Husband Dr. Alexander Gilfillan 1 2 3
AKA: Dr. Alex. Gilfillian 4
Born: 1784 - Ireland 5 6
Christened:
Died: 17 Jun 1815 - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 1 7
Cause of Death: Drowning
Buried: - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA
Father: James Gilfillan ( - ) 5 8
Mother: Martha Wiley ( - ) 9
Marriage: 21 Oct 1813 1 6
Wife Elizabeth Patterson 6 10
Born: 25 Mar 1795 - near Baltimore, MD 11
Christened:
Died: Aft 1877
Buried:
Father: John Patterson ( - ) 11 12
Mother: Mary "Polly" Clendenin ( - ) 13 14
Other Spouse: Benjamin Blackburn (Abt 1790-1876) 11 12 - 27 Dec 1821 12 13
Children
1 M James Harvey Gilfillan 6 15
Born: 3 Aug 1814 6 15
Christened:
Died: 22 Nov 1814 13
Cause of Death: Croup
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 F Marie Gilfillian 4
AKA: Maria A. [Unk],16 [Unk] Gilfillan,5 Mary A. Gilfillan 13
Born: 2 Dec 1815 5 6
Christened:
Died: Aft 1877
Buried:
Spouse: Samuel R. Vance ( - ) 6 13
General Notes: Husband - Dr. Alexander Gilfillan
He was a native of Ireland, and most probably of Scotch descent, and was born about 1785, so that when he first came to New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, he was a young man about twenty-eight years of age, and his wife was eighteen. He studied medicine in Washington County. He afterwards removed to Pittsburgh, and when the War of 1812 broke out, entered the army to practice his profession. He remained in the service until the summer of 1813, when he resigned. It is said that he never received any compensation for his services, and in addition to his time, he spent forty or fifty dollars for medicines for sick soldiers. He married in 1813 and settled in New Castle a few weeks subsequently. The house in which he first lived was of logs, and stood near where Raney and Gordon's mills were later located. He subsequently removed to a small frame house on North Jefferson street, on or near the later site of the United Presbyterian Church.
On the 17th day of June, 1815, the doctor, in company with Joseph Justice, James Dunlap, and perhaps others, was drawing a seine in the waters of the Neshannock creek, near where the Etna Iron Works were later located. In some way the doctor got beyond his depth, and being unable to swim, was drowned, notwithstanding every possible effort made to save him. Mr. Justice came very near losing his own life in attempting to rescue him. His body was recovered in a short time, but too late to be resuscitated. The intelligence of his tragical death plunged the whole community into the most profound grief. He was the only physician in the place, and by his skill and attention to the duties of his profession, and his affable and gentlemanly deportment, had built up a fine and rapidly increasing practice. [HLC 1877, 20]
His father brought his family to America and settled in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in 1788, and later moved to Mercer County. Afterward, Alexander Gilfillan, Jr., went back to Allegheny County, to his uncle Alexander's, and while living there received his education under Dr. Peter Mowry, of Pittsburgh. He began to practice in Franklin, Venango County, and in 1812 moved to New Castle, being the second regular physician who located at that place. The doctor became a popular man, and was very successful in his profession. When quite young he united with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
He went out as surgeon to Black Rock, during the War of 1812. A fever broke out among the soldiers, which was known as the "Black Rock Fever," and proved fatal in almost every case, until Dr. Gillfillan, by hard study night and day, discovered a cure and a preventative. He furnished the prescription to all the leading surgeons in the army, without receiving any compensation therefor. Many of the men who had contracted the disease in the army took it home, and their families were attacked with it also. Hearing of Dr. Gillfillan's great success in the treatment of it, they sent for him "from far and near."
General Notes: Wife - Elizabeth Patterson
She lived to be almost ninety years of age. In her life she saw seven generations in the family. Her parents were named Patterson; her grandparents, Clendennin; her great-grandparents, Colwell; her great-great-grandparents, More; and her great-great-great-grandparents, Sprucebank.