Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 517-518; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Clarkson V. Gilmore is one of the leading business men of
Fairview and one of the most enterprising. His business
establishment is located on State Street and contains a well-selected
assortment of agricultural implements, horse goods, and vehicles,
including wagons, carriages, road carts, horse blankets, robes, nets,
whips, harness, and the various utensils and machines used by farmers.
Mr. Gilmore was born in the village of Fairview, December 3,
1848, and educated in the public schools. His parents, Darius and
Margaret Ann Gilmore, were natives of New York and New Jersey
respectively. They were married in the East and came to Fairview
in the fall of 1836. Mr. Gilmore built the first frame house in
the village and was one of its first residents. He worked at his
trade, that of wagon-making, for some time ad then removed to a farm
one mile south of town, in Joshua Township. After residing there
thirty years he retired to Fairview where he died in 1887 at the
advanced age of eighty-four years. His widow survived until
October, 1887, dying when seventy-six years old. Mr. Gilmore was
prominent in church affairs and for several years served as Deacon and
Elder in the Reformed Church of Fairview.
The parental family consisted of seven children, of whom we note
the following: Sarah G., widow of Josiah Alcott, lived in
Holland, Mich.; William B., a minister, died at Havana, this State;
Sophia V., is the wife of J. G. Kline, in Fairview; Julia G., Mrs. Van
Raaltee, lives in Holland, Mich.; John is a music dealer in Selma,
Ala.; Clarkson Van Nostrand is the subject of this notice; Darius is in
the music trade in Selma, Ala.
The gentleman whose name introduces this sketch grew to manhood
on the homestead and when of age started out for himself, going to
Amelia Courthouse, Va., where he fulfilled the duties of Deputy County
Clerk for two years. He then spent a year in New Jersey for the
benefit of his health and after a lengthy visit in the parental home
went to Texas, remaining there a year and a half. He then
returned to this State and engaged as a hotel clerk in Bushnell,
McDonough County, sojourning there until 1883. At that date he
came to Fairview and in 1884 embarked in his present business
enterprise. His affairs are in a thrifty condition and his trade
very satisfactory.
One of the attractive homes of Fairview is occupied by our
subject and his family, and presided over by a capable, estimable and
accomplished lady. She was formerly known as Miss Belle A.
Tunison and became the wife of our subject in 1884. She is a
daughter of Barny and Lucinda Tunison who came hither from New
Jersey. Mr. Tunison was a stonemason. Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore
have two bright children: Myron G. and Harold.
Mr. Gilmore is a member of the Village Board of Fairview and
being a thoroughly progressive and public-spirited man takes a leading
part in municipal affairs. He belongs to the lodges of the
Masonic fraternity and Modern Woodmen in Fairview. Mrs. Gilmore
is a member of the Reformed Church, and is organist for that society,
while her husband leads the choir. Both are very fond of music
and prove very helpful in getting up entertainments of various kinds,
particularly musicales. Mr. Gilmore possesses a fine voice which
adds greatly to the attractiveness of the church services and social
gatherings.
