Notes for Anna GILSON

Notes for Anna GILSON

RECORDS: Marriage, Death .
BORN: Thursday DIED: Thursday. Age at death 88 years 1 month 28 days.
SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBER: 503 54 0457 issued in South Dakota

Anna Gilson was born to Philip Gilson and Katherine Steichen. She was born in Colmar Berg (meaning castle on the hill) Colmar is a commune of Berg, canton of Mersch Luxembourg. Anna's grandmother was born in a castle in Luxembourg to the family of Rach. She was Christine Rach and as a young girl met and married against her families wishes, a miller by the name of Steichen. Their daughter Katherine bas born in Beringen, Luxembourg. She was married in Colmar Berg to Philip Gilson Anna's father.

The Gilson family originated in Normandy France at the time of the crusades. Some of the family soldiered in the army of William the I, commonly called "The Conqueror". They settled in England, thus dividing the family into 2 branches. One of the English branch of the family, William Gilson came to America with the Pilgrims and settled in Plymouth colony starting a Grist Mill. History has it that he invented the first mechanical contrivance built in Plymouth Colony.

The French branch of the Gilson family lived in Haby a province of Luxemburg now part of Belgium. In the 17th century, Conrad Gilson of this branch of the family, raised two sons, Theodore and Michael. One of their cousins, a ship captain, died in Holland. He left a sum of money for Theodore and Michael. Michael went to Holland to collect the money. He couldn't talk their language and couldn't collect any of the money. It made Theodore so angry he came to America and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1840. In 1850, Ozaukee county, Wisconsin was settled by people from Luxembourg and Theodore moved from Milwaukee to Port Washington where he started a steel foundry, manufacturing stoves, plow shares and many other items needed by the pioneers. One of the first things manufactured was a corn husker called the Ozaukee Husker. It was said "Anyone could get a job at the Theodore Gilson Foundry". The other brother Michael Gilson, Grandfather to Anna never came to America his wife was the former Anna Wirtz. They settled in Colmar Berg where he worked in the Foundries. His son Philip, worked in the foundries with him. During the Paris exposition in 1900, John Gilson son of Theodore of Wisconsin went to Paris to the exposition and while there decided to try to locate any relatives remaining in France or Luxembourg, and thus became reunited with Anna's family living in Colmer Berg, Luxembourg. Anna the eldest child of the family, was eighteen years old at the time and was working in the castle while the Grand Duke of Luxembourg lived in a castle in the city of Luxembourg (Luxembourg City) his son and wife, the Duke and Duchess, lived in the castle in Colmar Berg. Anna's duties were to help with the care of the daughter, the young princess. When her cousin from America arrived he persuaded Anna and her younger brother, Michael D. Gilson to return to America with him. They arrived in June in the year of 1901. They in turn, enthusiastic over the new world, wrote back for the parents and the rest of the children to come. They arrived in November, 1901. Philip, Anna's father, had lived at Colmar Berg in the same house since he was born on 5 March 1853. After he and Katherine Steichen married, they continued to live there. They had three boys, Michael, John and Andrew. Andrew died when he was twelve years old, and five girls, Anna, Alice, Margaret, Josephine, and one little girl who died when still and infant. All came to America execpt the little girl who had died. Philip died August 1934 and Katherine 1939 in Fredonia Wisconsin. They had lived first in Port Washington. Later Anna's father, Philip started his own foundry in Fredonia, Wisconsin, Which has grown through the years to a chain of foundries, including the one still in Fredonia, two in Plymouth and one in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, one in Statesville, North Carolina and one in Canada. At these foundries, cement mixers, lawn and garden equipment, tractors, and many other things are made for retailers all over the country.

It was in Port Washington, when Anna was working for her cousin, John, to pay back her fare to America, that Anna first met and married Andre Duprel. (see the Andre Duprel story)

Written by Anna Gilson & Berneice McKillips Duprel
Land of the Pioneers (Mato Paha) pages 120 - 122) Sturgis South Dakota (1968)

The above story about the Gilson family having 2 branches with one going to England and eventually comming to America with the Pilgrims is probably taken from the book GENEALOGY OF THE GILLSON AND JILLSON FAMILY. collected and compiled by David Jillson. In this book it is also mentioned about the Gilson surname being derived from Gill and Giles. Archbishop French, in his book on words, remarks concerning the Gillsons, that some pronounced the G hard and others soft, and he accounts for it by saying the former were the sons of Gilbert, and the latter the sons of Giles.

Family surnames were not commonly in use previous to the tenth century. They were first used in France, particularly in Normandy. Previous to the Norman conquest the people in England had generally but one name. The Gillson name is not found in England previous to the Norman conquest. The ancestor is said to have come over from Normandy with William the Conqueror, A.D. 1066 and from the name Gillson being found in France, gives countenance to this.

Whether we are descended from these Gilson / Gillson or not is not known. What is known from the records. Is that we are descended from Joannis Gilson and Jeanne Le Comte. Joannis and Jeanne came form Habay la Ville Luxembourg now part of Belgium. Joannis Gilson moved to Ferrifodina, Berg, Luxembourg. The 1st record that I have in Ferrifodina is the baptismal record for their daughter Francica Gilson (1739).

After Andre Duprel passed away in Deadwood South Dakota in 1943. Anna Gilson Duprel continued to live in Sturgis at their home located at 1407 West Main street (across the street from the courthouse). Anna spent much of her time with her children in South Dakota, she visited her other children and grandchildren in Washington, California, Mississippi, and Alabama, several times. She was able to visit her homeland (Luxembourg) in 1929 and again in 1965. She visited with her husband sister Catherine Liefrig Duprel in Roodt, and his neice Anna Thomes Duprel and nephew Nicolas Duprel in Rumelange Luxembourg. She also visited her husband brother Nicolas Duprel and his son Joseph. I have pictures of Anna when she visited with Nicolas and Joseph in Luxembourg (1929). I'm not sure as of this writting but I beleive in that same picture was Catherine Liefrig Duprel, Anna husband sister. > Anna passed away at Sturgis South Dakota in 1971 and is burried next to her husband Andre Duprel. Anna and Andre are survived by 138 descendants. (1993)

Written by Richard J. Duprel
Lacey, Washington (1993)
SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Newspaper Obit, Newspaper Article, Family records
Leonard Duprel Santa Cruz CA. 1973. The book Land of the Pioneers Meade Co.