The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-29
GILMANS MARRIED
50 YEARS ON JAN. |
Relatives and a Host of Friends
Will Attend Celebration at
Il ~ st. Cloud.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal. '.
st, Cloud MINI, Dec. Ex-Governor
and Mrs. G. A. Gilman will celebrate
their golden wedding anniversary at
theier golden wedding anniversary at
their home here on New Years day.
On this occasion host of friends and
their seven living children and ten
honor. The family will be gathered to-
gather from both coasts of the United
States, and friends made by Governor
Gilman in his long political career Will
either bring or send their greetings
from every section of the state.
Charles Andrew Gilman was born in
Gilmanton, N. H., and received his ed
envy and spent his early years as a
schoolteacher and farmer. He came to
Minnesota on May l, 1855 and settled
at Sank Rapids, then the largest town
In the territory north of st. Paul. There
he engaged in locating timber and
farming lands, and opened the Benton
county township which he named Gil
manton. While Governor Gilman g
connection with the politics of the ter
ritory and state have made him most
widely known, he never gave over his
interest in exploration, even in the most
strenuous stages of his career. His ex-
plorations covered the northern part of
the state and northward to Hudson bay
in Ontario. He also, in later life, pros
pected extensively in the Olympic pen
insula of Washington.
Married in Minnesota.
On Jan. 1, 1855, Governor Gilman and
Hester Cronk were married in Sank
Rapids by Rev. Sherman Hall. Mrs.
Gilman was born on Big Island in the
Bay of Quinte near Bellville, Ont. The
fact that she was the descendant Of
Captain Ferguson Of the British army
and the Cronks, who had been COM
PEELED to leave New York during the
revolution because Of their British
sympathies, while Governor Gilman
ice for the colonies, brings out strong
ly the romance of the early immigra-
tion to Minnesota.
1t is by Governor Gilman's political
career that he is best known. This be-
gan in Sank Rapids, where he was sue
eessively Justice of the peace, register
of deeds and auditor of Benton county
: In 1861 he was appointed receiver Of
the St. Cloud land office by President
Abraham Lincoln and removed to this
city, where he has since resided He
was reappointed to this office by Presi-
dent Andrew johnson and President U.
s. Grant.
In 1867 he was elected state senator
for the St. Cloud district, which then
comprised more than half the state.
In 1874 he was elected representative
and reelected for four successive terms.
He was speaker of the house for the
sessions Of 1878 and 1879.
Three Times Lieutenant Governor.
In 1879 he was elected lieutenant
governor, running ahead Of Governor
John S. Pillsbury, who headed the re-
publican ticket. He was given second
and third term without opposition from
within his party. AS his last term was
for three years, he was presiding Off
Ger. of one house or the other Of the
legislature for nine years, three years
more than any other. Later in his
career he twice lost republican nomin-
alton for governor by narrow margin.
1t is upon this record that he has been
tacitly awarded the title Of "govern-
orr In 1894 he was appointed state
librarian by Governor Knute Nelson,
which office he held for five years.
Always in the heat of the political
battle, the Incidents and measures Of
Governor Gilman s fifty years in Min
nesota politics almost are beyond emu
meration. His railway measures, passed
by the legislatures of 1875 and 1876,
had far-reaching effect upon the de-
velopment of northern Minnesota. His
last political undertaking was the man
agement of Nelson g famous campaign
against Kindred for congress-