Greenlief Gilbert

Greenlief N. Gilbert

Greenlief N. "Green" Gilbert was born in 1831 in Brown County, Ohio and died in 1884 in Blue Ridge, Piatt County, Illinois [His parents were Nathan William Gilbert (1801-1875) and Eleanor Anderson (1807-1844). Following the death of his first wife, Nathan William Gilbert married Martha Boyles Dryden (a widow with 3 children). Between them and their former spouses, they had 19 children]. In 1861, he enlisted in Company E., 12th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry (1-year and 3-year regiments) and served until 1865. On August 11, 1862, he enlisted in Company E., 12th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry (3-year regiment) as Sergeant. On March 1, 1863, he was promoted to Orderly Sergeant (On July 1, 1863, a Civil War Draft Record notes that he is married and a farmer; designated as Class 3; he is an Orderly Sgt; former experience Indiana 12th; his name is above his brother Robert B. Gilbert on this Civil War Draft Record from Brown Township, Morgan County, Indiana). The 12th Indiana participated in the Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863. During that battle, his brother, Corporal Robert B. Gilbert (Company E, 15th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry), was killed. On May 1, 1865, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in Washington D.C. He participated in the Grand Review of Armies in Washington D.C. and was mustered out of federal service on June 8, 1865 in Washington, D.C. A farmer before the Civil War, he returned to that profession following the end of the war.

In 1857, Greenlief married Elizabeth M. Heaton (1832 – 1890). During the Civil War, 2 daughters died very young, a 3rd daughter did not survive before the war. Upon his return, he and his wife moved to Blue Ridge, Piatt County, Illinois, where he and his wife survived their days.

Before Greenlief and Elizabeth M. (Heaton) Gilbert left Brown Township, Morgan County, Indiana, about 1867, they had buried 3 daughters in the Mooresville Cemetery in Mooresville, Indiana. They lie with a marker with three rounded edges noting their names and the daughters of G N and E M Gilbert. They lay next to the marker or grave of Robert B. Gilbert, Nathan's brother, killed at Missionary Ridge. A 4th daughter died in 1880. A fifth daughter was born in 1869. Both Greenlief and his wife, Elizabeth, were buried at Blue Ridge Cemetery, in Blue Ridge, Illinois (outside Farmer City, Illinois).

Photograph and information submitted by Greenlief Gilbert’s, great grand niece, Ann Swayze.

Greenlief N. Gilbert