MRS. EMMA GILLIS - Obituary

Mrs. Emma Gillis
The East Liverpool Tribune

Miss Emma Gillis, widow of the late Roger Gillis, died Monday night (Feb. 5, 1906)at the home in Grant street at the age of 58 years, after an illness of two years from stomach trouble. The deceased is survived by five children, Helen, Walter, and William Gillis of this city; Mrs. Richard Billingsley of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Thomas Gillis, of Kittanning, Pa., and one sister, Mrs. Thomas Hogg, of Gallipolis, Ohio. Brief services were held at the family residence at 7 o’clock last evening, conducted by the Rev. Dr. T. W. Lane, and the body will be taken to Clifton, W.Va., this morning where burial will be made tomorrow.

The deceased passed the most of her life at Clifton, where her husband died eight years ago and was buried. Mrs. Gillis was a cousin to William Jennings Bryan, the Nebraska politician, her mother being a sister of Bryan’s father. When Mr. Bryan visited this city in February of last year he called upon Mrs. Gillis, having been told that the latter claimed relationship. Afte4r introducing himself, Mr. Bryan was escorted by Mrs. Gillis into her parlor where he saw suspended on the wall, side by side pictures of his father and that of Mrs. Gillis’ mother, Mrs. Bryan Cheney. Recognizing the relationship, Bryan gave Mrs. Gillis an affectionate embrace, and the two passed an hour very pleasantly chatting about the scenes and incidents of their childhood.

Mrs. Gillis removed with her family from Clifton to East Liverpool about three years ago. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal church.