History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 378

378 HISTORY OF TEXAS.

earlier years were spent. In January, 1862,
before he had reached his fifteenth year, he
entered the Confederate army, enlisting in
Company B, Forty-first Mississippi Regiment,
Hindman's division, Hood's corps,
Army of the Tennessee, and for three years
following shared the varying fortunes of that
command. He saw service in Mississippi,
Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia, taking
part in several of the principal battles of the
war. His initial engagement was Shiloh;
after that he was in the battle of Perryville,
Kentucky; was captured at Crab Orchard,
that State, in November, 1862; paroled a
month later at Louisville; subsequently
joined Van Dorn's cavalry and served with
it at Holly Springs, Mississippi, and Spring
Hill, Tennessee; then rejoined his own coinmand,
with which he entered the fight at
Chickamauga and was with it at Missionary
Ridge and in all the other engagements of
the Georgia campaign down to Jonesboro.
At that place he was wounded by a severe
gunshot through the knees on August 31,
1864, and was disabled from further service,
spending the time from then until the close
of the war in hospitals at Thomaston and
Augusta, Georgia. Returning to Mississippi
in June, 1865, he took up his residence at
Tupelo, where, February 7, 1870, he married
Miss Ella Poole, daughter of William Poole,
of Louisiana, and a native of Pontotoc county,
that State. In 1874 Mr. Gill came to Texas,
locating in Johnson county, where he engaged
in farming until 1882, at which date he
moved to Milam county. From 1882 to
1888 he resided on a farmn in the western
part of this county engaged in agricultural
pursuits. In November, 1888, in a "freefor-all"
contest, he was elected County Clerk
of Milam county. Two years late/ he was
re-elected to the same office under the same

conditions, going in each time by a safe majority,-287
in the first contest and 423 in
the second out of a vote of 4,300. In the
election of 1892 lie was the regular nominee
of the Democratic party, and as such was
honored again with the office. This simple
statement of the facts is probably the best
evidence that can be given of his efficiency as
a public officer and of the esteem in which he
is held as a citizen. The office of county
clerk, as every one knows, is an important
and fairly lucrative one, and for such offices
aspirants are never wanting. Mr. Gill, so
far, has held it against all opposition, and in
doing so he has created no unnecessary enmities
nor made promises which he has not
faithfully kept. He is a Democrat,-a believer
not only in the principles of the party,
but a stickler for Democratic methods. He
has, therefore, never scratched the ticket nor
given recognition to any man, whatever his
claims or pretensions, unless he was the duly
accredited representative of the party. He
is a member of the Knights of Honor, the
Knights of Pythias and of the Masonic fraternity,
to which of each orders he has, since
joining them, accorded a generous support.
He was made a Mason at Tupelo, Mississippi,
in 1869, and belongs now to San Andres
Lodge, No. 167, R. A. M.. at Cameron, and
to Little River Chapter of the same place.
He was reared in the Presbyterian Church
and continues a member of the same.
Mr. Gill is one of eight children born to
Charles E. and Eliza Gill. His mother was a
daughter of William Allen Milam. Both parents
were born in Laurens district, South Carolina,
and were reared in Laurens county, Alabama,
to which their parents moved in pioneer
days. Charles E Gill, accompanied by
most of his family, moved to Texas in 1869,
and now lives at Newport, Clay county, that