Gilliland Gravestones at Hamilton-McCoy Cemetery (Jackson County, Ohio)
Report submitted by Kate Maynard November 2007
The Hamilton-McCoy Cemetery, also known as the McCoy Cemetery, is located just off Rt. 139 on Lenhart Road (see map links below). This is a beautifully maintained country cemetery and you will find here many final resting places for the Gillilands and their related families in Hamilton Township.
GNIS Location
McCoy Cemetery: 385453N 0824225W Petersburg
TOPOZONE Map
McCoy Cemetery: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lon=-82.7069&lat=38.9147
Indexed Stones
I have compared the stones I located with a published index and there are a few stones for which I didn't get photos:
David C. Gilliland (1885-1927); Everett Gilliland (1883-1963); Hugh Gilliland (the inventory provides no dates but the stone reads 1782-1859) and his wife Rebecca Martin (d. Apr. 24 1886). If you check "Jackson County, Ohio Gilliland Tombstones" in our Photo Album, however, you will see that Rebecca Albrecht contributed a photo of Hugh's stone, which is in desperate need of repair. I have no photo for the stone of Rebecca (Martin) Gilliland.
Sometimes I do an injustice to the women in our Gilliland families. Because of time constraints I often grab the index of Gilliland burials and concentrate on the obvious markers, but this can lead to so many omissions of Gilliland women whose maiden name may not be on their headstones. If you have any additional photos of this type that you would like to contribute to the documentation of these cemeteries, please let me know so I can add them to an index or photo album.
Unlisted Stones
Finally, I've documented a few Gilliland stones I found that do not appear in the index I have for this cemetery. Please check these against any index you may have for Jackson County Cemeteries and update your lists.
First of all, the name of Jehiel Gilliland should be noted. Jehiel (1842-1863) a Private in Company D, 36th Ohio Infantry, is among the young Hamilton Township men who died in the Civil War and his name appears on the large obelisk memorial at Hamilton-McCoy. However, not all of the men whose names appear on this memorial are actually buried at the cemetery. Jehiel died at Chickamauga and I believe he is buried at the Chattanooga (TN) National Cemetery, though I need some substantiating documentation.
The other stones for which I have photo documentation but do not appear in the published index are: Chester Gilliland (Aug. 16, 1924 - Jan. 18, 1988); and Warren F. Gilliland (Sept. 2, 1923 - Feb. 6, 1992).
Gilliland Gravestone Photos
* An asterisk by any name indicates a known veteran.
Additions/corrections welcome.
husband of Julina (Canter) Gilliland; his military service yet to be confirmed
wife of George Gilliland
Veteran. Corporal, Co. A, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery)
Veteran. Pvt., Co. I, 172nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Notes and photo contributed by Robert Preston:
They were my great grandparents. My grandmother was Lucy Jane Gilliland-Johnson. My
mother is Ruth Louise Johnson-Preston. My grandmother Lucy Gilliland
grew up in the Mabee area farm (on OHIO Rt 139 Jackson Co., OH) that you
talked about. She lived in Hamilton Township, Jackson County, Ohio all her life. In the mid to late
1950's she was a Township Clerk in the small polling building you mentioned.
I spent many days and weeks exploring her farm and the adjoining area.
daughters of Hugh and Elizabeth (Crabtree) Gilliland
Veteran. PFC, U.S. Army, WWII)
*Jehiel Gilliland (Veteran; died in the war.)
The name of Jehiel and other young local men who died during the Civil War are memorialized on an obelisk erected by Hamilton Township families in 1898. Because their names appear on the memorial does not necessarily mean these men are buried at Hamilton-McCoy. I believe Jehiel is buried at the Chattanooga National Cemetery in Tennessee. The inscribed name of Jehiel is visible on the first photo of the monument.
The inscription on the west face of the monument reads:
DEDICATED
TO THE MEMORY OF THE
BRAVE AND LOYAL MEN
WHO DIED WHILE IN SERVICE
OF THEIR COUNTRY 1861-1865.
HAMILTON TP. VOLUNTEERS
ERECTED BY
LOVING HEARTS AND WILLING HANDS
1898.
Views of the cemetery and church
