Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-31
OBITUARY.
WiIIlam @. Gilman.

ington street. Norwich Town. Mr.. Gil
man was born in Norwich, Nov. 10, 1893.
son of William C. and Eliza Colt Gil
man.
He attended school in Norwich and en-
tered Sheffield Scientific school later,
but left before graduation in order to
enter business win his father in New
York city. After his fathee's death he
continued in the insurance business by
himself, and later was with the Con-
tinental Insurance Co., until about 1900,
when on account of illness, he returned
to Norwich to take up his residence with
| his sisters. in Norwich Town.
In January of this year. with his
sister, Mrs. Lane, he went to California.
as had been their custom for several
years past, returning to Norwich Mon
| day evening.
On his return his strength suddenly
gave way and the end came very peace
fully Thursday afternoon
His sister, Mrs Louisa Gilman Lane,
and two sons, George Houghton and
Francis Gilman. survive him.
That Mr.. Gilman should have been
spared to return to the home which he
loved, following the long journey across
ehe continent. Is Fact which had In
1t pathos which touched his friends
deeply. even while they expressed sat
isfaction, Thursday evening that such
had been the circumstances of his last
homecoming. His son, Francis Gilman.
had gone to California on receiving the
information Of his fathers illness and
the homeward trip was made as COM
fortably, yet as expediously as posi-
Bile, After his arrival Monday evening
MI, Gilman became unconscious, and so
lapsed peacefully into his final sleep.
Norwich has had few native sons who
have SO loved the city Of their birth,
or who have done so much for it in a
literary way: and it will always be a
matter of solace to Mr.. Gilman's kin
and friends that his last hours were
allotted to be spent in the ancient
homestead on the beautiful Lowthorpe
estate.
Perhaps no other man, also, was more
active, albeit in a quiet way, in promot-
ing the welfare and beauty of this mis-
toric town. While the gift of the superb
portion of his family estate, the beauti-
full park known as Lowthrope Meadows,
was formally donated to the town in the
name of his sisters, Mrs Lane and
Misses Maria P. and Emily S. Gilman,
nevertheless Mr.. Gilman was most active
in all that pertained to the formal in
stitution and presentation of this mag
nificent gift. OF his private means he
gave literally also to many other OBJ
| jects and projects for the public vel
| fare and pleasure;. and his interest in
all that concerned Norwich Continued
keen to the very end.
) It IS to his literary attachments and
Unfailing persistence that Norwich owes
the accurate and valuable volume record.
ing the important celebration In July
: 1909 the 250th anniversary Of the found
ing of the town. When The Bulletin hat
3 begun this greatly to be desired work ant
= had been disappointed in the origina
plans for it's contamination, Mr.. Gil
= man cheerfuTy took up the task. giving
to it the full measure of his wide schol
arship. accuracy. sound Judgment ant
| historic knowledge, so that the hand
= some volume as it came from the pres
| was delight not alone to residents o
the town, but to every Norwich-bor1
/ daughter and son far and near. to whom
it went to carry the fine and pains
taking story of the triumphal commem
= Grafton of the towns important birth
l. day This splendid book will remain a
one of the permanent memorials to NJ
y Gilman's love of and labors for his ma
, tive Norwich.
u 1t was largely due to his suggestion
T. also that the celebrate nof Benefactor
. day in Norwich, June 81, 1914 provedtf
eventful epoch it was. He served c
committees. aided by helpful advice. ar
again in many ways ga with chara'
teristic liberal!ty to finance the projec
He was always interested in the Cit
Beautiful work for Norwich, as he VIZ
H. in so many other worthy projects, a.
B. parently delighting in being asked
help both with pen and purse.
50 well informed was he in matter
of local history that he was frequent
consulted. not only by his home frient
R but by authorities from cities remot
10 While his iliustrious brother, the late
N Daniel Colt Gilman. at his death pres
J. dent of Johns Hopkins university. hs
s. the literary aud scholarly gift in a mar
id ed degree. William Charles Gilman w
n equally gifted in the line OF faciIe al
t graceful composition. a geDfle, at tim
of whimsical humor and an aptness of e
Id preston which had q wonderful char
n He took the deep. sincere pleasure
an ardent lover Of nature in beautifyil
4 | not alone the grounds about his ance
ne trail home but in doing all possible to s
to to it that Norwich had a truly beautii
Id | park in Lowthorpe Meadows, also in NJ
I'd hogan park with ITS space and grande
of natural scenery. His benevolenc
however, were so quiet that only the
nearest to him were aware of their II
Nd extent and wide influence The sal
1iN ready interest showed Itself in his :
I'm dent attention to the welfare and acti
ad ties of the Free Academy and other lot
ng schools. He was a deep student of
W. ligious affairs and generous IN his aid
en- the churches, his owrH and any otht
IL which appealed to him..
to No greater trial could have come to
pc man of his literary attachments than W
OF the impaired sight which shut him aw
ell from his beloved books of late veal
but he bore this deprivation cheerful
ew and instead of complaining. made liz
* of It.
III MaGy- outside Of his household circ
so narrowed by death in these la
years, will mourn in his departure I
passing of true gentle-born and kinC
Oh gentleman. The name Of Gilman h
Use been long associated with Norwich. sir
,re the years when Mr. Gilman's faith
zee mayor of Norwich in 1899, was the fl
ger president of the Norwich and Worces
las railroad, and was for 80 years iden
on fed with important manufacturing. fins
tu- cial, educational and religious enterpri.
in in the town.
IN Mr. Gilman was a charter member
the Society Of the Founders Of N,
led witch.
He prepared ah1 had printed the
forming pamphlet narrating the eve,
of Benefactors' Day in Norwich, June
1914
ne Divorce Suit withdrew.
I'D The divorce suit of Ellen Santo G.;