while & he said what ailed me was diabetis & it was & incuriaable disease. But it could some times patch up. Dr Williams instructed me to go to see Dr Cheek at Clermont as soon as I could get able to go & consult him. He said he knowed more than all the Doctors in the state put together a bout diabetis. As he went up to new york & staid there 3 month & studied that one course & he was the best up on that one course of any one Dr in Ga. So as soon as I can get able I wan to go & see him & see if there is any thing he can doe for me. I cant walk a round in the the house with out holding to sumpthing & harriett is a bout as bad. Fed brought Wilda up to stay with a few days & wait on us. I cant eat one bight of nothing. I just gag at anything. Water, sosage, chicking, aples, oranges, nothing I can think of is fit to eat. I haven't eat a hand full this week. Nor harriet neather. Cant get up a thing that is fit to eat & my mouth stays as drye as a chip & haft to take a little water every once & a while to keep my lips from getting to drye. You can call Osker if you want to as I cant set up long enough to wright him. M H Gillstrap As you can see, for all of the head starts Harrison received early in his adult life he received about an equal number of setbacks. Such that at the end of his life he was about even. He died owning no property, only his carpentry tools. His will required that his possessions be sold and the proceeds given to his wife. The Notice of Executor's Sale listed his possessions as consisting of "every kind of household furniture together with the finest selection of Carpenter's tools of every kind and description, there being about $400 worth of said Carpenter's tools and a fine set of extension ladders". Of course, family got first opportunity at buying and many of his tools were purchased by family members and remain treasured today.5,14
Burial	after 15 April 1944	He was buried after 15 April 1944 at Shoal Creek Baptist Church CemeteryBGO, in Cleveland, White, Georgia, United StatesBGO.

Citations

1. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004), p. 36. Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.
2. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004), p. 20. Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.
3. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004), p. 34-36. Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.
4. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004). Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.
5. [S124] scottypeach, online http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/16251092/person/355348315, (.)
6. [S240] Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census, Year: 1870; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Roll: M593_183; Page: 61A
7. [S360] Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census, Year: 1880; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Roll: 171; Page: 556B; Enumeration District: 191
8. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004), p. 41. Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.
9. [S580] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, Year: 1900; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Roll: 228; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0135; FHL microfilm: 1240228
10. [S526] Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census, Year: 1910; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Roll: T624_217; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 0156; FHL microfilm: 1374230
11. [S7063] Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Roll: T625_285; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 173
12. [S7064] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: Shoal Creek, White, Georgia; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 2340127
13. [S6805] Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census, Year: 1940; Census Place: Cleveland, White, Georgia; Roll: m-t0627-00722; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 154-6
14. [S188] Gary Neal Gilstrap, A Wiley Bunch (, Nov 2004), p. 40. Hereinafter cited as A Wiley Bunch.